I was using the wrong blade angle for 4 years on fades

A customer at my shop in Houston last Tuesday casually said my blend looked a bit choppy near the temple. I got defensive at first but then looked closer and he was right. Turns out I was running my trimmer at too steep an angle which was digging in instead of fading smooth. I adjusted to a flatter angle and the blend went buttery in one pass. Any other barbers learn a basic technique wrong for years before someone called them out?

2 comments

2 Comments

avery3665d ago

Took me 3 years to realize my shear angle was jacked up too, flat is always smoother.

the_eric5d ago

Wait, do you mean flat as in the blade is parallel to the strop or something else? I feel like a lot of people don't realize that even a tiny bit of angle makes a huge difference when you're trying to get that final polish. I messed around with mine for months before I stopped being stubborn and just went flat. It's honestly night and day for the cleanest finish, especially on those last few passes.