Watched my old mentor cut hair for 20 years then saw how I do it now

I started barbering back in 2005 in a shop in Chicago where my mentor had been cutting since the 80s. He was all about shears and a straight razor, barely touched clippers except for the neckline. Fast forward to last week, I counted and I used clippers for 90% of a cut, only picked up shears for the very end. Clipper tech just took over, especially with all the guards and fading systems we have now. My mentor would probably shake his head at how I work, but clients expect that modern fade look every time. Has anyone else noticed their tool mix shifted hard over the years?

3 comments

3 Comments

sage3082d ago

Man, I don't know if it's really that deep. You picked up a clipper, so what? Your mentor was from a different time when dudes were asking for different stuff. Fades weren't even a big thing back then like they are now. If someone walked in wanting a modern bald fade with a hard part in the 80s, he would've had to figure it out too. Just different tools for different jobs.

the_ruby1d ago

Read that same idea in an old barber forum the other day. Guys were saying the 80s were all about scissor work and layering, so of course clipper skills weren't the focus back then. It's just how the trade evolved, nothing personal.

wyatt_mitchell261d ago

Nobody's mentioned yet that the old scissor-heavy methods actually teach you better control for when you do use clippers. The muscle memory from handling shears and a straight razor all day carries over in a way newer barbers miss out on. @sage308 is right that the demand changed, but that foundation still matters even if the tool mix flips completely.