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Unpopular opinion: I switched from clippers to a straight razor for fades and my chair time went up 20 minutes
So I run a small shop in Boise and about six months back I got it in my head that I wanted to offer a smoother fade than what my clippers were giving me. I had two options really, either drop $300 on a new set of adjustable clippers or pull out the straight razor I barely touch and learn to do it the old way. I went with the razor because I figured it would set me apart and honestly I liked the idea of being that guy. Big mistake at first. I nicked a regular named Dave twice in one week and he started flinching every time I came near his neck. My average chair time jumped from 30 minutes to almost 50 because I was being so slow and careful. After about 3 months though something clicked and now I can do a skin fade with the razor in about the same time, maybe 5 minutes longer. The finish is way better and I get guys asking what I use. But I lost two clients in that learning stretch and I still wonder if I should have just bought the clippers. Any of you ever tanked your speed to chase a better result, or is that just a dumb way to run a shop?
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jenny_coleman9d ago
Losing two clients over a faster fade seems like not that big a deal in the long run. Most guys would kill to have customers asking what tool you use, that word of mouth is worth way more than two dudes who bailed. Sounds like you already got past the rough part anyway, so the clipper question is kind of moot now. Plenty of shops chase speed and end up with average cuts nobody talks about. You did the opposite and it worked out.
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