From Chicago to Ghent — Jason Boaldin's Journey Through Scapicchio Academy Level 2
There's something remarkable about a man who has spent more than thirty years behind the same barber's chair and still believes there's something left to learn.
Thirty years.
Think about that for a moment.
Thirty years of clients walking through the door. Thousands of haircuts, conversations, changing fashions and probably more stories than most people could tell in a lifetime.
And yet, here he was.
Travelling all the way from Chicago to Ghent, Belgium, with one simple ambition.
To become better at his craft.
Meet Jason Boaldin.
An American barber with more than three decades of experience, a calm personality, an extraordinary respect for craftsmanship and a genuine curiosity about the traditions of European straight razor shaving.
And someone I've had the pleasure of getting to know through a journey that has already taken us from Belgium to Italy and back again.
It All Started with a YouTube Video
The internet is a strange place.
Most of the time, it's an endless collection of distractions. People shouting for attention, selling shortcuts or promising to turn you into an expert in fifteen minutes.
But occasionally, something worthwhile happens.
Someone on the other side of the world discovers your work.
And decides to get on an aeroplane.
That's essentially how Jason and I first connected.
He discovered my work through a YouTube video about traditional barbering.
Something caught his attention.
Perhaps the razors. Perhaps the sharpening techniques. Perhaps the philosophy behind what we do at ROMAIN.
Whatever it was, he decided to travel to Ghent for a private two-day workshop.
And that's where our journey began.
Two days of exchanging knowledge, discussing techniques and discovering that despite growing up in completely different environments, we shared a remarkably similar respect for the profession.
Jason wasn't a beginner.
Far from it.
He had already spent thirty years working in the same barbershop in Chicago.
He understood clients, service, discipline and the importance of building a reputation over time.
But traditional straight razor shaving, particularly the European techniques and sharpening methods we teach, offered him something different.
A new challenge.
And Jason was ready for it.
Chicago. Bovino. Ghent.
Following our first workshop, I encouraged Jason to continue his education at the Scapicchio Academy in Bovino, Italy.
The birthplace of the Scapicchio family's traditional barbering heritage.
He followed that advice and completed Level 1.
And now, after travelling from America to Belgium, and continuing his education in Italy, he found himself returning once again to Ghent.
This time for Scapicchio Academy Level 2.
There's something deeply satisfying about seeing a student return.
Not because he needs another certificate to hang on the wall.
But because he's genuinely interested in understanding the craft.
Over the course of these visits, Jason and I have developed something beyond the usual relationship between instructor and student.
A friendship.
A mutual respect.
And the understanding that regardless of how much experience either of us has, there's always another question worth asking.
Experience Doesn't Make You a Master of Everything
One of the first things you notice about Jason is his personality.
He's calm.
Professional.
Observant.
He doesn't rush into things or pretend to know something he hasn't yet mastered.
He watches.
He listens.
He asks questions.
And then he gets to work.
There's a particular confidence that comes from spending thirty years in a profession.
Not the loud kind.
The quiet kind.
The confidence of someone who has already made mistakes, solved problems and learned that most things eventually work out if you approach them with patience and discipline.
I appreciate that enormously.
Because teaching someone with thirty years of experience requires a different approach.
You aren't introducing them to barbering.
You're introducing them to another dimension of a profession they already understand.
And that makes the conversations particularly interesting.
Day One — Steel, Stones and Thirty Years of Experience
Our first day was intense.
Theory.
Anatomy.
Skin pathology.
Razor geometry.
Sharpening techniques.
The relationship between steel, abrasives and the cutting edge.
And, naturally, a great deal of practical work.
At Scapicchio Academy Level 2, we don't simply teach students to repeat movements.
We want them to understand why those movements work.
Why one blade behaves differently from another.
Why the geometry of a hollow-ground razor requires a different approach from a full wedge.
Why the sharpening angle matters.
And why a beautiful-looking razor is completely useless if its cutting edge hasn't been properly prepared.
We began with the seven-step sharpening process of the ROMAIN All-in-One Honing Kit.
From there, we moved towards freehand honing.
And this is where Jason genuinely impressed me.
He understood it remarkably quickly.
Hollow-ground razors?
No problem.
Freehand sharpening?
He adapted almost immediately.
Full wedges?
Again, he demonstrated an impressive understanding of how to control the blade against the stone.
We also explored the Japanese kamisori, introducing another philosophy of razor design and sharpening.
But there was something about Jason's background that suddenly made his natural understanding of steel much easier to explain.
Before becoming a barber, Jason had worked as a welder.
And that changes things.
A Welder Never Really Forgets Steel
There's a certain understanding of materials that comes from working with your hands.
A carpenter understands wood.
A chef understands the behaviour of a knife.
A blacksmith understands heat and metal.
And a welder develops a particular familiarity with steel.
Jason already possessed that foundation.
He understood that metal isn't simply a solid object.
It has properties.
It reacts to pressure, temperature and the way we work with it.
Of course, welding and razor honing are entirely different disciplines.
But that familiarity with metal gave us a useful starting point.
When we discussed blade geometry, steel and the importance of controlling pressure during sharpening, Jason connected the theory with his previous experience.
And suddenly, certain techniques seemed to fall into place.
Watching him work was a pleasure.
No unnecessary movements.
No panic.
Just concentration.
Steel against stone.
Again.
And again.
Until the movement became familiar.
A good razor doesn't begin with the shave. It begins with understanding the blade.
Day Two — Where Theory Meets Skin
The second day brought us back to the barber's chair.
Real clients.
Real skin.
Real responsibility.
We worked through traditional facial shaving, head shaving and beard service protocols, following the educational structure described in my book, Protocols — A Barber Manual.
Every movement has a purpose.
Every product has a function.
And every decision should be based on the person sitting in your chair.
Because traditional shaving isn't about performing the same ritual on every client.
It's about understanding the skin, selecting the correct preparation and adapting your technique when necessary.
Jason approached the practical work with the same calm professionalism I had noticed from the beginning.
He listened carefully.
Adjusted when necessary.
And demonstrated the kind of patience that only years of working with clients can teach.
Thirty years of experience doesn't automatically make someone an expert with a straight razor.
But it certainly helps when it comes to understanding service, responsibility and the importance of making someone feel comfortable in your chair.
By the end of the second day, Jason had worked through an intensive programme of sharpening, shaving and technical development.
And he had done exceptionally well.
But there was something else that made these two days particularly memorable.
We weren't alone.
A Family That Keeps Learning Together
Joining us in Ghent were Scapicchio Academy Ambassador Frederic De Maagt and Ambassadrice Sophie Barouk.
Two familiar faces who came to assist Jason, exchange knowledge and continue developing their own skills.
Because becoming an Ambassador doesn't mean you've finished learning.
Quite the opposite.
Within the Scapicchio Academy, our alumni have the opportunity to return to Level 1, Level 2 and other training sessions to refresh their knowledge, practise techniques and discover something new.
It's one of the privileges of belonging to this family.
During Jason's training, Frederic and Sophie joined us in further exploring Japanese shaving techniques, exchanging experiences and refining their understanding of the craft.
And that's where something beautiful happens.
A barber from Chicago, two European Ambassadors and a Belgian Master Barber, all gathered around the same chair.
Different backgrounds.
Different experiences.
Different personalities.
But one shared ambition.
To become better at what we do.
There's no need to pretend we know everything simply because we've earned a title.
A Master can learn from an Ambassador.
An Ambassador can learn from a student.
And someone with thirty years of experience can still discover an entirely new perspective on the craft.
Knowledge becomes more valuable when we share it.
Watching Jason work alongside Frederic and Sophie reminded me once again why we're building this international community.
We're not simply organising courses and handing out diplomas.
We're creating connections.
People who support one another, return to practise together and continue sharing their experiences long after their initial training.
And perhaps that's the most beautiful part of the Scapicchio Academy.
You never really leave the classroom. You simply become part of a bigger family.
The Next Chapter — Level 3
Watch the story unfold. Follow us on Instagram for more insights into the craft.
Want to join the Scapicchio Academy at ROMAIN in Ghent, belgium?
Get in touch to plan your 1-on-1 training with Master barber Stijn De Sutter and take your straight razor, honing and shaving services to the next level. Send us a Email
Ready for the real thing?
If you want more than just a good story and you’re ready to sharpen your craft (or your own look), you know where to find us.
From straight razor training and honing on natural stone to classic shaves and serious beard work in the chair, ROMAIN Barbershop & Academy in Ghent is where it actually happens—no noise, no shortcuts.
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Academy info, courses or questions
Email: info@romainghent.be and we’ll take it from there.
Website ROMAIN: http://www.romainghent.be
Website Scapicchio Academy: http://www.scapicchioacademy.com
