I sometimes argue with my son over what can be expected of a barbershop haircut. So I thought I'd tap into the collective wisdom of B&B for insight. All this stems from a haircut he got a couple of years back. We went to a "sport cuts" place in a strip mall out of convenience. We had just moved and hadn't found a good barber near our house so that's where we found ourselves. It was certainly on the expensive side, as far as I'm concerned, at $25 base price, on top of which they seem to expect a tip (which I easily resist). Anyway, we went in and he got his hair cut. Nothing special or fancy, a typical "boy cut". Well in the end he got what I would asses to be a mere trim, and the girl who did it didn't even comb his hair when she finished! When I questioned it, her reply was "You didn't ask me to style it." So combing after a haircut is considered "styling"?!! I was ready to push the point but son insists on avoiding confrontation at ALL costs regardless of the circumstances, so out we walked. I gave him a comb in the car. Seriously?!!
Barbershop haircuts and styling
- Thread starter Hercule
- Start date
EclipseRedRing
I smell like a Christmas pudding
I have cut my own hair for years but when I visited a 'barber' here in the UK it was always a very basic establishment offering a clipper cut or scissor trim only. No fading, no shaves, no washing, no styling, no cologne, and no tip, except at Christmas. No appointments just walk in and wait your turn. In and out of the chair in ten minutes, and it was super cheap. For anything else you needed a 'hairdresser' or 'salon', these were much more expensive and would also cater for ladies. Now, my once busy lone local barber has closed, and been replaced by several 'Turkish' barbers, all of whom seem to be doing very well despite having no customers 
Nothing against the good people of Turkey but I cannot imagine why anyone would want a specifically Turkish barber, anymore than I would want a Lithuanian butcher or an Estonian shoe shop.
Nothing against the good people of Turkey but I cannot imagine why anyone would want a specifically Turkish barber, anymore than I would want a Lithuanian butcher or an Estonian shoe shop.
My local barber is only a 10 minute walk from my house. I go every 2 weeks for a high skin fade with a #3 on top. They also do hot towel shaves with 2 passes WTG and XTG using a shavette. I've never had a shave and don't even know how much it costs, but I don’t think it would be pricey judging by the amount of costumers getting a haircut and a shave.
Another reason I think they are so popular is there is always costumers hanging about before or after their haircuts having good humoured banter.
Another reason I think they are so popular is there is always costumers hanging about before or after their haircuts having good humoured banter.
Couple home options:
Old school barbers are disappearing for many reasons.
Just think, if you were a barber - what would you have to charge today?
And how many haircuts alone per day/ per hour you would need to equal (or close to) what you bring it.
BFX
Old school barbers are disappearing for many reasons.
Just think, if you were a barber - what would you have to charge today?
And how many haircuts alone per day/ per hour you would need to equal (or close to) what you bring it.
BFX
I haven't been to a barber since Covid when thosewhoareoursuperiors, in government, shut them all down for 3 months or more. Pre-covid, and retired, I was getting a #2 buzz every 4-5 weeks at my barber. I enjoyed keeping up to date reading the latest car mags while waiting, and chatting with the guy. With barbershops closed, I resorted to a Mangrommer, then a Remington, eventually using them without attachments. Head-shaving with a DE was too much work. I miss going to my barber and feel bad for him. He was a young guy with a family and it must be a struggle to survive these days.
I remember those infomercials when I was younger.
simon1
Self Ignored by Vista
Sadly, the old school barber shops are going by the way. Used to have two in town that would cut your hair with scissors, trim your neck and ears with a shavette, put hair tonic on your head and comb your hair, and dust the back of your neck with powder. You could get a hot towel and a straight shave. I've even seen then use a scalp massager. A haircut was $6 just a few years ago.
They have both closed. The one I go to now does the old time clipper and scissor haircut and uses an air hose to blow the cuttings off. I sure wish someone would open up a real barber shop again.
If I ever go to a place that won't even comb your hair after a cut I'd be having a talk with management...and probably send correspondence to their home office explaining why I won't be using their chain ever again.
They have both closed. The one I go to now does the old time clipper and scissor haircut and uses an air hose to blow the cuttings off. I sure wish someone would open up a real barber shop again.
If I ever go to a place that won't even comb your hair after a cut I'd be having a talk with management...and probably send correspondence to their home office explaining why I won't be using their chain ever again.
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I don't understand how the stylist/barber could properly assess that their haircut was complete without combing afterwards to have a final look??
A "Supercuts" type of business is my nearest place to get a haircut but the quality of haircut is often not very good, and I am not that picky. A traditional barbershop is where I usually go but the price has increased a lot in recent years. But considering inflation of rent, insurance, etc, the increase is not out of line. ....As a side comment this shop use to have 3-5 barbers working at a time but there must have been a falling out with the owner as now there is only one barber, the remaining guy only saying that the others had left. I wondered if it was about prices/wages, even though the price of a haircut had been raised by $7.
A "Supercuts" type of business is my nearest place to get a haircut but the quality of haircut is often not very good, and I am not that picky. A traditional barbershop is where I usually go but the price has increased a lot in recent years. But considering inflation of rent, insurance, etc, the increase is not out of line. ....As a side comment this shop use to have 3-5 barbers working at a time but there must have been a falling out with the owner as now there is only one barber, the remaining guy only saying that the others had left. I wondered if it was about prices/wages, even though the price of a haircut had been raised by $7.
- Thread starter
- #10
I glad I'm not the only one who thinks it's nuts that they didn't comb my son's hair. Actually this all came up again today when I tried to take him to my barber for a cut before going back to college. There was only one barber and about six people ahead of us so we'll go back tomorrow. I can't sneak out of work for that long. But it came up when i lamented to my son the though I'm satisfied with the cuts ive been getting, the results are what they give me and not always what I want. I always have to remind them that i do part it on the side. Small point i know, but I came in that way and i should be able to leave that way only shorter. Do they not notice such things? Then son beings up the "styling" issue of combing.
IMO, combing doesn't equal styling. I don't see how the barber can judge the quality of the cut if he doesn't comb the customer's hair they way they are going to wear it.
The new normal. Lazy, no pride in their work, and still expecting a tip.
Yeah that is insane they did not comb it 
like others said that is not styling that is coming hahahahahahaah
see if you have any beauty schools in your area wife and kids go to those and they have had great luck and way cheaper than other places
just a idea
I keep my hair like 1/8th inch by using a electric trimmer so that is my haircut been doing that almost shaved head look for over 30 years now
like others said that is not styling that is coming hahahahahahaahsee if you have any beauty schools in your area wife and kids go to those and they have had great luck and way cheaper than other places
just a idea
I keep my hair like 1/8th inch by using a electric trimmer so that is my haircut
been doing that almost shaved head look for over 30 years now
My wife has cut my hair since covid. In decades past I went to the barbers in the UK every 5 or 6 weeks. Basically, scissors and clippers short back and sides, back of the neck cleaned up with a cut throat or shavette, a dusting of talc and all the local news and gossip thrown in.
You could get a shampoo and shave, and every barber I’ve been to has combed my hair and asked if I wanted anything on it.
You could get a shampoo and shave, and every barber I’ve been to has combed my hair and asked if I wanted anything on it.
My wife has cut my hair for decades. She does a pretty good job but doesn't taper the side and back the way I'd wish, but I'm not paying today's ridiculous prices for marginal service. If my wife stops cutting my hair, not sure what I'll do.
I cut my own hair using Beard Trimmer I have owned 20 plus years.
Local barber shops get 20-50 bucks, barber at Base BX charges 16 bucks.
I think I am saving money by DYI Barbering.
Back in 70’s Barber School had 3 type of haircuts, FREE, 35 & 65 Cents.
Free was new student, 35 was some skill, 65 were Senior students.
Free was mostly winos, and street people coming for haircuts. Many left with Mohawks.
Local barber shops get 20-50 bucks, barber at Base BX charges 16 bucks.
I think I am saving money by DYI Barbering.
Back in 70’s Barber School had 3 type of haircuts, FREE, 35 & 65 Cents.
Free was new student, 35 was some skill, 65 were Senior students.
Free was mostly winos, and street people coming for haircuts. Many left with Mohawks.
- Thread starter
- #17
Finding a good barber has always been difficult for me. I'll find one that gives me a cut I like then they unexpectedly disappear for whatever reason. Then the search begins again. I've had great success with the latest one though. Unfortunately it has taken me years to learn what to ask for in modern barber lingo. I'm 60 and I've only just started to get good consistent haircuts. Way way back when my dad always told me to ask for a "regular" but nobody seems to know what that is anymore. So now it's #2 on the sides, tapered in the back and proportionate on the top with a left side part. Fortunately the place I go is reasonably well established and the guy I prefer is relatively young and stable with that shop. And it's only $16, but I'll give him $20 because I appreciate that he gets it right each time. The only drawback is that its near my work which is a half hour from home.
- Thread starter
- #18
A while back when I was still searching for a barber, my son and I went to a barber school which happens to be close to where we live. What could go wrong, right? Certainly they wouldn't let rank newbies cut walk-ins now would they. The name of the place was even in Italian! Well in we walk and it hits us. They cater to an ethnic demographic of which we are not. They're learning to cut hair and should be able to deal with all, less "artistic" styles right? We stayed nonetheless and got a hair cut. My son actually got a decent haircut, but mine was far from hoped for. It was as though the young girl was afraid to touch my hair let alone cut it, and she did everything in VERY slow motion. Fortunately a supervisor noticed the situation and came over, and on the pretense of showing the girl how to do it, she basically did the entire cut. They only charged us $5 for both cuts. Son's looked reasonably ok and mine, well, no damage was done. Live and learn.
I’m lucky enough to have an old-school barbershop nearby. As a veteran I never paid much attention to my hair, #2 on the sides, #1 around the ears and back of the neck, trim up the top with scissors, Banda-bing-badda-boom, done like dinner.
My guy for 25 years has been Joe Stanek. Joe Tornambe’s is Anthony’s dad, and passed away a couple years ago, but they leave him on the website out of respect. Anthony is a third generation barber. They have a great collection of straights in shadow boxes on the walls, and old barber photos, but I doubt they’d offer a shave (never asked), it’s just a haircut place now, but a good one from young boys to old geezers like me.
tornambes.com
My guy for 25 years has been Joe Stanek. Joe Tornambe’s is Anthony’s dad, and passed away a couple years ago, but they leave him on the website out of respect. Anthony is a third generation barber. They have a great collection of straights in shadow boxes on the walls, and old barber photos, but I doubt they’d offer a shave (never asked), it’s just a haircut place now, but a good one from young boys to old geezers like me.
Our Story | Tornambe's Hairstyling
Our Story | Tornambe's Hairstyling is three generations of cutting hair in the Norristown still going strong!
tornambes.com
I do not know what to say in this thread. In my experience it is hard to find a barber, or hair stylist, I suppose, one likes, regardless of the costs. For years I cut my own hair when a barber I had used for years and went rather out of my way to get to, started missing a lot of days in the shop due to illness and I was not happy with anyone else I tried. (Wherever you are now, Otis, I miss you, Old Friend!) It is not that hard to cut one's own hair, but I was never confident in taking my hair on any part of my head all that close. I started going back to barbers when I decided I like the look of a low fade and did not think I could do one myself. It was a while before I found one I liked, and I was really rather non-price sensitive about it.
One thing I have found over the decades is that my experience is that no matter what you tell a particular barber, the barber is going to cut your hair pretty much the same way every time. They each seem to just have an idea of what they want to do and stick with itl So you have to find one who idea of what he should do for you is consistent with what you want done.
I may have been proven wrong though. I did not say or do anything different for this last haircut, but it came out very short on top, to the exent I got comments from lots and lots of people about how short it was.
It does seem odd to me that a standard kind of barber shop could not do a fade.
Anyway, the situation described in the OP seems odd. Hair stylists and regular barbers seem to me to always have big interest in repeat customers. I cannot imagine one being indifferent to whether a customer liked the cut. Also, I sure tip my barber or hair stylist. especially if I like what they have done. I want to encourge them to remember me and encourge then to take their time and do whatever it is they did that I liked. A haircut is a personal service. It seems like the type of thing that is appropriate to have tips for. I guess, too, it is not an area of my life where I am looking to get by for the least money possible. If I were, I would certainly just go back to curtting my own hair!
It is hard to find a good barber.
One thing I have found over the decades is that my experience is that no matter what you tell a particular barber, the barber is going to cut your hair pretty much the same way every time. They each seem to just have an idea of what they want to do and stick with itl So you have to find one who idea of what he should do for you is consistent with what you want done.
I may have been proven wrong though. I did not say or do anything different for this last haircut, but it came out very short on top, to the exent I got comments from lots and lots of people about how short it was.
It does seem odd to me that a standard kind of barber shop could not do a fade.
Anyway, the situation described in the OP seems odd. Hair stylists and regular barbers seem to me to always have big interest in repeat customers. I cannot imagine one being indifferent to whether a customer liked the cut. Also, I sure tip my barber or hair stylist. especially if I like what they have done. I want to encourge them to remember me and encourge then to take their time and do whatever it is they did that I liked. A haircut is a personal service. It seems like the type of thing that is appropriate to have tips for. I guess, too, it is not an area of my life where I am looking to get by for the least money possible. If I were, I would certainly just go back to curtting my own hair!
It is hard to find a good barber.
