Why do so many barbers cut the neckline before the sides?
I've been cutting for 11 years at a shop in Boise and I still see newer guys grab the trimmer for the neckline first thing after the clipper work. The neck hair grows down and the sides grow out, so when you shape the neck early it looks off once the taper catches up, and I've watched clients run their hand back there in the mirror and frown. Are you guys finishing the sides and blend complete before you touch the neck, or is there a reason to hit it early that I'm missing?
Used to hit the neck first back when I was starting out, mostly because it felt like getting the easy part done. But after watching a few fades look choppy right at the bottom, I switched to finishing the sides and blend all the way through before the trimmer ever comes out. Now the neckline lines up clean with the taper and nobody's frowning in the mirror.