Had a client talk me out of using thinning shears on his fine hair last week

Guy comes in, sits down, says don't touch him with thinning shears. I always use them to blend on fine hair, figured he didn't know what he was talking about. He explained he lost a bunch of density last time a barber went too heavy with them. Made me rethink my go-to move. Any of you guys avoid thinning shears on certain clients?

2 comments

2 Comments

morgan.cameron5d ago

Honestly, that "lost a bunch of density" part hit me right in the feels. Ngl, I've been that guy who went too heavy with thinning shears on a fine-haired client and turned him into a dandelion puffball. Tbh I still have nightmares about the combats of hair on my apron, felt like a barber version of a horror movie. Learned my lesson the hard way, now I basically treat thinning shears like a loaded weapon around anyone with thin hair.

gonzalez.phoenix5d ago

My first barbering mentor used to call thinning shears "the devil's scissors" and I rolled my eyes until I saw a coworker take a whole inch off a guy's crown in one snip. He had this fine, wispy hair like a baby bird and suddenly there was this bald spot right on top. We had to call it a "textured crop" and the poor client just sat there nodding while we all pretended not to panic. That was fifteen years ago and I still check my shears twice before I even open them near the crown area.