Had a walk-in yesterday who showed me I've been fading my blend lines wrong for 3 years

This older barber (been cutting since the 80s) sat in my chair, and after I finished the first pass he just looked at me and said 'you're going too high with the lever before you even start the blend.' I thought I was doing it right this whole time by going straight to half-closed right away. He showed me to keep it closed for the first guideline and only open it up after the section is done. Tried it on my next client and holy cow the fade came out way smoother. Anyone else get a tip from a customer that completely changed their technique?

3 comments

3 Comments

claire_ramirez19d ago

Nah man, that's a solid tip right there. I've been fading for a while and I still catch myself rushing the blend pattern. It's crazy how one old head can walk in and just drop knowledge that changes everything. Definitely gonna try keeping the lever closed on my first guide next time.

blake69119d agoMost Upvoted

Real talk. Old heads always got the real game.

the_sandra10d ago

Old heads always got the real game" - man, that's the truth. Had this older lady come in once, probably 70 something, told me I was using too much tension when pulling the guard through. I was gripping the comb so tight my knuckles went white. She said "honey, you're fighting the hair instead of letting it glide." Watched her grab a comb with her fingertips and just float through a section. Tried it next day. Completely new world. Sometimes the smallest tweaks are the ones that hit you right in the face.