c/barbers

Spent 45 minutes trying to figure out why my clippers were pulling hair...

So I'm in the middle of a fade on a regular client last Saturday, right? And my clippers start tugging at the hair instead of cutting clean. I stop, oil them up, clean the blade, still pulling. I swap blades entirely, same problem. I'm thinking the motor is dying or something. After 45 minutes of messing around, I realize I forgot to take the blade guard off... yeah, the little plastic one that comes with new clippers. It was still on there from when I swapped blades. Felt like a total idiot but my client thought it was hilarious. Anyone else ever had a brain fart like that where you overlook the simplest thing?

Guy at the barber supply store told me I was wasting money on ceramic blades

I was in there picking up some fresh Wahl magic clips and this older barber just starts going off about how ceramic blades are a gimmick. Said he's been using the same steel set for 18 years and they cut just as good. I mean, I get his point about how ceramic can chip if you drop it, but my regulars have all noticed the difference since I switched. Less heat buildup and it does seem smoother on coarse hair. I paid $35 for the ceramic set and it's been 4 months now. Anyone else have one chip out on them unexpectedly?

That barber influencer claiming you need 14 different clippers to do a proper fade is straight up wrong

I heard some kid at the supply shop bragging about his collection of 5 different detachable blades and thought, man, I've been doing solid fades for 18 years with just my old Wahl Senior and three guards, so why are we pushing beginners to spend $400 before they even know how to hold the thing?

Switched from clippers to shears for my bald fades and never looked back

I spent two years doing bald fades with just my clippers and a trimmer. Thought that was the only way to get a clean line. Then I watched a guy from Chicago at a barber expo use shears for the whole transition area. He barely touched his clippers. I went home and tried it on my regular Tuesday guy. Took me three tries to get the angle right but the blend was way smoother. No more harsh lines where the foil shaver meets the clipper guard. Now I use shears for about 80% of the fade work. I still use the clippers for bulk removal but the finish is just better. Anyone else switch up their tool order and get better results?

Rant: I used to think cheap clippers were fine until I borrowed a Wahl Senior

Overheard a guy at the supply shop say he'd rather use a $200 clipper for 5 years than a $50 one for 6 months, and it stuck with me. I borrowed my coworker's Wahl Senior last week for a lineup and the lack of vibration alone made me rethink my whole kit. Anyone else here make the switch from budget clippers to something pricier and notice a real difference in your hands after a full day?

Hit my 500th straight razor shave yesterday and it felt way bigger than I expected

I started keeping count on a random Tuesday two years ago and now I'm wondering if anyone else tracks their numbers or just flies by feel.

Torn between clipper brands last month, went with Wahl instead of Oster

I had to pick between a Wahl Magic Clip and an Oster Fast Feed for my mobile kit. Went with the Wahl after a buddy in Austin swore by them for fading. So far, so good, the blade cuts super smooth on thin hair. Anyone else have a preference between those two?

Walk-in only vs appointment book - which do you prefer on a Saturday?

I've been cutting hair for about 4 years now and I'm torn on this. My shop downtown does strictly walk-ins on weekends and I had 18 people show up between 10am and 2pm last Saturday. It was absolute CHAOS trying to keep track of who came in first and some guys waited over an hour. But my buddy who rents a booth across town swears by appointments only and says he makes more per hour because he blocks out time. He did 12 cuts same day and made $60 more than me. What's your system for busy Saturdays and does it actually work better for your mental health?

I finally figured out why my clipper blades were dulling so fast

I was out in Denver last month cutting at a buddy's shop and noticed his blades stayed sharp way longer than mine. He asked if I ever cleaned the little gunk buildup under the tension spring. I never even thought about that. Now I pop the blade off every three cuts and wipe that area down with a dry cloth. Anyone else check that spot regularly?

Took me 45 minutes to figure out why my clippers were pulling hair...

Had this nagging issue for a few days where my Wahl Seniors were just yanking hair instead of cutting clean. I cleaned them, oiled them twice, checked the blade gap... nothing worked. Finally I noticed a tiny dent on the bottom blade where I dropped them on the tile floor last week. That little dent was catching the hair and messing up the cut. I spent way too long messing with adjustments when the fix was ordering a new blade set for like 12 bucks. Has anyone else had a weird mechanical issue that took forever to troubleshoot?

Heard a guy at the barber supply store say fades are dead

Was grabbing some new shears yesterday and overheard a dude telling the clerk that skin fades are on their way out. Said it's all about longer textured cuts now and that we're all wasting our time practicing bald lines. I get that trends shift but calling fades dead felt like a hot take. Spent my whole Sunday watching tutorials on scissor-over-comb work just in case he's right. Anyone else hearing this from clients or is this guy just trying to sell his own class?

Swapped my clipper blade for a straight razor on a tough neckline today

After six months of fighting with a #10 blade on this one guy's cowlick, the straight razor gave me a clean line in two passes and he actually said “finally, a barber who knows what he's doing.” has anyone else found certain hair types just refuse to cooperate with clippers no matter what guard you use?

My clipper blade tangled up mid-fade on a client today

I was doing a zero-fade on a regular at my shop in Nashville this morning and my #000 blade just started pulling and snagging halfway through the sideburn area. Turns out I hadn't cleaned the gunk out from under the guard for like two weeks (rookie move, I know). Anyone else deal with sudden blade drag during a haircut and have a quick fix that works better than just stopping to spray?

Finally saw the difference after switching to a new clipper blade gap on my fade work

After 4 months of using the same .5 blade gap I tried a .4 on a customer yesterday and the blend from skin to mid fade looked way smoother than anything I've done before - has anyone else had a similar 'aha' moment from just changing one small adjustment?

Swore by clippers with adjustable blades for 8 years until a guy at Phil's Barber Supply showed me why fixed blades cut cleaner on thick hair

I tried his demo where he ran both through a strip of phone book paper (yep, old school) and the fixed blade just sliced through without any snagging, so now I'm swapping my Andis Master for a detachable blade system - has anyone else made that switch and regretted it at first?

Just hit 1000 haircuts this week - didn't see that coming

I was going through my books on Tuesday night and realized my last client of the day was number 1000 since I started cutting professionally back in March 2022. That number kind of blew my mind because it doesn't feel like I've done that many. I remember stressing over my first 10 cuts and now I can do a fade in about 22 minutes without even thinking. The funny thing is I never set a goal like 'I wanna hit 1000 cuts' but seeing it in black and white made me feel like I'm actually getting somewhere. Has anyone else reached a milestone like that and had it sneak up on them?

That regular who just sat and watched for 20 minutes before speaking

I had this older guy come in about three years ago, must have been 70-something, and he just sat in my chair and stared at the mirror for a solid 20 minutes before he said a word. Finally he goes "I been coming here since 1987 and you're the fifth barber to cut my hair in this same spot." He told me the building used to have a newspaper stand next door and the barber before me would keep a radio on for the baseball games. I never met that other barber but hearing about him made me feel like part of something bigger. Anyone else have a customer who just dropped some unexpected history on you like that?

Vent: That time a straight razor slipped and I had to stitch up my own thumb

I was in my shop off Belmont Avenue two weeks ago, doing a straight razor shave on a regular. Dude coughed mid-stroke and my hand jumped - blade went right across my thumb. Blood everywhere, had to wrap it and send him home, then drive myself to urgent care for 4 stitches. Cost me 80 bucks and lost 3 days of work. Anyone else have a tool fail on them in a way that was totally your own fault?

Client told me my fades looked "dusty" - changed my clipper technique completely

A guy in his 60s sat in my chair last week and said my fades had too much "dust" on the edges, so I stopped using the corner of my clipper and started going straight in with the lever open. Anyone else get that kind of direct feedback that forced you to rework your whole approach?

Made the switch from flat top to shears for clipper over comb and I'm never going back

I spent 6 months fighting with my clipper trying to get clean fades on curly hair in Phoenix. Finally watched a guy at a shop in Mesa do it with shears and a comb in half the time. Tried it myself on a regular last Wednesday and the blend came out way smoother, no lines at all. Has anyone else found shears work better for certain textures?

Had a walk-in ask for a 'modern mullet' last Tuesday and I actually enjoyed doing it

Guy was in his 40s, sat down, said he trusted me completely, and after 45 minutes of texturizing and blending he tipped $25 on a $35 cut how often does that happen to you?

Walked into a barbershop in Boise last Friday and saw zero clippers being used

Vent: I keep seeing barbers hold clippers like they're scared of them

I was watching a new guy at the shop in Tacoma last week, and his grip on his Wahl Seniors was so tight and awkward his knuckles were white. He was fighting the tool instead of letting it do the work, and the fade lines showed it. A relaxed, palm-in grip gives you way more control and a smoother blend, but I see this tense claw grip all the time. Anyone else notice this, or have a different tip for helping new barbers get comfortable with their clippers?

Just realized the barber shop in the old mall in Springfield still uses a straight razor for every neckline.

I was getting a trim there last week and watched the owner, who must be in his 70s, do a perfect clean-up on the guy in the next chair without a single guard or trimmer, just a steady hand and a leather strop he keeps on the counter.

TIL a lesson about clipper guards the hard way at a shop in Tempe

I was rushing through a skin fade on a busy Saturday and used a guard that was slightly loose without double-checking it, which led to a noticeable line I had to spend 20 minutes fixing, so now I always physically snap each guard on before I even turn the clippers on.