Haircuts

[Jess from VA]

Just to talk about anything not political.....

I haven't been to a barber in 30 or more years.

I kept it regulation short in the military (not boot camp short/bald).  And the base barbers were good at regulation, quick and cheap (and they knew my name and were friends).  I tipped more than the haircut cost ($2.50).

When I got out, I let it grow just a little longer, but was already balding at 40.  I went to a few local barbers and they cost a lot more and you often had to wait a while, so I just got some decent clippers and did it myself.  For a long time I buzzed it down short, but looking like a felonious wanted poster, I went back to a short brush cut.

There's just a hint of color in my head hair, but my face hair (goatee) is pure white.  I am never outdoors without a 3-color desert tan boonie hat (except at night), because the sun is not my friend (skin cancer).

I only need to do it every few months when I start to get fuzzy.  The back is where most of my hair is, and it has to be done by feel.  I just did it again, and only took one chunk out behind one ear.  Screw it, it's good enough for government work.  

And while there's not much hair, I do it outside; hang a hand mirror on my bike shed door so the mess is not in the house. 

What do you guys do?

[Serk]

I haven't been to a barber in 30 or more years.

My last haircut, either by a professional or at home, was in 1997, and even that one was under duress....

[f6john]

Just happened to give myself a cut today. When I did go to the barber I enjoyed the hot lather and straight razor trim around the ears and the back of my neck. Now I find the young barbers are just speed demons and expect a tip as if they had given you the works! I did notice that I might need to take my scissors and do a few snips here and there so, I didn’t give myself a tip this time

[Jess from VA]

Brian, I have a picture of myself up on my big family album wall in the house (mom and dad's HS graduation pics, wedding, dad in the USMC, whole family when alive, etc) that shows me in undergrad with hair on my shoulders and full beard and a big grin.  It was the hippy days ('71), and seems like a lifetime ago.  


John, I always have to come back inside in front of the bathroom mirror and use the scissors for stray hairs, and shave my fuzzy ears and neck with a safety razor (carefully).

Speaking of straight razors, stationed overseas in Turkey I got my haircuts downtown, and you got the hot towel treatment and straight razor shave.  And their practice to prove manhood (or something) was when finished with your face shave, they'd squirt something flammable on a cloth, light it, and smack you in the face with it to clean up any remaining stubble.  They would cover your eyes with a hand so as not to burn your eyebrows off.  Wow would that get your attention.    (Not making this up)  

We'd take guys visiting on temporary duty from Europe downtown to the barbers and tell them to be sure and get the straight razor shave.
What the Hell was that????  

[Chrisj CMA]

I go to the same beauty shop my wife uses. The lady’s name is Judy just like my wife’s name. I go 2 or 3 times a year. She charges me $12 and I give her a $20 each time. She only uses a buzz cutter for the neck. The hair is all scissor work and I like how she does it. I’ve also done woodwork for her and furniture repair for the other beautician in the shop so we’re like family. I have no desire to maintain a military haircut. Since I retired my four favorite words are. I DONT HAVE TO

[LadyDraco]

I use  to cut Don's  starting in 2018 till crossing..
He  couldn't believe  I could  do such a good  job..
    I had cut my own for years...

[Rams]

My Spousal Unit started cutting my hair the day after I left the military.   She was reluctant but tried.   The first few times I never knew what it was going to look like but, as she gained experience, she got very acceptable results.   Now, she wants to shape my beard also.   

This might be a struggle, I'm not crazy about anyone but me trimming my beard and absolutely no  one else touches my stash.

Rams 

[Jess from VA]

I have no desire to maintain a military haircut.

Jeff it's not so much keeping a military look for me, it's more of staying cool in hot weather (and a helmet), and easy to take care of (wash and wear).  And what I'm used to.

And since I'm bald on top, long hair in back becomes a goofy looking mullet that doesn't appeal to me.  

[0leman]

I had  long hair in college, got a haircut once a year.  Reason for hair cut was the Big Eight swimiming championships.  Yeah I was a college jock.   When I left college I was working in the woods as a forester.  We wore hardhats, required, while out of the trucks.   We would about half the time stay out as it was 2-2.5 hours getting to the where we were working.  So, started wearing my hear short.  Go hair cut once a month.  Then got married, DW started cutting my hair once a month.  Pretty simple with a electric cutter.  This went on till about 11 years ago.  DW went down for 3rd grandsons birth,  fell and cracked her collier bone.  So, I got a beard trimmer and started cutting my own hair.  Do it once a week.  Have it set pretty low.  Also use it on my beard.   

Went from long hair type to almost no hair type.   I used to say that having 3 daughters would cause me to get  bald or turn white.  Both sort of happened.   

[Jess from VA]

Reason for hair cut was the Big Eight swimming championships.

I grew up swimming (lived on an island) (the island Naval Air Station had the 3d largest indoor pool in the world, and I swam there too).  Did my mile swim there in the Boy Scouts.  But my schools had no pool and no swim teams. 

I seem to recall that swimmers didn't just wear short hair, they shaved their whole body?? 

I used to say that having 3 daughters would cause me to get bald or turn white.  Both sort of happened.      

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I started shaving my head a decade or so ago. Since I was mostly bald by then, it just seemed like the way to go. I buy cheap, waterproof, Amazon rechargeables every year or two so I can shave it in the shower.

Now I look the same after taking my helmet off as I did before putting it on, ugly. And, I don't need to go to town for a haircut anymore.

The only down side has been skin cancer. By the time I realized I had it, it was deep.  Removing it left a dent in my head I can balance a ping pong ball in. Now I usually remember to wear a hat or helmet.

[Jess from VA]

Mike, I had skin cancer on my head, face, neck, back and arms.  (Being stupid)

The one on my arm, I could hold a golf ball in the divot after surgery.

But not for a long time, and most of the scars have gotten less noticeable.

Now, and for a long time, I wear long sleeves/pants, brimmed hats and sunblock in the full sun (always).

I'm bald on top and pale as hell (on purpose).  I learned my lesson. 

[0leman]

I agree with Fry:  I still look the same as I do before wearing a helmet and as when I take it off. Really short hair doesn't get messed up.   

And yes, Jess, we did shave body hair.  Thankfully those who made me didn't put lots of body hair into the development of me.   

AS far as skin cancer, I too have had a few small spots that Frozen Nitrogen has taken care of.  Wear a large hat now when outside for more than 15 minutes.   Living at 4000 feet, one should take care from sun damage.

[cookiedough]

been cutting my own hair since age 18 or so, not been to a barber or haircut place since then almost 40 years ago.  Saved enough money in haircuts to buy another used Valk probably?   I use a hand mirror getting to the back straight, sort of, good enough for me.   I have a vacuum canister built into my remington hair cutter that catches 95% of the clippings so not much mess.  If I mess up the back or wherever, the wife can get it for me.  The cutter has plastic clip attachments and use the 3/4" one all the time nice and short every 2 to 3 months.

When younger, I use to fill up that canister 2x's, now is tad over 1 full canister every haircut. 

Amazes me the amount of money blown on a 15 minute haircut costing at least 15 bucks nowadays to go anywhere to ONLY remove 1 inch of hair on the head.  Back last into the 1980's when last had a barber do it, it ONLY cost 5 bucks per haircut.

[mbramley]

 My hair was already receding as a teenager, but it was just over the shoulder. By the time I came out of the Marines (23) the top was pretty well gone. I would get it cut on occasion, it got to the point most would only charge me half price. About 20 to 25 years ago just started shaving everything except goatee and mustache.

[scooperhsd]

I've been wearing my hair military short since 1980. Now, I go to Great Clips about every 4-6 weeks, and I get a senior / veteran discount. I tried growing my beard / mustache out last winter, but for the most part it is white as snow, with a few dark patches - added 5-10 years to my face.

I tan pretty good (when I try a little ), but I'm usually in T-shirts / short sleeves and Jeans in the summer, and long sleeves / jeans in the winter.