Noticed a huge jump in my fade quality after timing myself on each section

I started logging every step (guard open, lever detail, clipper over comb) with a stopwatch 3 months ago and my blend consistency went way up, has anyone else tried breaking down their routine into timed chunks?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_dylan2mo ago

Nah man you've inspired me to finally try this, but I'm worried I'll just end up staring at the stopwatch sweating while leaving a random bald spot at the top of the dome. Last time I tried timing anything I spent 8 minutes on a single guard because I kept resetting the timer and forgetting what I was doing. My fades are already a mess so maybe adding a stopwatch will just prove how slow and pathetic I really am at this.

simonb922mo ago

I actually watched a barber on YouTube talking about this exact thing. He said you should never time the first couple cuts, just get a feel for the guards first. Saw some dude in a forum say he writes his times down on a sticky note taped to the mirror so he doesn't have to remember. Might help with the bald spot panic, keeps your eyes on the clippers instead of the phone timer.

sam171mo ago

Bro I've been there with the timer panic. What finally worked for me was printing out a little cheat sheet with the guard sizes and my usual times on it, then taping it right next to the mirror. That way I can glance at it while I'm cutting instead of fumbling with my phone. Also, if you mess up a guard just stop and go back over that section with a smaller guard to blend it in. Nobody's gonna notice a tiny uneven spot if the rest of the fade is clean. Just take a deep breath and remember that hair grows back in like a week anyway.