Chatted with a 70 year old barber at a shop in Austin

He told me he hasn't used thinning shears in 40 years and just relies on texturizing with clippers and a comb. Kinda made me rethink if I'm overcomplicating my fade work, anyone else ever get a tip that changed your whole routine?

3 comments

3 Comments

lopez.jana21d ago

Ha, fair enough but is it really that deep? I get that old school guys have their ways but not using thinning shears at all sounds like a personal preference more than some universal secret. I've tried both ways and honestly my clipper work with a comb is fine but I still need shears for certain spots to keep the weight off. What's the big deal if you use them or not as long as the fade looks clean?

william_torres21d ago

Lol nah @lopez.jana you're missing the real trick here. Thinning shears actually mess with the hair's natural growth pattern over time and can make fades look choppy after a week or two. That's why old school guys skip them, they want the fade to grow out smooth not look like a weird zigzag line after day three.

patriciah5121d ago

lopez.jana you're missing the point here. The issue isn't just about looks, it's about how the hair behaves as it grows out. I've seen fades done with thinning shears look great day one but by day five they're all fuzzy and uneven. The comb and clipper method gives a cleaner blend that lasts way longer between cuts. Plus you avoid accidentally cutting too deep and ruining the shape. The old school guys figured out that less tools means more control, especially when you're dealing with different hair textures. It's not a preference thing, it's straight up efficiency.