Master Your Craft: A Guide to Selecting and Utilizing Barbering Tools

Yes, tools matter.

As you start on this creative journey, you'll discover the importance of selecting the right tools to enhance your skills and make your daily tasks more enjoyable. Today, we'll dive deep into the essentials of barbering equipment, helping you navigate your new career with confidence.

Overcoming Overwhelm: Choosing Your Tools Wisely

Stepping into the barbering world can be overwhelming with so many tools at your disposal. It's normal to feel a bit lost initially. Every master barber has once faced the same choices you're encountering. The key is to start with the basics and expand your toolkit as your skills grow. Don't rush; take your time to learn about each tool and its purpose.

Tools are extremely expensive, so I understand how lost people can feel when it's time to upgrade or purchase their first set.

I’ve been barbering since 2011 and didn't fully switch over to the Babyliss brand until 2016, and I haven’t looked back since. They have a variety I trust and recommend that I'll cover as we move through this newsletter.

The Importance of Ergonomics: Your Comfort Comes First

Ergonomics isn't just a fancy word; it's crucial for your health and longevity in the barbering profession. Tools that fit comfortably in your hand reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries and make your job easier. They should feel like an extension of your hand, naturally complementing your movements.

For example, I have smaller hands, and when I used tools that had a heavy vibration, it over time made me feel like I was going to develop carpal tunnel. I felt it in my fingers strained after a long day, and mixing that up with standing all day feels dreadful, making you wonder how long you can last.

Two things I did later down the road that helped with my back and wrist/finger pains were to simplify my schedule and invest in lighter equipment that had a lighter vibration. Adjusting my prices also allowed me to work less, which put less strain on my body as a whole.

Blades and Levers: Precision in Every Cut

Blades and levers are fundamental to your performance. A blade that stays cooler for longer, like the innovative MIM blade that just released, prevents discomfort for your clients and yourself during long sessions. Adjustable lever detents, which came along later but are now an industry standard, allow you to go from short to long hair quickly and efficiently, which is especially useful for detailed fade work. Understanding the mechanics behind these tools will significantly boost your confidence and efficiency with enough time and practice.

To give you some peace of mind, even if you gave bad haircuts for 2 years, that’s still very early in an entire career choice. Don’t beat yourself up over it because learning the skill is ongoing, and the more mistakes you make, as crazy as it sounds, will bring more awareness and attention to your detailing. Even when people complained to me on Yelp, in person, or through my content, I was able to see it from a different perspective which then helped me get better at my details. Don’t look at complaints as if you're in the wrong career, but use it as a tool to get better at looking at your work through a different eye and give yourself small goals to make it better the next time.

Weight and Shape: Ensuring Endurance and Accuracy

The physical weight and design of your clippers and trimmers can significantly affect your stamina and precision. Opt for lightweight models that minimize hand fatigue and allow for longer periods of detailed work without discomfort if you’re like me. It’s going to be slightly different for everyone. It shocked me to even know that some people PREFER loud clippers because they can hear it cutting better. Some people prefer a certain color of tool over its features, so after seeing those two things at opposite spectrums, it really helped me understand that we all look for something different.

Starting Your Tool Kit: Recommendations for Beginners

To get started, you'll need a few fundamental tools:

Clippers: Choose a versatile model like the Lithium FX3, known for its reliability and ease of use.

Trimmers: The Lopro Axone is excellent for beginners, offering precision without compromising comfort.

Foil Shavers: Don’t overlook the importance of a good foil shaver for clean, close finishes essential for skin fades.

Something easy and affordable to start with is like a Lithium FX+ Clipper & Trimmer. They’re not only affordable, but THE lightest set in the lineup. Even with the amazing FXONE units, when I’m home and not traveling, I'm rocking this set the most alongside my FX3 set.

Another option would be the LoPro set and you can choose based on what you like more, you have the classics or the new FXONE units. I’m always a fan of the newer technology sets. Anything to make my life easier, I’m going to say yes!

Explore these recommendations on their website at www.babylisspro.com and you’ll be able to see the full collection or use my Amazon storefront on my favorite products ( https://www.amazon.com/shop/staygold.la ), where I've put together a collection ideal for those who are more particular and want to use what’s worked for me and need maybe an extra few sets.

Practice Makes Perfect: Understanding Your Tools

Acquiring tools is just the beginning; mastering them is where your artistry develops. Regular practice helps you learn the quirks and features of each tool, teaching you how they interact with different hair types and cutting techniques. This is particularly vital for techniques like fading, where the precision of your tool can make or break the final look and again, this takes a LOT of time to master and improve. Headshapes are always different, hair density and patterns also change from client to client even if it is the same hairstyle requested.

The Essentials of a Clean Fade: Tool by Tool

A perfect fade is years of dedicated focus and repetition, and tools have advanced so much since I started, it couldn’t be easier, but you gotta understand the basics of what you need.

Clippers: These handle the bulk of hair removal and the blend itself.

Trimmers: Essential for fine lines and perfect edges, and also blending the finest lines.

Foil Shavers: For the closest possible shave, making the fade and detail stand out. This is also a great tool to have for anyone who doesn’t use a straight blade. They give life to the haircut.

It's important to know how these tools connect with each other. For skin-tight fades, zero-gapping has been my saving grace. Being able to adjust every tool in my arsenal taught me how to connect my multiple tools together in my fading system. Some clippers have longer or shorter open to close, and that’s important to note if you are using multiple things on a haircut.

Understanding how to use these tools in tandem will elevate your fades from good to exceptional.

Beyond the Tools: Building Relationships and Trust

Remember, tools are important, but the relationship you build with your clients is equally vital. Your tools enable you to perform at your best, building trust and satisfaction among your clientele. Each interaction is an opportunity to showcase your skill and commitment to their experience.

When I first started out, I couldn’t talk to clients because I was so focused on my skills and cutting and trying to make sure I didn’t mess anything up. As time went on and I built the right muscle memory to get through, I found it easier to rely on my tools so I could focus on the client relationship-building aspect. So for me, and don’t feel bad if this is you too, but I probably talked minimally for the first 2 years because I was so hyper-focused on cutting. And remember, we all learn differently.

Continuous Learning: Evolve and Expand Your Skills

The landscape of barbering is continuously evolving. Stay engaged by learning new techniques, following industry trends, and adapting to new tools and technologies. Continuous education will keep you at the forefront of the barbering community, and this is from attending shows, watching videos online, checking out your neighbors' work. The education for what we do is all around us. Always an opportunity to learn.

Your Journey Awaits

Finding that flow state in your barbering career is an exciting place to get to because once you feel like you have dialed in the skill to do all the basics, now you can have fun and find your “thing” and make that personalized signature on your work. With the right tools and knowledge, you're well on your way to becoming a master of your craft. Take on each challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. I can’t stress this enough. Don’t get overwhelmed by your learning speed. When in doubt, do more of it, and watch your confidence grow. It always comes from the action and time you put into it. Just like the gym, you’re building that muscle “memory” in your motions so that once you have enough practice, it’ll feel like you’re brushing your teeth or driving a car.

All wins, no losses. Keep an optimistic mindset and don’t let negative things hold you back.

Have a nice week!

SOF!