Hair

[Russell Street]

Shave the sides of your head...

This Macklemore/Morrisey high and tight seems to be the haircut of the moment. The ghetto barber I go to gave me something similar once, and called it a half-fade. It grew out nicely, but now I get a lower quarter fade. It is good to see barbers once again able to clip closely and not giving dikey unisex cuts.

It seems that every barber under middle age is completely reliant on clipper guards, which I see as the equivalent of training wheels. Anyway, ITT we ramble on about all things related to hair.

 

[Thruth]

My wife is a former hair stylist. The use of clippers and free hand scissoring has always been part of the gig. There is or was a difference between barber school and hair styling school. Not sure if old school barber training exists anymore.

 

[Russell Street]

I heard some old barber explaining that the licensing changed from barber and beautician or hairdresser to the unisex stylist around the early 70s or so, and that's why there was a grave danger of all the old-school barbers retiring and/or dying off. There seems to be a revival of classically themed barber shops by young guys in the last few years, of varying quality.
It always cracks me up that the clipper experts that usually do extreme "urban" head carvings are the ones that can actually deliver the old school Boardwalk Empire look successfully. I've noticed that the new breed of barbershop has to balance between Jersey Shore type guidos, tattooed muscleheads, and old traditional types along with run-of-the mill family types.

 

[Fwiffo]

I used to go to the cheapest one in a mall so they took a shaver to my head. Since around six years ago I started going to Truefitt and Hill. I'm a bit of an anglophile but the branch I went to in Toronto is completely run by Italians. (Nothing like old men coming in whispering Salvatore, Francesco, etc.). They give me a scissors cut, I get a massage with those contraptions he attaches to his hand and a half decent shampoo. I have a simple side part so it's not really a challenge for them.

Oh, other than the svelte woman who accepts cash and one other who does your nails, it's all men.

 

[Allen Smithee]

Scissors up top, clippers for the edges. Otherwise it looks too shagadelic, like the hair can be lifted off in one piece.

Agree on not really trusting women to cut a man's hair.

 

[Russell Street]

Scissors up top, clippers for the edges.

This. I don't want some sharp line where the hair ends that looks like somebody came by with a a weed whacker.
I also find that young barbers are unfamiliar with thinning shears, which are great for removing volume without killing length.

 

[Thruth]

Best way to avoid shears being used on your hair is this

 

[Russell Street]

That's a pure scissor cut for sure.

 

[Thruth]

That's a pure scissor cut for sure.

Nothing but. He has seen the light though

 

[Russell Street]

Nice hair do for a change - too many pineapple cuts these days.

Is the pineapple cut where the sides are buzzed close and then straight up leaving a pile on the top?

 

[Fwiffo]

The hair transplant doctor loved this because you can use the back to put hair where you need it, although the target site will have to be shaved down as well.

Honestly I see a lot of men do it in the financial district - younger men. It's prevalent amongst Asians who can't keep their hair down or don't want to use pomade to tame their sides.

 

[Russell Street]

I broke my Mason Pearson comb this morning. Does it really matter if I replace it with a Speert or a Kent?
And why the heck shouldn't I get a woman's comb with a handle if I only use the thing for parting?

 

[doghouse]

I broke my Mason Pearson comb this morning. Does it really matter if I replace it with a Speert or a Kent?
And why the heck shouldn't I get a woman's comb with a handle if I only use the thing for parting?

The Kent 7 is supposedly a womens model (no handle though), and it's my favorite parting comb.

 

[BLSoda]

I got the absolute worst haircut today. I'm living away from home so I don't really have a place that I'm familiar with and stopped in and holy wow, this lady F'd my hair up. At first she hardly took any hair off, then I asked for her to take a little bit more length off the top and she just hacked away. How do you guys usually describe to a new barber how to do cut your hair?

 

[Grand Potentate]

Wish I could be more help but I buzz cut mine with a clippers. Haven't paid for a haircut in years.

 

[Thruth]

Yep. Sorry. My wife cuts my hair. Luckily we are past the "experimental" hair style years. Sadly I figure each haircut costs me $50,000.00

 

[Journeyman]

Wish I could be more help but I buzz cut mine with a clippers. Haven't paid for a haircut in years.

There was a guy in his fifties on my bus yesterday who had either cut his own hair, or had gone to a blind hairdresser. His hair looked as though it had been attacked by a run-away lawnmower, with little chunks and tufts standing up on his head, particularly around the back.

 

[Grand Potentate]

There was a guy in his fifties on my bus yesterday who had either cut his own hair, or had gone to a blind hairdresser. His hair looked as though it had been attacked by a run-away lawnmower, with little chunks and tufts standing up on his head, particularly around the back.

I'm glad that you thought to equate me with the runaway mental patient that happened to catch your bus. I'm flattered.

 

[Journeyman]

I'm glad that you thought to equate me with the runaway mental patient that happened to catch your bus. I'm flattered.

I'm just hoping that you manage to do a better job clipping your own hair than he did!

 

[Grand Potentate]

I'm just hoping that you manage to do a better job clipping your own hair than he did!

On most occasions, yes. I clip it without a guard so it gets very short. Kind of hard to fuck that up. Only thing is that it shows the scar from when I passed out and slammed my head on my toilet. But its a small price to pay.

 

[Fwiffo]

I've had the same barber for nearly five years. He uses scissors for all his work, though, so it's a bit easier to say stop. Bring a photograph of what you want?

In spite of the enjoyable wash and the massage, he never quite styles it the way I come in to see him. I keep returning mostly because I don't want to risk seeing someone new who could be worse. Plus, they always have Sinatra on and it's funny to hear Salvatore, Gianni, and other Italians in what's supposed to be a British barber shop. One of them sounds like Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone.

 

[doghouse]

I've had the same guy since I was like 12 years old. I had really long hair twice in my life, so didn't get haircuts for several blocks of years, and used clippers a bit to when I buzzed my hair. But other than that been going to Roy. Actually was supposed to go yesterday, but had to cancel due to work conflict.

 

[Russell Street]

I don't want some sharp line where the hair ends that looks like somebody came by with a a weed whacker.

It is excruciating to explain this to a new barber. I have to use these wierdo terms like "no-line taper" and "fade to skin" and stuff. Apparently the rest of the world just asks for a guard size number and they mow the head and trace the edges. A new barber will just keep going closer without introducing the transition of length that I want till the light finally clicks.

Anyway, in searching for a comb yesterday, some search led me to a video on hair-parting and it actually reminded me of something I used to do and just forgot about. See, I've gotten ruthlessly efficient in just combing to the side and doing no real styling, for that no-nonsense nerd/nazi look. This leads to the weird cranial shape being on full display. Today I did what this guy shows, adding a bit of lift at the front. Much better.

 

[Dropbear]

My hair is receding at the temples. I used to do a side part or a slicked-back semi-pompadore. Now I don't know what the fuck to do with it.

Do I comb it back, to the side or go shorter?

 

[Russell Street]

This is an example of where the thinning shears help, as they reduce volume but maintain length. Too much lift looks bad with a receding hairline. I'd slick it back at a parted angle, but that's what I'd say to anyone.

 

[Dropbear]

Better?

 

[Russell Street]

Dangit, half my posts from yesterday were never actually submitted. This one is barely relevant anymore.

I saw this photo in an article about the perfume industry. I'm not sure if I love or hate it.

Slicked straight back has to fight gravity and ends up a bit unruly. This side part looks much neater and more dignified. The angle of the shot may be different, or the lighting, but it looks younger and less bald too.

 

[Grand Potentate]

looks fine to me Dropbear

 

[Pauly Chase]

Time to bump this thread.

I have long hair right now and thinking about getting it cut. I have thick curly hair, also I have a flat head (curse the Asian propaganda), any recs? I want to go short but my head looks like a brick profile wise.

 

[Russell Street]

Define short. I'm a big proponent of going just long enough that the hair stays down. Definitely taper the sides and don't do this whitewall nonsense. Up a bit, I posted me revelation about combing back to add a bit of height and roundness at the top/front.
Or be a jackass and get a fauxhawk.

 

[Pauly Chase]

Short like buzz or 1 or no guard. I would go for that if I had a round head. When my hair is short, it's coarse and grows out.

What's whitewall?

Fauxhawk is definition of douchebagery in the Midwest.

 

[Pauly Chase]

I currently use a hair straightener after blowing drying and apply CHI silk infusion to keep my hair straight and loose. Otherwise I sport an Afro.

 

[Russell Street]

What's whitewall?

That's what I call it when the sides are buzzed close enough to see skin. I'm picturing the 'do where the sides are short and the top is 1-2" long, just a curly mop. Let's call it the Justin Timberlake.

 

[Pauly Chase]

I have been looking at pictures online, seems like short hair besides buzz cut takes a lot of work to style.

 

[Grand Potentate]

Buzz it all off. It'll change your life.

 

[Russell Street]

Yes. People often do this before they start their killing sprees.

I've changed my mind. Get the Ed Grimley, where all is buzzed except for a tuft at top front.

 

[Pauly Chase]

Buzz it all off. It'll change your life.

The back of my head is flat. looks like a brick if I buzz. Otherwise I would.

 

[Grand Potentate]

The back of my head is flat. looks like a brick if I buzz. Otherwise I would.

Just try it. It will grow back

 

[Pauly Chase]

The girl who cuts my hair is a personal friend, Imma ask her if there is any trick she can do to make the back appear rounded.

 

[Grand Potentate]

The girl who cuts my hair is a personal friend, Imma ask her if there is any trick she can do to make the back appear rounded.

Just get a clipper without a guard on it and take it all off.