Spotted something at a barber expo in Charlotte that changed my whole approach

I went to the Charlotte Barber Expo last Saturday and saw this older guy just freehanding a design with trimmers. No guides, no clips, just his eyes and steady hands. He finished in like 10 minutes and it was cleaner than anything I do with stencils. Made me realize I've been leaning on tools too much instead of practicing my actual control. Has anyone else had a moment at a show or convention that made you rethink your whole technique?

3 comments

3 Comments

wendyg431d ago

Damn, that's the stuff that sticks with you for years. I saw a similar thing at a show in Atlanta once, a guy doing fades with his eyes closed half the time. It wasn't just the skill, it was the confidence. That's what really got me thinking. We get so caught up in the gadgets and templates that we forget the basics are what actually make you good. Watching someone trust their hand like that is humbling. It's like a wake up call to stop relying on crutches and just put in the real practice.

elliot_patel1d agoTop Commenter

@wendyg43 yeah that Atlanta story really hit me too.

faithcampbell1d ago

That "trust their hand" part really stuck with me too... but something nobody's bringing up is maybe he started with all the guides and gadgets too, he just practiced so much he didn't need them anymore. Like that confidence had to come from somewhere, right?