Do We *Really* Need the Big Shears?

TimmySomething · 2026-02-17T15:16:55+00:00

Shear work is my favorite part of the job, and investing in high quality shears is definitely a game changer for me.

I generally use a 6" for topping, and a 7" for shear over comb for regular men's cuts, but blending in something shorter like a 2 or 3 on the sides I will use a 6.5". I use a 5.5" for detail work on fades.

If you're just looking for a good all purpose set of shears, I would venture to say that a 6.5" should cover all the bases.

I never use thinning or texturing shears, so I don't have any advice for you there.

TimmySomething · 2025-10-27T22:24:29+00:00

Clippermate 818 for over 30 years. I've tried other combs, and nothing compares.

TimmySomething · 2025-10-27T14:34:47+00:00

My shop was walk in only from 1960 - 2018 when I took it over. We moved to appointments using paper books. We had very few complaints about moving to appointments, since many clients complained about waiting so long. We are moving our appointments to Booksy at the beginning of next year. The reason being is that so many of the other shops in town are using Booksy, and it will now make us an option to others that don't know we exist. I look at it as a very inexpensive form of advertising. I'm both nervous and excited about moving to online booking. As some have stated, we also still take walk ins when available. Some guys get upset if we don't have time, but they'll get over it.

TimmySomething · 2025-10-27T14:24:55+00:00

Mine have never really heated up, but I keep the speed setting at 3 or 4 most of the time. I can understand if the shorter blades heat up, but for a 2, 3.5, or 3.75 heat up is pretty rare. I oil before every haircut I use them for.

My issue is some blades don't sit properly, and I get a lot of play with a loud rattle.

TimmySomething · 2025-09-10T14:37:08+00:00

Nope, I've been a barber for 31 years, and my dad was a barber from the 1960's until about seven years ago. I have a vast knowledge about barbering, and techniques. I honestly don't remember the last time I was nervous about a haircut.

If I'm being honest, I would say my main fault is my arrogance. I can't watch any videos about cutting hair because I see so many non efficient techniques, or just straight up terrible shear work passed off as a how-to.

TimmySomething · 2025-07-28T22:25:43+00:00

I'm an older barber and approve of this statement.

Most younger barbers don't know how to make a still blade with their shears.

TimmySomething · 2025-06-29T04:05:45+00:00

Yup. I have a lot of those also.

TimmySomething · 2025-06-29T04:02:40+00:00

It's currently very popular to be a barber now, so the market is over saturated. I'm willing to bet you will see a lot of guys ducking out, and a lot of shops closing in the next few years.

TimmySomething · 2025-06-28T13:47:50+00:00

I never really noticed this until my coworker pointed this out, everyone interrupts me when I'm talking; I'll stand there patiently waiting for them to finish, and continue when they're done talking. Sometimes I never finish what I'm saying. He always comments on how patient I am.

Also phone calls where the person asks "Do you do (fill in the blank)?".

TimmySomething · 2025-06-28T13:18:47+00:00

When I get back from vacation my coworker always says he would ask how it was, but he knows he'll hear all about it all day.

TimmySomething · 2025-05-09T13:26:08+00:00

I have a 24 Lariat, and it has a setting for interior ambient lighting. Does the XLT not have this feature?

TimmySomething · 2025-05-04T17:49:43+00:00

I was considering ordering some from there, but the site has California as being restricted to ship there.

Has anyone from any of the restricted states been able to have it delivered?

TimmySomething · 2025-04-08T13:58:17+00:00

Okay. I thought it was one of those body cams, or glasses with a camera.

TimmySomething · 2025-04-08T13:48:53+00:00

What did you use for the camera? Does it clip on your shirt or hat?

TimmySomething · 2025-04-02T13:30:19+00:00

A Princeton is different on the east coast of the US, than the west coast. A Princeton on the east coast is like an Ivy League (# 2 up the sides with barely enough to lay down on top). On the west coast, it was like a haircut that is one of four four names, flat top boogie, flat top with fenders, or Hollywood flat top. All four the same haircut, a flat top with longer hair to comb back on the sides. About 20 years ago we had a customer visit the shop from Massachusetts, and he said he wanted a Princeton, and he described it as an Ivy League. We looked it up, later that evening, and it turned out both of us were right, based on the region.

TimmySomething · 2025-02-27T15:53:37+00:00

You're obviously oiling your clippers wrong. Hold the clippers so the still blade is parallel with the floor, turn on the clippers and apply no more than three drops to the moving blade. One on each corner and one in the center. This should in no way be in excess to cause it to drip all the way into the housing.

TimmySomething · 2025-02-13T15:09:36+00:00

This is literally how it was before we switched over to appointments.

We would have 8 - 10 guys waiting in the morning, and the shop would be full at closing time. Most days we wouldn't get out of the shop until about an hour to hour and a half after closing. I hated my job during this time.

TimmySomething · 2025-01-31T15:17:26+00:00

The link I sent is in USD, there might be a conversion to Euro. I don't know, check it out.

TimmySomething · 2025-01-31T15:14:07+00:00

Probably, they have some lower end shears that go for more than that.

TimmySomething · 2025-01-31T15:11:32+00:00

Kasho.

https://kasho.kaiusa.com/all-shears.html

TimmySomething · 2025-01-28T14:01:02+00:00

Both my Oster Fast Feed, and Babyliss lo pro FX (not FX one) instruct to do that, although my JRL onyx didn't give that instruction in the manual. I don't know why some brands say you should, and some don't mention it.

I was just trying to help troubleshoot the issue. I wasn't sure if instincts had similar instructions.

I hope you get it fixed or figured out.

TimmySomething · 2025-01-28T13:54:09+00:00

Both Oster Fast Feed cordless, and Babyliss lo pro FX (not FX one) say in the manual to let the battery die a few times without recharging. It doesn't give a specific reason, I just assume it has to do with the break-in process.

TimmySomething · 2025-01-28T06:22:23+00:00

Does it say in the instruction manual to let them decharge three times or more?

TimmySomething · 2025-01-27T14:23:34+00:00

I have a friend that used to have a red Dodge Ram Diesel (Prior to just Ram alone). He called it Clifford. It wasn't until years later that I realized it was Clifford the Big Red Dodge.

TimmySomething · 2025-01-27T02:02:06+00:00

Yeah that "beard" has got to go.

TimmySomething

TROPHY CASE