Hair cuts

[flattopcomb]

What you want to explain to the barber is you want a pompadour but taper the aides with scissors not clippers. And you want it tapered with clippers at the back at the bottom . I am personally. Barber and that's how I would explain it. If your hair is not wavy tell them to rectitude the top that way it will give you the volume when dry. As for product in your hair your absolute best bet to achieve this look is Baxter of California clay pomade. It has good hold and will leave your hair completely matte and Bo shine at all. Just rub it in your hands and slick your hair back. Make sure you get it at the root of the hair so it gives you lift. You absolutely don't need any grease in your hair. James dean used hairspray and didn't wash his hair much.

 

[The Good]

Having thick wavy hair would help tremendously.

I know for a fact that I could never do this. I have thick hair, but its straight as a board and very very fine. However, I do the clean cut businessman very well.

Same here. For me to try to do a James Dean hairstyle, it's almost just very artificial looking; forced and contrived to achieve the wavy look while in reality that's just how his hair was.

 

[Your Grandpa Dressed Cool]

I have very thick hair and it goes in between being somewhat straight and wavy. The texture of my hair changes depending how much time I have spent at the beach or pool and out in the sun. I think a blowdryer should work too, wind it back a little. Thanks for all the help, gentlemen.

 

[HodgePodge]

Looks great HodgePodge! I have a very similar cut, I tend to slick mine a bit heavier though. Looks good it always takes me time to break in a new barber, looks like he did a good job of making it easy to find your part also

Thanks! I already had it styled when I went in, and I said that I didn't want to lose any length off the top; unlike the other barbers who nodded and then proceeded to do some scissor work on top anyway, he said "ok, if you want the top left, I won't touch it." Part stayed exactly where I left it. Now I just hope I can get my wardrobe a little more "in line" with the coiffure.

 

[_Nightwing]

Yeah, I just need to look harder for an old guy who has been cutting hair for years and is still in good enough health and state of mind to cut hair just as well. Do you think lay rite will be able to achieve the James Dean?

Like Travis, I don't want to be a dick, but when I saw that you lived in Charleston I did kind of lean back in my chair and kind of snort. I mean that's one of the oldest cities in the entire country, and it's a big damn country. So... a web search on Google Maps revealed these three barbers in Charleston, SC:

Here's the first one. I picked it because it has a guy's name on the sign, "barber" instead of "stylist", and because a reviewer mentions a straight razor shave and uses the following phrases: "old fashioned," "old school," and "military discount." I'll include all the reviews here, in forum quotes.

Thomas Barber Shop
Ste H, 1909 N Highway 17, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464-7453 (843) 881-0806 ‎

A great old fashioned barber shop. The people who work here are friendly and professional, and its the kind of place where you can get to know your barber, old-school style. You go once and you like the place, you come back and they remember your name. And, just as importantly, they will also remember how you like your hair cut, and they take feedback on board. It's worth being a regular here.

Another thing that I really like is that if you get a faded hair cut, at the end they'll put shaving cream on your neck and clean everything up with a straight blade. Classy.

Ask for Jeff--great guy and great barber.

They offer a military discount, which is a nice plus if you're in the service.

The review for this next one is so glowing and informative that I suspect the owner wrote it, but if he backs it up then what the hell. Once again, guy's name in the title and that small reassurance of "Barber Shop." The review tells you more than you need to know before giving it a try:

Ed's Barber Shop
1812 Sam Rittenberg Blvd # 15, Charleston, SC 29407-4868 (843) 556-9754

I don't know about you, but to me a haircut represents who I am, and I don't trust just anyone to put cutting devices near my head. When I was a child my grandfather would take me to the same barber that he went to when it was time for me to get my hair cut. I remember the old fashioned coke machine, the smell of the shaving cream and the blue stuff, the old timey music playing softly in the background, and the group of old men that would sit and read the paper and talk about who knows what. Then, after my grandfather passed away, my mom brought me to some new places. I never liked them. I mean, it was always someone else cutting my hair, the music was too loud, and it just didn't have the same relaxed atmosphere. I never had the same enthusiasm about getting a haircut as I did when I was a kid. Well, all that changed when I started going to Ed's Barber Shop. Tucked away in a busy shopping center, Ed's is where I go when my wife wants to shop and I want to relax. Ed's is a family owned business that has been in operation for close to 40 years. The same people work there now that worked there when I started going. I see a lot of the same faces when I go in, and everyone seems to have something polite to say or a conversation to be a part of. To top it off, they do things the old fashioned way. Sure, they use modern equipment for the majority of the haircut, but nothing, and I mean nothing, beats the warm lather and shave with a straight razor (on the back of the neck) at the end. I equate it to the male version of a day spa. You'd think that with all the competition around (and there is a major chain salon right next door to Ed's) that Ed's would have to raise it's prices in order to perform all of the services and personalization that they do. Nope. They are at least a few dollars cheaper than the other places. So, if you're looking for a great haircut at a fair price in a relaxing, old fashioned atmosphere, head over to Ed's. If you're looking for loud music, a barber that will cut your hair to the latest 'fashion' whether you like it or no, or high pressure sales to buy mousse and gels, then go next door.

This last one might just be the winner, on the grounds that the owner is called Frank. Selected for having two male barbers and for the phrase "without the frills."

Frank's Barber Shop & Styling
2466 Ashley River Rd # A, Charleston, SC 29414-4600 (843) 556-2525 ‎

Good barbershop If you're looking for a good barbershop without the frills, Frank's is the place. Two barbers, Howard and Angelo, can fix you up. Drop by and see them.

I could post more, because there were literally hundreds, but I only spent five minutes looking.

 

[Your Grandpa Dressed Cool]

Hahah, I feel like a complete lazy malaka now. Thank you very much sir. I am going to cancel my hair appointment at the hair salon first thing tomorrow morning and stop by one of these places. I just need to learn to search and not just go "oh, nothings good around here." Thanks for taking the time to look these up for me even when you probably live in a totally different town. Although I am a little embaressed, I thank you a bunch. Hahhahha.

 

[Your Grandpa Dressed Cool]

by the way, the visual of somebody leaning back in a computer chair and snorting made me laugh outloud. Hahha

 

[_Nightwing]

Damn. Now if they suck it's on me. But really you're very welcome.

I don't live a million miles away from you - I'm in Charlotte, and I've gone through the barber thing before myself so I understand your position. A few years ago when I wanted a barber I settled for a Mastercuts. The haircut I received did not exude the aura of brilliance bestowed upon one by a true master. It was shit. So somewhat false advertising on their part. In fact, it honestly looked like someone had stuck a sieve on my head and hacked off whatever was poking out - there were three inch tufts of hair protruding from the quarter inch buzz, and I could fill pages of this thread with everything else that was wrong, if the word "Mastercuts" wasn't already enough to tell the wise people here everything they needed to know. Which it is. I really think they just hire minimum wage employees with no experience and like give them a two week training course or something. Tell them to bring in their own scissors. That's when I learned that a little research goes a long way.

If you check out any of those places I'd love to hear the story and see the results. That snorting visual is a freebie.

 

[Jan]

As a guy you'll never get a good short MANS cut at a salon. They typically use cheap bad clippers you can buy at a grocery store versus using an Oster 76 shears or other good barber equipment that gets all the hair. Never take a Barber serious if he doesn't use a straight razor and has no hot lather machine in his shop.

Dude, you're telling me in that whole town there's NO half decent Barbershops within a 20 minute drive? Sometimes you really have to look to find these places or drive a bit. That's just the way it is. Not to sound like a dick, but for a good cut it's what you have to do sometimes.

Again, not true.

My barber cuts out of his life long friends salon. Both have been raised out of their parents barbershops in the 50s-60s.

BTW, the heavier the pomade, the more matte finish you'll get.

You may want to look into some products that fall on the wax side of the spectrum, if you don't want a greasy sheen.

High-Life or Schmiere Hart/Knuppelhart would do the trick. You won't need a lot, just a pinch. Run it through your hair with your fingers, no combs.

 

[Travis Lee Johnston]

The odds of finding a salon with master short hair cutting veterans with:

1. Lather machine + blade.

2. At least one good clipper shears.

have got to be something like 20 million to one or worse. There are a lot of mediocre barbers too which is why if you look for those aforementioned items or simply call in and ask the shop/salon if they use them. You'll know they're probably more serious about their trade and giving a quality cut.
The point isn't putting anybody down who cuts hair or if you'll excuse the pun *splitting hairs* . You'll just save yourself time and the agony of walking around with a goofy mop on your scalp with a patchy fade. And who here likes to drop 15-25$ on a bad haircut? So I'll refrase what I said. You'll ALMOST never get a good short MANS cut at a salon.

 

[_Nightwing]

Seconded.

 

[Yeps]

I got a haircut the other day. I have learned that the key to get what I want is asking for short sides and back with a high taper. This time I got it pretty short on top too, unfortunately they barber used the thinning shears a bit heavily so now the part is a bit messy with short bits that are hard to work with. However, I think it worked out alright.

 

[sandyg]

looks good

 

[mattfink]

You may want to try Dax Wave and Groom (red can product), as it might be better for you than the Murray's, and I think it's a little more helpful for achieving a dry look, as long as you don't put on too much. Your hair might flop around a bit, but then again, James Dean's hair didn't really look "plastered" down. One thing you could try to do, is apply the pomade mainly on the roots of your hair only, and not spread it around all over your hair, that way the top could be more dry looking.

If Murray's is making you break out, Dax will make it even worse. It contains lanolin and that is even more pore clogging than the stuff in Murray's. You have to sleep with a doo rag on your head to contain the grease!

 

[Kabel]

After looking at some of the threads here for a few months and being amazed, I got myself an account.
So here's me introducing myself.

I've done my hair with Black&White pomade only. My hair is quite thick and stubborn, so the pomade does not hold in every situation, but I guess that's ok. You don't want your hair boxed.

 

[mattfink]

Hey Kabel! You look like a young Ethan Hawke!

 

[Kabel]

Hahaha, cheers! He's way better-lookin', but thanks for the compliment

 

[The Good]

If Murray's is making you break out, Dax will make it even worse. It contains lanolin and that is even more pore clogging than the stuff in Murray's. You have to sleep with a doo rag on your head to contain the grease!

I do get a little bit of acne in general, possibly because of my younger age and/or diet, but I'm not sure if it's got to do with the Dax, or any other hair product I use; Royal Crown or Brylcreem. I don't usually use a large amount though, just enough so that a little bit of shine shows, and that there's a serviceable amount of hold. I had recently just ran out of Brylcreem, but I know that when I was using a lot of that every day (more than "little dab"), I had the genuine, 1940s/'50s wet look going on, and even then I didn't particularly have too many problems with acne, at least not that I might think had to do with the 'creem.

Anyway, I'm not sure if I can attribute the stuff to my mild acne, a little bit on the forehead and sometimes cheeks. It's not that bad, so I can deal with it. I've almost always had a little even before using these products.

 

[Kabel]

Well, I feel like spamming allready, but had a haircut and it's a bit shorter in the front, so pomps are a bit difficult.
Still it does leave room to do this:

 

[markthebarber]

You'll ALMOST never get a good short MANS cut at a salon.

You're right, Travis. It varies depending on where one lives, but in most places people who work in salons are cosmetologists, not barbers. Cosmetology training focuses almost entirely on cutting and styling women's hair, which makes perfect sense since the majority of clients at a salon are going to be female. If there's clipper work taught (and that's a big "if") it's usually for things like finishing work. I've gone to clipper cutting workshops at hair shows where it's obvious that some cosmetologists don't use clippers very regularly.

Barbers are generally far better with clipper work and male short haircutting. But you're right that there are a LOT of mediocre barbers around. There are a lot of reasons for that: most men tend not to care much about their hair, so barbers quickly learn that as long as they don't totally botch a haircut, whatever they do will be fine. Also, it seems to me that more and more barbers go into the field because they have to, not because they want to. I went to barber school a few years ago as a second career thing, and I'm pretty sure that I was one of maybe three students who actually wanted to cut hair. Most were there because they needed a job and barbering was no better or worse than anything else they could think of.

My advice: if you want a good haircut of any type, find someone with the cut you want and get a recommendation.