"Hair Claws? For Men?!" – A Lesson in Not Giving a Damn

Ah, the joys of long hair. You’d think by 2024, we’d have moved past outdated ideas of what men should and shouldn’t do with their hair. Spoiler alert: we haven’t. The number of times we’ve heard “Hair claws? Really? For men?” is enough to make you want to pull your hair out. (Pun very much intended.)

But that’s where we come in—The Hair Forge. We’re on a mission to shatter these oh-so-precious stereotypes, one kickass Claymore (that’s a sword-shaped staff to keep man buns in place!) at a time. Sound easy? Guess again.

As a society, we’re still weirdly obsessed with gendering everything. Razor commercials, pens (remember the female Bic pen? WTF?), deodorant, even hair accessories. Are we still living in the 1950s where a hair claw threatens your masculinity? Yes, Dave, you’ll survive that sword-shaped staff—and, shocker—you actually look kinda badass.

My job at The Hair Forge isn’t just about getting men to wear hair accessories. It’s about convincing them that, no, tying back your man-bun with a fish skeleton claw isn’t going to make you any less of a man. If anything, it makes you look like you’re one bad day away from raiding a village. 

Let’s Talk Visuals.

You know those perfectly manicured, overly polished photos where a guy looks perfect? Too perfect? Yeah, that’s not us. My approach to the photography and video work for The Hair Forge is simple: keep it real. I’m not here to airbrush reality or make our models look like they just stepped out of a shampoo commercial.

We go for raw, authentic shots. Guys with tattoos, scars, long hair, hair in every direction—but most importantly, guys who have confidence and are trendsetters. I want the message to be loud and clear: wearing hair accessories doesn’t make you any less of a man. If anything, it makes you trailblazer.

Behind every perfectly “unpolished” shot is a whole lot of work—hair products, lighting, and a healthy amount of cursing. But we keep it real. We’re not here to create unattainable images of men carefully placing a bolt in the shape of a dragon like they’re auditioning for the next Game of Thrones spinoff. (But if there is another one, these guys are so in!)

Our shoots are designed to make you feel like you could just walk into a bar, hair neatly tied back with a fish skeleton claw, and order a drink without anyone giving a damn. We lean into the imperfections—stray hairs, rugged faces, a little sweat—because guess what? That’s real life. If you’re a guy with long hair, you’re going to use a hair tie, clamp, staff, or claw at some point. And if you aren’t, your life’s about to change.

Men’s hair accessories still aren’t mainstream, which, honestly, baffles me. You’d think with the rise of Vikings, Jason Momoa, and man-buns, we’d have accepted that hair accessories are just part of the deal. But no. People still clutch their pearls at the sight of a dude with a headband or (gasp) an axe-shaped staff in his hair.

I’ve heard it all: “Isn’t that a little… feminine?” or “Why can’t you just slick it back with gel like a real man?” Here’s the truth: it’s not about gender, it’s about utility. Sure, it’s about style too, but mostly it’s about not wanting hair in your face while you’re trying to live your life—or slay some dragons.

At The Hair Forge, we don’t just throw random products out there. We’ve curated our pieces carefully, crafted stories around them, and painstakingly photographed them to showcase their cool factor. We curate cool (and that’s all thanks to our CEO). We’re working towards bringing our original designs to life—but that takes capital. Every product has to pass our “Would I wear this?” test. If it doesn’t, you’ll never see it.

We’re talking hair claws shaped like fish skeletons and clamps that look like spiders. Our staffs? They belong on a battlefield—swords, axes, the works. Why? Because men need to know their hair accessories won’t betray them mid-workout, mid-hike, or mid-victory dance after they’ve saved the kingdom.

Oops, slipped into the whole gender/role conversation again. It happens. Look, we don’t live by those rules, but the world still does. And guess what? Whether they’re labeled “for men” or not, our products are getting scooped up by everyone—women included. Whether it’s for themselves or for their sons, husbands, boyfriends, or brothers, they know our accessories are undeniably cool.

Disrupting this narrative isn’t for the faint of heart. We don’t just sell hair accessories—we challenge the norm. Every time we create a new campaign for The Hair Forge, it’s with the intention to smash the ridiculous gender rules surrounding men’s grooming.

We’ve come a long way, but the fight’s not over. Every video we release, every campaign we shoot, and every customer review we post is part of this battle. Men who’ve never thought twice about using a hair tie shaped like a wolf are coming around. Slowly. But it’s happening.

So here’s the takeaway: wear the damn hair tie, clamp, claw, or staff. Rock the headband. Clip it, tie it, braid it, and own it. Life’s too short to worry about whether a sword-shaped staff is going to ruin your “manly” reputation. Spoiler: it won’t. If you’re still worried? Maybe it’s time to rethink your crew.

At The Hair Forge, we’re here for the guys who just want to keep their hair out of their face without a side of judgment. And as long as we’re around, we’ll keep pushing the envelope—even if it causes a few split ends.