No way he went against the grain on purpose! That's literally the first rule they tell you to break for a crisp line, but you gotta use so much pressure. The fact he barely touched the skin is what's blowing my mind. Tried mimicking that at home once and just gave myself razor burn for a week. Your barber must have surgeon hands or something, that's a next level technique.

Wait, I mean the fun is in the looking and wondering yourself though, right? Half the joy is trying to figure it out, even if you're wrong. Taking all the mystery away just makes it another chore.

I always thought the ball bearing test was overkill, but seeing a buddy's anvil crumble changed my mind. That trick about the bright sound and bounce is real. A real anvil has a certain ring to it that a cheap cast iron fake just can't match. Now I wouldn't buy one without hearing it first.