Old timer at the shop changed how I do fades

Had this guy in his 70s come in last month, said his regular barber retired. He sat down and told me 'slow down, you're rushing the blend.' Watched me for a second then showed me this trick with the corner of the clipper blade that I'd never seen before. Anybody else pick up random tips from older clients?

2 comments

2 Comments

sam53015h ago

Old timers ALWAYS know some hidden gem technique. That corner blade trick sounds like something nobody teaches in school. I'd pay attention to any client with that much experience.

nelson.finley8h ago

Man, that really hits home for me. I had a client a few years back who was a retired carpenter, must have been in his 70s, and he showed me this way to sharpen a chisel using a belt sander and a wet rag that I still use to this day. It's those little tricks you just don't see in any manual or YouTube video, @sam530. I think there's something special about learning from people who've been doing the work since before all the fancy power tools took over. They've got that muscle memory and problem solving that just comes from years of fixing stuff on the job. I swear, every time I listen to one of those older guys talk, I pick up something that saves me an hour the next day. It's worth way more than any certificate or online course, that's for sure.