Hot take: My vacation visiting barber shops in Italy made me question our focus on high-tech tools.

Seeing them create perfect fades with just a comb and clippers reminded me that skill beats gear every time.

3 comments

3 Comments

kaid452mo ago

Overthinking a pretty basic point here.

baker.stella2mo ago

Exactly what @olivia_lopez16 said about old tools is true, they can fight you. But a sharp barber with real skill can still make it work. They'll know how to change the blade guard or adjust their angle to get the cut right. It might take longer and be frustrating, but the hands doing the work matter more than the tool in them. I've seen guys with top-of-the-line clippers still mess up a basic taper because they never learned the fundamentals.

olivia_lopez162mo ago

Okay but like, sure skill is key, but without the right clippers and stuff, even a pro might struggle. My cousin tried to cut hair with old tools and it was a mess, so gear totally matters.