Why I ditched the clipper-over-comb for shears on most fade blends

I spent my first two years in the chair at a shop in Austin relying almost completely on clipper-over-comb for blending. Got fast at it, clients were happy. But I kept noticing little ridges and uneven spots that I'd have to chase with the trimmer. So six months ago I forced myself to switch to shears for the transition zone on fades. First two weeks were rough, no joke. I took way longer and had a couple guys leave with choppy necks. But after sticking with it, my blends are way smoother now and I catch lines before they even set in. Clients actually started asking what I changed. Has anyone else made this switch and dealt with the initial slowdown on busy days?

3 comments

3 Comments

bettyroberts29d ago

That whole thing about switching tools and struggling at first before it clicks, I see that everywhere now. My husband tried the same kind of change with his woodworking, same story.

diana_west2728d ago

I mean, "nearly threw his router through the window" sounds a little dramatic, doesn't it? Like yeah, getting frustrated with a new tool is annoying but people act like it's this huge life or death struggle. My husband gets mad at his computer mouse sometimes and wants to chuck it, but he's not out here making it into a whole philosophical lesson about growth or whatever. It's just a bad day with a tool, not a big deal.

ryantorres29d ago

Yeah, my buddy switched from hand planes to power tools and nearly threw his router through the window at first, @bettyroberts.