Small talk at the barbers...
Discussion
For the past 20 years a mate from school did it as he had a 'salon'. Not your typical salon in that we had lots of mutual mates and one would often be in there. Also both support the same football team and could moan about them, he also uses my professional services so tons of stuff to talk about.
He also made a habit of employing fit birds for the rest of the business which made the time pass quite quickly and the hair wash more pleasant.
Unfortunately due to health issues he's had a change of career and I'm now using a local barber that take appointments. Same guys being doing it for a few months and is ok, not as good but likes his music and doesn't try and make me a hipster. To keep it simple I go with freshly washed hair so I'm only in there for 25 minutes, once a month.
He also made a habit of employing fit birds for the rest of the business which made the time pass quite quickly and the hair wash more pleasant.
Unfortunately due to health issues he's had a change of career and I'm now using a local barber that take appointments. Same guys being doing it for a few months and is ok, not as good but likes his music and doesn't try and make me a hipster. To keep it simple I go with freshly washed hair so I'm only in there for 25 minutes, once a month.
PurpleTurtle said:
I don't mind banal chit chat, I don't mind utter silence, what I do mind is sitting in my (walk-in) local barbers at the weekend where you might get seen straight away, or you might have to wait 45 mins to get a haircut if busy. It's dead time to me.
Fortunately my guitar teacher (who has become a mate) has trained on the side as a barber. He comes round and cuts my barnet in the kitchen at a time of my convenience, then we do an hour's lesson on the old geetar. Two birds with one stone (I have a lesson every week anyway) and he charges less than my local barber for the hair cutting bit.
I used to go to savills barbers in Sheffield where it was quite common for me to spend 2 hours waiting for one of the 6-8 available barbers, they have since gone to a booking system (which still allows walk ins I believe) my current barbers equinox in Southampton have now gone mainly to a booking system also, with the apprentices covering walk ins at a very reduced price. It's the way forward I pop on my iPhone which has their app, I choose my barber and it shows all available time slots, I book and pay in advance and can select a text reminder of my appointment. No wasted time, however I do sometimes miss the couple of hours relaxing away from the world in the waiting room. Fortunately my guitar teacher (who has become a mate) has trained on the side as a barber. He comes round and cuts my barnet in the kitchen at a time of my convenience, then we do an hour's lesson on the old geetar. Two birds with one stone (I have a lesson every week anyway) and he charges less than my local barber for the hair cutting bit.
Imagine if you went to work and it was deathly quiet all day. You'd go mad. 
Saying that, up to around 23-25ish I went to the same place since I was about 8, but got sick of the guy always asking me about football every time. (I knew very little about it, it's not my thing. But I've had to gen up a little on it to get by in life it seems)
Around that time I saw an (award wining
) ladies Hairdresser for a while, so became and expert as "Fingers" (Where the cutter has followed their fingers for 1-2" and the line is not straight, when they should cut in shorter sections) and "corners" (At the back of your head where the hair sits like Kryten from Red Dwarf, as they haven't followed the shape of your skull - or conversely, not cut in a way to not extenuate funny shaped swedes)
Anyway, found another place and first time I went got the best haircut ever! Talked through it, Explained afterwards what he did, I bought some wax. Turns out that guy was from another site miles away and was covering. Tried all the others (some better than others) and settle on a girl cut my hair who was only part time as she was a Model! Agne Motiejunaite. She eventually was on Made in Chelsea. Sexy as FK, Google images is your friend! Did a good job of it and was just the right amount of chatty. Then she left and then it closed and their staff moved to another site. So I went there. And then they were leaving one by one. And the staff they were employing were to quote the Google review "£3 barbers masquerading as high quality" So started again, had some crap ones (You don't use Thinning scissors for texture! You point cut!) Settled for a couple guys in one place that CAN cut properly! But if they ever leave there, we have to start all over again!
Which brings me to another point. Walk past any barbers and in the window £8, £9, £10 cut and finish. I don't want a cheap haircut I want a good one, I'm happy to pay (Current is £15, but I've paid more)
But it seems to me that there is a real lack of decent barbers out there. Without it getting a bit poncy at the Murdock, Pall Mall or Pankhurst types
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_KRIgSf44M
Pankhurst promo vid!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg_d1L-2_nA
Murdock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy_hwV8FSGA
Pall Mall
Saying that, up to around 23-25ish I went to the same place since I was about 8, but got sick of the guy always asking me about football every time. (I knew very little about it, it's not my thing. But I've had to gen up a little on it to get by in life it seems)
Around that time I saw an (award wining
) ladies Hairdresser for a while, so became and expert as "Fingers" (Where the cutter has followed their fingers for 1-2" and the line is not straight, when they should cut in shorter sections) and "corners" (At the back of your head where the hair sits like Kryten from Red Dwarf, as they haven't followed the shape of your skull - or conversely, not cut in a way to not extenuate funny shaped swedes)Anyway, found another place and first time I went got the best haircut ever! Talked through it, Explained afterwards what he did, I bought some wax. Turns out that guy was from another site miles away and was covering. Tried all the others (some better than others) and settle on a girl cut my hair who was only part time as she was a Model! Agne Motiejunaite. She eventually was on Made in Chelsea. Sexy as FK, Google images is your friend! Did a good job of it and was just the right amount of chatty. Then she left and then it closed and their staff moved to another site. So I went there. And then they were leaving one by one. And the staff they were employing were to quote the Google review "£3 barbers masquerading as high quality"
So started again, had some crap ones (You don't use Thinning scissors for texture! You point cut!) Settled for a couple guys in one place that CAN cut properly! But if they ever leave there, we have to start all over again!Which brings me to another point. Walk past any barbers and in the window £8, £9, £10 cut and finish. I don't want a cheap haircut I want a good one, I'm happy to pay (Current is £15, but I've paid more)
But it seems to me that there is a real lack of decent barbers out there. Without it getting a bit poncy at the Murdock, Pall Mall or Pankhurst types
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_KRIgSf44M
Pankhurst promo vid!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg_d1L-2_nA
Murdock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy_hwV8FSGA
Pall Mall
Edited by Rich_W on Saturday 24th September 15:54
Rich_W said:
Imagine if you went to work and it was deathly quiet all day. You'd go mad.
Saying that, up to around 23-25ish I went to the same place since I was about 8, but got sick of the guy always asking me about football every time. (I knew very little about it, it's not my thing. But I've had to gen up a little on it to get by in life it seems)
Around that time I saw an (award wining ) ladies Hairdresser for a while, so became and expert as "Fingers" (Where the cutter has followed their fingers for 1-2" and the line is not straight, when they should cut in shorter sections) and "corners" (At the back of your head where the hair sits like Kryten from Red Dwarf, as they haven't followed the shape of your skull - or conversely, not cut in a way to not extenuate funny shaped swedes)
Anyway, found another place and first time I went got the best haircut ever! Talked through it, Explained afterwards what he did, I bought some wax. Turns out that guy was from another site miles away and was covering. Tried all the others (some better than others) and settle on a girl cut my hair who was only part time as she was a Model! Agne Motiejunaite. She eventually was on Made in Chelsea. Sexy as FK, Google images is your friend! Did a good job of it and was just the right amount of chatty. Then she left and then it closed and their staff moved to another site. So I went there. And then they were leaving one by one. And the staff they were employing were to quote the Google review "£3 barbers masquerading as high quality" So started again, had some crap ones (You don't use Thinning scissors for texture! You point cut!) Settled for a couple guys in one place that CAN cut properly! But if they ever leave there, we have to start all over again!
Which brings me to another point. Walk past any barbers and in the window £8, £9, £10 cut and finish. I don't want a cheap haircut I want a good one, I'm happy to pay (Current is £15, but I've paid more)
But it seems to me that there is a real lack of decent barbers out there. Without it getting a bit poncy at the Murdock, Pall Mall or Pankhurst types
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_KRIgSf44M
Pankhurst promo vid!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg_d1L-2_nA
Murdock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy_hwV8FSGA
Pall Mall
For hair and beard I pay £46 and have come to expect that price frequenting other barbers of similar quality. Saying that, up to around 23-25ish I went to the same place since I was about 8, but got sick of the guy always asking me about football every time. (I knew very little about it, it's not my thing. But I've had to gen up a little on it to get by in life it seems)
Around that time I saw an (award wining
) ladies Hairdresser for a while, so became and expert as "Fingers" (Where the cutter has followed their fingers for 1-2" and the line is not straight, when they should cut in shorter sections) and "corners" (At the back of your head where the hair sits like Kryten from Red Dwarf, as they haven't followed the shape of your skull - or conversely, not cut in a way to not extenuate funny shaped swedes)Anyway, found another place and first time I went got the best haircut ever! Talked through it, Explained afterwards what he did, I bought some wax. Turns out that guy was from another site miles away and was covering. Tried all the others (some better than others) and settle on a girl cut my hair who was only part time as she was a Model! Agne Motiejunaite. She eventually was on Made in Chelsea. Sexy as FK, Google images is your friend! Did a good job of it and was just the right amount of chatty. Then she left and then it closed and their staff moved to another site. So I went there. And then they were leaving one by one. And the staff they were employing were to quote the Google review "£3 barbers masquerading as high quality"
So started again, had some crap ones (You don't use Thinning scissors for texture! You point cut!) Settled for a couple guys in one place that CAN cut properly! But if they ever leave there, we have to start all over again!Which brings me to another point. Walk past any barbers and in the window £8, £9, £10 cut and finish. I don't want a cheap haircut I want a good one, I'm happy to pay (Current is £15, but I've paid more)
But it seems to me that there is a real lack of decent barbers out there. Without it getting a bit poncy at the Murdock, Pall Mall or Pankhurst types
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_KRIgSf44M
Pankhurst promo vid!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg_d1L-2_nA
Murdock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy_hwV8FSGA
Pall Mall
Edited by Rich_W on Saturday 24th September 15:54
ecsrobin said:
Rich_W said:
Imagine if you went to work and it was deathly quiet all day. You'd go mad.
Saying that, up to around 23-25ish I went to the same place since I was about 8, but got sick of the guy always asking me about football every time. (I knew very little about it, it's not my thing. But I've had to gen up a little on it to get by in life it seems)
Around that time I saw an (award wining ) ladies Hairdresser for a while, so became and expert as "Fingers" (Where the cutter has followed their fingers for 1-2" and the line is not straight, when they should cut in shorter sections) and "corners" (At the back of your head where the hair sits like Kryten from Red Dwarf, as they haven't followed the shape of your skull - or conversely, not cut in a way to not extenuate funny shaped swedes)
Anyway, found another place and first time I went got the best haircut ever! Talked through it, Explained afterwards what he did, I bought some wax. Turns out that guy was from another site miles away and was covering. Tried all the others (some better than others) and settle on a girl cut my hair who was only part time as she was a Model! Agne Motiejunaite. She eventually was on Made in Chelsea. Sexy as FK, Google images is your friend! Did a good job of it and was just the right amount of chatty. Then she left and then it closed and their staff moved to another site. So I went there. And then they were leaving one by one. And the staff they were employing were to quote the Google review "£3 barbers masquerading as high quality" So started again, had some crap ones (You don't use Thinning scissors for texture! You point cut!) Settled for a couple guys in one place that CAN cut properly! But if they ever leave there, we have to start all over again!
Which brings me to another point. Walk past any barbers and in the window £8, £9, £10 cut and finish. I don't want a cheap haircut I want a good one, I'm happy to pay (Current is £15, but I've paid more)
But it seems to me that there is a real lack of decent barbers out there. Without it getting a bit poncy at the Murdock, Pall Mall or Pankhurst types
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_KRIgSf44M
Pankhurst promo vid!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg_d1L-2_nA
Murdock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy_hwV8FSGA
Pall Mall
For hair and beard I pay £46 and have come to expect that price frequenting other barbers of similar quality. Saying that, up to around 23-25ish I went to the same place since I was about 8, but got sick of the guy always asking me about football every time. (I knew very little about it, it's not my thing. But I've had to gen up a little on it to get by in life it seems)
Around that time I saw an (award wining
) ladies Hairdresser for a while, so became and expert as "Fingers" (Where the cutter has followed their fingers for 1-2" and the line is not straight, when they should cut in shorter sections) and "corners" (At the back of your head where the hair sits like Kryten from Red Dwarf, as they haven't followed the shape of your skull - or conversely, not cut in a way to not extenuate funny shaped swedes)Anyway, found another place and first time I went got the best haircut ever! Talked through it, Explained afterwards what he did, I bought some wax. Turns out that guy was from another site miles away and was covering. Tried all the others (some better than others) and settle on a girl cut my hair who was only part time as she was a Model! Agne Motiejunaite. She eventually was on Made in Chelsea. Sexy as FK, Google images is your friend! Did a good job of it and was just the right amount of chatty. Then she left and then it closed and their staff moved to another site. So I went there. And then they were leaving one by one. And the staff they were employing were to quote the Google review "£3 barbers masquerading as high quality"
So started again, had some crap ones (You don't use Thinning scissors for texture! You point cut!) Settled for a couple guys in one place that CAN cut properly! But if they ever leave there, we have to start all over again!Which brings me to another point. Walk past any barbers and in the window £8, £9, £10 cut and finish. I don't want a cheap haircut I want a good one, I'm happy to pay (Current is £15, but I've paid more)
But it seems to me that there is a real lack of decent barbers out there. Without it getting a bit poncy at the Murdock, Pall Mall or Pankhurst types
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_KRIgSf44M
Pankhurst promo vid!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg_d1L-2_nA
Murdock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy_hwV8FSGA
Pall Mall
Edited by Rich_W on Saturday 24th September 15:54
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