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Hey Reader,

Something pretty scary happened this week. Unless you are taking a break from social media, I think you know where I'm going with this one.

While in the charging dock, a pair of Style Craft Instincts literally exploded. As in, caught on fire, shot out of the charging stand like a rocket and landed on the floor next to some pringles and a burnt brush. Fire simmering as the Instincts lay on the ground.

Fortunately, no one was injured. Tbh, the video is pretty wild. You know what's worse? Apparently, this isn't an isolated incident. Other barbers have reported Instincts exploding.

StyleCraft Pro has yet to release a formal statement. All they have said in the comment section is this:

The comments on these posts have been blowing up. (Pun intended).

Like most barber drama, the comments are filled with various perspectives. I appreciate that about our industry. Let's break down the various perspectives.

"Don't leave it on the charger fool"

Some say it might be the barber's fault. They shouldn't leave the clipper on charging station after it's charged. But...what if they actually need to charge it?

"Imagine if it happened without anyone there"

This is pretty scary to consider. The clippers literally caught on fire. If that led to a bigger fire in the shop and then the building? Hope the shop owner has insurance. But also, could they get sued? That is very stressful to think about.

"Imagine if a client was injured"

I am not a lawyer, so please don't take this as legal advice, but this could be a lawsuit. If a client was seriously injured and needed to go to the hospital treatment, they could sue.

"I used mine all week, no problems for me"

This comment came from one of the Style Craft ambassadors though. Might be time to reconsider that partnership? Jk, but seriously.

"It can happen to any clipper"

Has it? Are clippers blowing up a common thing? I'm genuinely curious. If it is, then that is honestly terrifying.

So...what now?

StyleCraft will probably put out a statement early this week. We'll see how that goes. While they figure out what they are going to say, Andis is already taking advantage of the situation.

CEO Matt Andis posted this video breaking down their batteries. My favorite line: "The circuit provides protection to the cell...and to you guys." Ah, these other clipper companies are loving life right now.

In light of this chaos, here's what you need to do.

If you have insurance, I would read the fine print on your policy.

• If your clippers happened to blow up, are you covered?
• If your client is injured, are they covered?
• If your shop goes up in flames, are you covered?

If you don't have insurance, you need to check to make sure the shop has insurance. And, you should get insurance yourself anyways. Better safe, then sorry.

Insurance isn't a sexy thing to talk about, but please, do your due diligence. Read this blog to learn more. Barber Insurance 101: Protecting Your Barbershop and Business.​

Serious question for all you Style Craft fans out there. Are you scared to use them?

For the record, I don't own any Style Craft or Gamma tools. But, my barber does. He has 2 pairs and goes back and forth. You know why? Because they get really hot...

Do you want to be featured?

Last but not least, I'm always on the look out for headlines taking place across the industry and would love to feature you.

So, if you are hosting an event or releasing a new product and you want it to be featured in theGuideline, then this form is for you!

Alright, finished with No.60. See you next week!

Written by: Matthew Mendoza​​
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