TIL a client's one comment made me change how I use thinning shears

Had a guy last Tuesday who's been coming to me for about 6 months. After a cut he said my blending felt 'too choppy' near the crown. Turns out I was using my thinning shears way too close to the scalp instead of mid-shaft. Fixed that and now my fades look way smoother. Anyone else get a random critique that totally shifted their technique?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_william9d ago

That thing about getting a random critique that totally shifts your whole approach really hit home. @johnthompson I feel you on that neckline angle issue, it's one of those little details that can mess up an entire cut if you don't catch it early. I had a client tell me my fades were looking "muddy" near the temple area and it turned out I was keeping my clipper too flat against the contour instead of following the natural curve of the head. Spent a week just watching slow motion videos of how other barbers handle that transition and now my blends come out way cleaner. It's wild how one honest comment from a customer can open your eyes to something you've been doing wrong for months without realizing it.

johnthompson9d ago

My barber back in 2015 told me I was holding my clippers at the wrong angle on the back of the neck. He said I was tilting the blade too far forward and it made the line jagged. I spent the next two weeks practicing on a mannequin head with a level taped to the clipper just to train my hand. It was a dumb fix but my necklines are crisp now.