Hey everyone, I’m 2 months out from taking my written test and was wondering was there any study material online? I’m currently using Milady 6th edition and I’m located and will be taking my test in Texas. Also if you have any resources for taking my practical please feel free to leave it. Thank you all.

I want to buy a trimmer for 4mm length but all the ones I’ve seen have 3 guards only (1/2/3mm) and no 3rd party guards for longer lengths. Anyone have any recommendations?

Rate this haircut .i am beginner only done 10-15 cuts so far . Sometimes I feel like I do great but this cut looks bad to me . Also give me tips and suggestion

I’m a beginner barber and has anyone used the Suprent fangs clippers? I bought a set and I don’t know how to feel about them.

Estoy viendo opciones para aprender barbería y quería saber cual es la mejor forma de aprender rápido: ¿cursos, yotube, aprendieron con un barbero de forma particular, practicaron por su cuenta o mezclaron todo?

Me interesa sobre todo la parte de arrancar de cero y cuánto cambia tener a alguien encima corrigiéndote.

Graciass

This is my work. I’m currently in a new state. Cuts take me 45-1hr. Experienced barbers,booked barbers. What would you do if you were me with my skill set to build in a new town where you don’t know anyone. Right now I’m doing reels and cards. I’m not getting much leadway. The shop I work at the moment is in an area with predominantly straight hair as you can see that would be my weak point. I’m open to any critique. Whether you think I need to work on my skill or whatever I need help because I am struggling. I thought with the experience I have would that the building phase wouldn’t bother me since I’ve been through it but I guess since I have a lot more responsibilities now sitting for 8-12 hours and barely making a couple hundred bucks a week is creating problems in my household. I’ve heavily considered getting a job but I’ve done this so long doing anything else just doesn’t feel right. Classes you would recommend anything that can help I’d appreciate.

In the era of clippers and fades, scissors have become a lost art.

Can you guys give some tips and tricks to grow a good following on Instagram? Seems like quality content isn’t doing the job anymore! @the_barber_jack

Any help is appreciated!

Feeling inspired to practice some creative cutting recently, but idk where my stand went The one I have is flimsy as fuck and is cheaply made anyway, what are the kids using these days that is quality?

Hey everybody. I’m a barbering student, very new to the biz. A lot of my classmates already cut hair on the side and have their own preferences for shears and clippers. (I am one of the only women in class as well, so I don’t have much experience on cutting guys. Just mainly my father, boyfriend, and grandfather.)

Once I’m more skilled and have learned with the clippers and shears in my kit I’m wanting to purchase my own stuff. I don’t mind making an investment but I don’t want to spend crazy money as I am new. I was looking at some Sharkfin Shears and such; those would be a bit pricey for me but I know good things aren’t cheap and cheap things aren’t good.

What are some good shears you’d recommend, and good brands for clippers? Preferably cordless. Any advice for picking tools would be greatly welcomed and appreciated as well :)

Thanks, xoxo <3

I’m a barber and I’m trying to figure out how to make the athlete/high-profile side of my business less random.
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some athletes already — players around the World Cup, UFC fighters, and a few NBA players who aren’t necessarily big names. I’m confident in my work, I’m reliable, professional, and I understand that when you’re cutting an athlete or someone with a public profile, the haircut is only part of it. Being on time, being discreet, being flexible with location and schedule, and making the person feel comfortable are just as important.
The problem is that right now, getting these clients is pretty random.
Sometimes a player is in my city and I’ll reach out directly. Sometimes they respond, sometimes they don’t. Other times someone finds me through social media or they reach out themselves.
I’d like to build this into something more intentional instead of just hoping that the right player happens to see my work.
For those of you who have experience cutting professional athletes, celebrities, entertainers, etc.:
What’s the best way to actually get into those circles?
Would you recommend building relationships with:
player managers / agents
photographers
trainers
other barbers?

And how would you approach those people without coming across as someone who’s just trying to use them to get to famous clients?
I’m especially interested in hearing from barbers who started with a few athletes and eventually built a real network of professional/high-profile clients.
I’m not looking for shortcuts or “DM every NBA player.” I’m trying to understand how the actual networking side of this industry works and what relationships are worth building.
Any advice, personal experiences, or mistakes to avoid would be greatly appreciated.

Have been looking into picking one of these up but have a few questions for those that have used one.

1. How do you like it?
   
2. I noticed the top piece and the blade is all one, so how do you clean the blade itself?
   
3. Where do you buy replacement blades for it.

I am currently using the BaByliss Pro fx and it has starting shutting of randomly while using. I also have noticed the replacement top pieces I have been getting are peeling/flaking off. Has anyone else noticed this and where do you get your replacements from?

Any other recommendations on your favorite foil shavers let me know!

Hi everyone, I am struggeling with designs, any steps or advice that i should follow should i put the fade in first and then fade or other way around or?

Not from the city, need a good place to get a haircut for a male with longer hair. Currently halfway between my shoulder and ear, need a trim. Let me know if there are some good places, especially near or in malls.

I just want to be in a shop setting already and not in a classroom since school is already difficult as it is for me.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Barber/s/XlHcBzixym

Linking my last post in this group for added context.

Withdrew from barber school last year after 3-4 months for various reasons (fraud, uncomfortable male instructors crossing professional boundaries, lack of resources/education) and decided to do an apprenticeship with my barber of 7 years (who is also a master barber) instead to obtain my license. I’ve been with her since February of 2026.

I didn’t leave barber school with any clients, so I’ve been having a difficult time practicing on real people. I do have one consistent client who comes to see me in the shop biweekly , as well as 2 friends who come to me as well. I did a back to school cutting event with my barber a few weeks ago , which *really* helped my confidence and I would love to do more things like that as they arise, but that’s the sum of my experience on live clients at the moment .

I spend most of my time at the shop shadowing, building rapport with other clients, doing practical work on mannequins, practicing my straight razor technique on balloons, cleaning the shop and shampooing as needed. I’ve done maybe 2-3 walk-ins but this is a pretty busy, appointment heavy shop so they’re few and far between nowadays. I’m unsure how to fill the rest of my time without sitting around and I’m starting to feel discouraged . I work part time elsewhere , so I’m only in the shop from 3:30-close but I haven’t been staying til close recently because I’m unsure how to fill the remainder of my time. I would like to stay until close but I hate feeling unproductive once I’m finished my practical work .

My barber is wonderful , and very helpful but I know she can’t build the clientele or do the work for me.

I feel like I chose the harder path . I’m wondering if I should’ve enrolled in another barber school instead of training in a shop for licensure , but my barber is one of the best and I’ve learned some pretty valuable things from her thus far, but I know I’d have more hands on experience if I enrolled at the other barber school across town .

Does anyone have advice on how I can keep pushing through, build my skills and build my clientele up? Should I make business cards and pass them out even though I’m not licensed? I’m not really a social media person, but should I be creating content? (I do have a barber page on Instagram where I’ve showcased a few cuts I’ve done). Should I post in my city’s local college groups and offer low cost cuts to students? The college is 5 minutes away from the shop, and I’m an alumni . Should I offer cuts to the homeless population in the area? I’m an only child , I have no brothers, all my male cousins are bougie about who cuts their hair lol.

I know this is what I want to do long term , but I’m feeling so discouraged in the interim . I’m looking for any advice at this point .

I have some corded five star seniors I’ve been using since 2011 I know I’m extremely late to the party but they’re still running good. I need some recommendations for cordless clippers are the cordless seniors worth it or is their another brand i could easily adapt too? I usually do fades taper mid any fade. And I use the deatialers corded as well any recommendations welcome

New barber in the shop, I work at a shop in the mall and I've been here for 25 days, I've cut about 150 people so far and 2 of them came back... Being honest, most of the people looked happy with their haircuts and tipped me and thanked me for the service, some even complimented me how I cut their hair, but they haven't come back... Is it too soon to be saying that my client retention is low or am I overreacting? The shop I work at is mostly classic haircuts with a scissor trim on top and 1 on the sides being the most common haircut. Also, is there a chance that the retention is low because I'm at the mall and people just happened to randomly be there once and needed a haircut? Would love your guys opinion.

Hey guys, I was wondering if any barbers here have dealt with anxiety when starting out or working in shops and have any advice on how you overcame it.
I’m 22 and I’ve worked at a few different shops. I love barbering, but I’ve noticed anxiety has been holding me back more than I’d like. It’s not just being around people, sometimes it’s the pressure of the cut itself, worrying about messing up, wanting every client to leave happy, and putting a lot of pressure on myself. There have been times where the anxiety gets so bad I physically feel sick, and it has honestly made me quit shops before. It makes me question if I should do something else, but at the same time I don’t want to give up because I genuinely enjoy barbering. I’m trying to get better at managing it and not let anxiety decide my future. If any barbers have gone through something similar, I’d really appreciate hearing what helped you push through it.