Meet Clayton Wells: A Scissor-Cut Barber at Freebird Barbershop in San Diego
Updated: Oct 31
San Diego has no shortage of barbers. But finding a barber who can listen to what you actually want, understand your hair, and shape a haircut around you is a different thing.
That's the approach Clayton Wells brings to Freebird Barbershop in Pacific Beach.
Clayton is a San Diego barber with experience working in shops throughout the city, including Dino's and The Secret. Now, he's bringing his own approach to barbering to Freebird, where he works alongside founder Chase Johnsen.
Both barbers share a belief that a haircut should be tailored to the person wearing it—not pulled from a template and repeated from one client to the next.
They're also both serious about scissor cutting.
Between Chase and Clayton, Freebird now has a combined 10 years of barbering experience, with both barbers continuing to learn from one another and develop their craft.
For Clayton, the philosophy is simple:
“I cut simple.”
Who Is Clayton Wells?
Clayton Wells is a barber based in San Diego, now cutting at Freebird Barbershop in Pacific Beach. Hes been published in the SD Voyager Magazine as one of the best up and coming scissor cut barbers in all of san diego.
His barbering background includes time at different San Diego shops, where he developed experience working with a wide range of clients, hairstyles, clippers, scissors and techniques.
But his approach isn't about trying to make every haircut look complicated.
It's about getting the fundamentals right.
Clayton describes his philosophy this way:
“My approach to barbering is simple. Every cut should be tailored to the person. I listen to what you want and shape the cut around your hair, features, and personal style.”
That's the foundation of how Clayton approaches the chair.
Listen first.
Understand the hair.
Then cut.
Clayton Wells' Approach to Scissor Cutting
Scissor cutting is a major part of Clayton's work at Freebird.
While clippers are an essential part of modern barbering, scissors allow a barber to approach hair differently—particularly when working with length, texture, density and natural movement.
Clayton likes working with those variables rather than trying to eliminate them.
That's especially useful for clients looking for:
Medium-length men's hairstyles
Longer hairstyles
Natural-looking scissor cuts
Textured hairstyles
Classic cuts with modern shape
Scissor-cut tapers
Haircuts that grow out naturally
Styles that need to work with a client's existing hair texture
The goal isn't necessarily to make the hair behave like something it's not.
It's to figure out what the hair can do well—and build the haircut around that.
That's one of the reasons Clayton fits so naturally into Freebird.
“I Cut Simple”
There is a tendency in barbering to make things sound more complicated than they need to be.
Clayton takes the opposite approach.
“I cut simple.”
For him, simple doesn't mean basic.
It means intentional.
A good haircut doesn't need unnecessary complexity. It needs the right shape, the right proportions and a clear understanding of what the client wants.
That philosophy also applies to scissor work.
Instead of cutting simply because scissors are the specialty, Clayton uses scissors when they make sense for the haircut.
The same goes for clippers.
The tool isn't the point.
The haircut is.
A Barber Who Listens
One of the most consistent themes in Clayton Wells' client reviews isn't actually about a specific haircut.
It's about the experience.
Brian Haley described Clayton's haircut as “stylish and inspired” and said you can feel his passion for the craft. He also mentioned enjoying Clayton as a conversationalist and the experience as a whole.
Ezra B. specifically praised Clayton for going out of his way to accommodate him, opening an additional time slot so he could get a same-day fade.
“Clayton is fantastic. Cool person, plus without me even asking he opened an extra time slot for me so I could get my fade same-day. I will definitely be booking him again.”
That willingness to listen and work with clients is central to Clayton's philosophy.
And sometimes, listening means figuring out what someone is actually asking for—even when they don't know exactly how to describe it.
What Clayton Wells' Clients Are Saying
The reviews from Clayton's existing clients offer a pretty good window into his approach.
Hector came to Clayton after trying numerous barbershops around San Diego since moving to the city. He said he had developed low expectations but was pleasantly surprised by Clayton's work.
“Clayton actually did a decent job. Have tried more than a handful of barbershops in SD since moving and had low expectations but he actually did well!”
He also mentioned feeling welcome and comfortable in the shop and said he'd be coming back.
Then there's Dillon Haus, who gives perhaps the most telling description of Clayton's work.
Dillon says Clayton was his go-to barber in San Diego. After moving away, he says he hasn't found another barber who cuts like Clayton in two years.
“Clayton was my go-to barber in San Diego. Since I moved away I haven’t found anyone that cuts like him in 2 years. Not to mention he’s a really good guy!”
That's the kind of relationship good barbers hope to build.
Not just someone who likes a haircut.
Someone who doesn't want to find another barber.
Clayton Wells and Chase Johnsen: Learning From Each Other
Clayton and Chase have different personalities and their own approaches to barbering, but there's a common thread between them.
They learn from each other.
Together, Clayton Wells and Chase Johnsen bring a combined 10 years of barbering experience to Freebird.
Neither sees barbering as something you eventually “finish” learning.
There are always new techniques to explore.
New trends.
Different hair types.
Different approaches to scissor work.
New ways to use clippers.
And, most importantly, new clients who present a completely different problem to solve.
That shared mindset is part of what makes Clayton a natural addition to Freebird.
The shop isn't built around one single way of cutting hair.
It's built around good barbering and individualized haircuts.
A San Diego Barber Who Keeps Learning
Clayton is constantly educating himself on new trends and techniques.
He continues to work on both clipper and scissor techniques, keeping up with the way men's hairstyles evolve while continuing to refine the fundamentals.
That's particularly important with scissor cutting.
Trends come and go, but the underlying skills remain:
Understanding shape.
Understanding weight.
Understanding texture.
Understanding how hair grows.
Knowing when to take length away—and when leaving it alone is the better move.
Those are skills that continue developing over time.
And Clayton is still developing them.
More Than Just Haircuts
Outside of Freebird, Clayton spends his time lifting, running and reading philosophy.
He's also someone who genuinely enjoys connecting with people.
That's a natural fit for barbering.
A barbershop is one of the few places where you can sit down with a complete stranger and, 45 minutes later, know what they do for work, what they're training for, what music they're listening to and what they're currently thinking about.
For Clayton, that connection is part of the job.
The technical side of barbering matters.
So does making the person in the chair feel comfortable.
Why Clayton Wells Is a Natural Fit for Freebird
Freebird Barbershop has always had a particular point of view about men's hair.
A haircut should be shaped, not rushed.
That means understanding the client's hair rather than forcing every head into the same style.
Clayton shares that philosophy.
His focus on personalized haircuts, natural shape and scissor work makes him particularly well suited to clients who want more than a standard clipper cut.
And because he also works with clippers, fades and tapers, his skill set isn't limited to one type of haircut.
Whether someone walks in asking for a scissor cut, a textured style, a taper or a fade, Clayton starts in the same place:
What are we trying to accomplish, and how do we make it work for you?
Looking for Clayton Wells in Pacific Beach?
Clayton Wells is now cutting at Freebird Barbershop in Pacific Beach, San Diego.
He works Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, giving Freebird clients another option when booking earlier in the week.
Freebird's new Monday and Tuesday hours are 9:00 AM–6:30 PM.
If you're looking for a scissor-cut barber in San Diego, a barber who specializes in natural-looking men's hairstyles, or simply someone who will take the time to understand what you want before picking up the clippers, Clayton is now available at Freebird.
Meet Clayton Wells at Freebird
Clayton's philosophy isn't complicated.
Listen to the client.
Understand the hair.
Shape the haircut around the person.
And keep getting better at the craft.
That's what “I cut simple” means.
With Clayton Wells joining Chase Johnsen at Freebird, the shop now has two barbers with a combined 10 years of experience who share a passion for individualized men's haircuts and scissor work—while continuing to learn from each other along the way.
If you're in Pacific Beach or anywhere around San Diego and looking for a barber who takes a thoughtful approach to your haircut, Clayton Wells is now part of the Freebird lineup.
New barber. Same Freebird philosophy.
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