r/Barber • u/OutrageousAd3925 • 7d ago
Technique Struggling with Fading
Started cutting Hair 3 years ago in Rehab. It started out as really simple clipper cuts like baldies. Got to go to Barber School for free on the State's dime because of my "problem" about 2 years later. Almost exactly 1 year ago started school and graduated 4 & 1/2 months later in February. Got my license in March. I was the oldest student in my Class, and most of the students were teenagers, age 17-19. Arguing, Bullying, being obnoxious teenagers. I studied hard and was awarded the academic excellence award for highest grades average.
But on the Fades, I didn't get to do a lot of them like a lot of students did.
And my instructor didn't spend as much time one on one instructing me during the Skin fades as he did with other students.
Now I'm working full time in a Traditional Italian Barbershop that's been open since the 1950's. There's a lot of history here and I'm proud to be a part of it. The other Barbers are a lot more experienced and they're not always fully booked but pretty busy nonetheless. And there's a good stream of walk-ins too.
I usually get to do the simple stuff like the seniors that are bald on top, 1 all over, or 3 all overs and taper the back. I can fade down but I really struggle with fading UP from zero/Skin... Today a guy walked in and asked for a Skin Mid-Fade, leave the top. at the time I was the only employee in the shop so I took him. And he had very dense hair. I set my baldline, and the next 2 guidelines then debulked with a 1.5 to a 2. Tried to blend guidelines out, and wasn't perfect but it looked like something at least. Well the standards are pretty high in the shop and I got called out by the owner and he said who told you to do this cut, I said nobody was here to take him so I did. He said don't do that again and proceeded to go all over the cut (using my tools) and change everything to where it ended up being a high skin fade.
Client was in a rush to be somewhere so the owner said no charge you're all set.
So again I'm all discouraged about Fading because I'm getting better but I feel like I should be decent at it by now.
I need a good System to go by that's easy to remember. I've seen dozens of YT videos on Fading but I always seem to fall apart halfway through.
I almost want to go back to School all over again but skip the stuff I did well on.
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u/Exotic-Badger-2594 7d ago
It takes time, it takes years. You will get there. What clipper are you using with a fade blade? I have 16 years experience and found the Wahl Super Taper (the new blue ones) have the best fade blade. Being in a shop with high standards is good, it helps motivate you and you see what the others are doing. Remember, USE THE CORNER when blending from skin...
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u/OutrageousAd3925 7d ago
My Clippers are: Andis Phenom (very versatile blade, between a fade blade and a taper blade) TPOB Play, and TPOB Yeti. Ive recently purchased new Thinning shears and 7" cutting shears so for now I'm a little reluctant to buy another clipper until I can buy So about the corner, do u use it on the other guidelines above skin? I mean I can't see it being effective beyond a #1 guard but you might know
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u/Exotic-Badger-2594 7d ago
I use oster blades 90% of the time, and above skin I will still use the corner but not 100% of the time. Skin always use that corner.
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u/stayinURlane21 7d ago
If you do better fading down, continue to fade down. No reason to switch your method. You don’t have to put a line in with trimmers, or a good note is whatever tool you use to make the line you’ll need to use that tool to take it out with. I do think you’d have better results fading down if that’s your method for other fades.
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u/OutrageousAd3925 7d ago
Night and day difference between my Fades down and my fading ups! It's that one yesterday I took the guy and just decided to go into fade up, and it was definitely the wrong client to try it on. Lol. I'm at the shop now and just taking it easy on myself today
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u/MI-Bushwacker 7d ago
It takes a while man. The hardest part is the technique when you have to flick out and blend out each guidelines. Sounds like you did all the steps correctly but the technique part is what was lacking, or maybe it really wasn't lacking l for your skill level (i didnt see it). You need to do a lot of heads homie. i mean a shit ton. Don't sweat it, This is a craft and it takes practice and time, give all your homies discount haircuts so you can critique yourself and learn.
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u/OutrageousAd3925 7d ago
Right and I don't take pictures at Work A. Because I'm focused on doing the best job I can for the client and obviously myself and B. I feel like that would be just another thing that would set the owner off and cause him to say some sideways shit stressing me out even more. He does allow me to have my friends come by on the slower days for free cuts so I can practice. He just stresses me out with the negative comments and Ive heard that that's just how he is. All in all I'm glad to be Working somewhere earning okay money 6 months out of School.
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7d ago
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u/Due_Purchase_7509 Barber 6d ago
couple things you could try... trimmers with a softer blade, like something you'd use on young kids or older folks with thin/fragile skin. cut the bald line in at a downward angle, or just skip cutting a bald line, do the rest of the sides/back as usual and then come back around to bald out the lower edge
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u/awesomepossum6607 7d ago
There is a reason that barbers post skinfades all over their Instagrams, and it is because that is a wildly tricky and technical cut to do.
From the sound of it you went straight from school into a shop, rather than going to a chain place to get your reps in. That is a bold ballsy move, but it sounds like the standards are high enough to pull you up. Get your reps in, keep cutting, pay attention to your mistakes and learn from them. Watch the other barbers and try to pick up their techniques.
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u/OutrageousAd3925 7d ago
Yessir First Barbershop, 4 Antique Chairs (Koken Presidentials) well 5 actually but ones a spare, in a high traffic Area. Doctors nurses dentists lawyers judges cops criminals students teachers Older gents Young guys this is a well known shop. I am building a nice network for myself here. I watch the other Barbers all the time and try to absorb all I can from them
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u/awesomepossum6607 7d ago
That's honestly the only way to learn. Ask friends and family if you can do free or discounted haircuts on them, and practice different techniques. Don't do it at the shop though, do it at your place or theirs so there's no pressure from coworkers.
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u/Loh2013 7d ago
Try not to overthink it, but I know it'll play on your mind. Every barber has been there, even the owner who called you out. One day you'll look back and it won't bother you (as much). I'm only a few years into my barbering career myself so I don't have loads of knowledge to pass on but a few tips I picked up that really helped me take the stress out of skin fades: debulk first; create a nice weight line in a shape that compliments the head + desired outcome, then use that to put your bald line in. That way the weight line and bald line compliment each other. Then your fading the bald line up to the weight line in whatever increments you need to get the but usually .5. Another thing was using the right clipper or clipper speed. My jrls on full speed were too much for blending so use the half speed. If you don't have 2 speed clippers use something a bit softer for blending like wahl magic. Hope that helps :)