the old fashoned barber shop shave...

[Barry]

Feather Kanwa has a faint scent. Although it has some rose oil and peppermint in it you will hardly notice it. As the description notes it is intended for people who do not care for a heavily scented after shave. I think it's great stuff.

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522960/1020582.htm

 

[FatherTom]

I imagine most men shaved themselves. I would have gotten a straight razoring while I was at the barber shop, myself.

You know last time I got a striaght razor shave the barber cut my face to shreds. It'll be a cold day in hell before I go to that guy again.
Getting shaves from a barber didn't become a regular, common practice until the 1920's. Before that barbers also did minor surgery. Blood-letting was their most common operation. That's where the Barber's pole came from. Red for the blood and origionally the while stripe was a bandage simpely wrapped around it. The Royal Company of Barbers changed that around 1800 when they said that If you just cut hair you get a blue/white pole, if you let blood you get red/white. Since then they've merged into the red/white/blue poles we see today.
With the invention of mass production and the Gillette Safety razor in 1901 Shaving yourself was more of the way to go. I know my great grandfather still used a straight razor. I once asked my Grandma what her father did as a Marine in France during the Great War. "I don't really know" she replied, "He drove ambulances and was the only man in his unit that could use a straight razor on the ship across."
I personally still get a haircut and straight-razor shave once a week. They shave my face and the hair on my neck too. I'm an active-duty Marine so hair regs are strict. But, I advise anyone to try it. It's the closest shave you'll get.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

i go to an actual barber shop in my neck of the woods called B & G Barber Shop. it is a real hole in the wall located in Valparaiso, Indiana. i always get my hair cut at a barber. i used to go to a salon but the closest thig they could do to a flat top is a high & tight, which they are not the same. when you get a shave at a barber shop, you have to keep in mind that the first couple of times it is going to be an adrenline rush. think of it for a second. a complete ( or nearly complete) stranger with a very sharp instrument right near your jugular. i am used to it now, though. it is a very relaxing & soothing experience for me. the first time he shaved my face, he said he gave me a slight nick. if he didn't tell me, i wouldn't have known it. i recomend that every guy on here gets a barber shave at least once in their lives, if for no other reason than to just say he has had it done.

thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[Sylvester D]

I treat myself once a month to a shave at Shaving Grace Barbers, outside of Philadelphia.[/QUOTE]


Where is this place exactly?

 

[MrNewportCustom]

I go to a real barber, but I never get shaves. I'll have to ask Ron about shaving legalities the next time I'm in his shop. Unfortunately, that'll be a few weeks, as I was in just last Saturday.

WildRoot, will you be seeing Ron soon?


Lee
________________________

Just my two bits.

 

[Nashoba]

For those who live in the South Bay / San Jose, Ca area..

I was at Valley Fair mall in Santa Clara today and noticed a construction storefront baricade (whatever they're called, the thingies that cover a store before it opens) It advertised that coming soon was a real barber shop / shaving place. I know I'm massacring what I'm sure it's really called but it's a place that's going to specialize in good ole fashioned shaves. It said that their other location was in New York and maybe another place. In any case, if you live in the Silicon Valley near enough to Valley Fair to make it worth it, you might check it out once it opens. When we come back home to visit for a wedding in Nov. if they're open by then I intend to treat my husband to it. Looks like it will be a nice place.

 

[Fast]

Barbers, you, and the straight razor

Got a barber shop shave the day of my 1st wedding, long long ago. Took all the guys out for a trim and shave. Cool ritual. Not the best shave. He did use a straight edge, and had more experience with razor cuts than beards. A demand thing. That wasn't the problem. Problem was it wasn't his face and changing shaving methods gets you a few rough shaves most often.

Later on, got myself a "styling" straight edge razor to test out the whole idea before dropping a hundred bucks on stuff I'd never want to use. Fortunately, I had run across Aramis Lab series shave cream and razor defense. Those two little miracles saved my face.

If you use a straight edge, and point what amounts to a very long bladed scalpen at your face, you will cut yourself. You may well cut yourself badly and end up with stitches or worse. I remember only the worst cuts, the others were too numerous to remember. You may well scrape your face to some degree. Now, after years of practice, it's pretty easy and seldom bloody. It is my best shave. When I'm in any hurry at all I use a quadra.

Honing blades is another endeavor altogether.

If it's a period thing, the safety razor came just before WWI, If I recall correctly. They use single injector or double edge blades and are called safety razors for a reason. You can get sliced up with one, but it's a hundred times safer than using a straight edge.

If ya gotta gotta gotta learn to use a straight edge, remember, it barely touches your skin. Maybe practice on a peach. They cut like faces.

Carpe Diem
Fast

 

[Milu]

The best barbershop shave I ever had was also the first, in a barbershop in the airport at New York in the early eighties. My present barber offers it but it's a sad experience and I've given it up.

 

[dhermann1]

A paradox

There is a barber in Crete who shaves all men, and only men, who do not shave themselves. Does he shave himself?

 

[cowboy76]

Well, it is certainly legal in PA to give a straight razor shave,...I know of a few around my area who do still offer them. Got my first one in a barnershop a few weeks ago, at George's Barbershop in Boyertown, PA. Good people. Nothing like an old straight razor shave,...nothing!!!
Right now I use two different vintage straight razors and one old Gilette safety razor from the 1930s. If I'm in a REAL hurry though i break down and use a modern safety razor,....dont like it much though because it promotes ingrown hairs!!!

Only went for the shave as my barber is Frank Salemno in Chestnut Hill, PA. 85 years old, cutting hair since he was, of about 14 if i recall correctly. Only stopped when he was over in the Pacific in WWII. Other than that he's been snippin for years!! I always tease him and say one day I'll make him give me a shave,...he always says he doesnt trust himself anymore,...I'll tell ya though, he's as smooth as a baby's behind when he cuts though,...always has been, if he fell asleep, those mits of his could cut all by themselves!!

I also just found out about a REALLY old barbershop about 35 minutes from my place. Been around since the late 1800s!!! From what I've been told, the cat cutting hair right now is the 5th generation baber of that shop!!
Pretty cool in my book. Stopped by the shop when it was closed,...yeah its old alright,...gonna head there tomorrow I think to check it out.

 

[jake_fink]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=20076&highlight=shave

 

[John K Stetson]

I treat myself once a month to a shave at Shaving Grace Barbers, outside of Philadelphia.

Where is this place exactly?[/QUOTE]

Apologies for taking forever to respond. There are now two locations,
one in Exton Town Center and one in Eagleview. They did have a location
in Center City, in one of the clubs, but no longer. A bit upscale, but I like
the overall feel.

http://www.shavinggracebarbers.com/

I tried local "old style" places close to where I live and where I work. Close to
where I work - found a nice place, they knew how to cut hair - but they closed up, probably retired. Close to where I live - forget it - poor quality all around. Although there was a real throw back: some of older guys would pick up a "men's magazine" and put it inside Time or Newsweek or some such...

 

[John K Stetson]

My Barber's Name is...

My barber at Shaving Grace is Nick. Kind of an ironic name for someone
giving you a shave, don't you think?

 

[de Stokesay]

Nobody around here will do a proper straight-razor shave anymore either. In fact, you can't even get a shave with a Shavette anymore. The solution? Get a real straight razor and learn to do it yourself. It's not very difficult but does take a bit longer at first, and as far as safety goes, you tend to be much more careful with a straight blade than you do with a Mach-3.

I took this hobby up as I couldn't shave with even the latest technology in safety razors or electric shavers without lacerating my face and having it bleed for ages afterwards. The shave didn't last either so the process had to be repeated more frequently, which just makes it worse. After taking up the single re-sharpenable blade, I very rarely nick myself at all, and if I do, a splash of cold water stops the bleeding instantly.

I have 4 pre-1900 staight razors that I use regularly (haven't used anything else for about 4 years) and find that I can get 2 days from a single shave. I do have a heavy beard in the winter as an attempt to ward off the cold here but am clean-shaven from April through to October.

Try it, once you are over our fear and just treat it with the respect it deserves you'll like it. Just keep that blade really sharp.

 

[Ecuador Jim]

I personally still get a haircut and straight-razor shave once a week. They shave my face and the hair on my neck too. I'm an active-duty Marine so hair regs are strict. But, I advise anyone to try it. It's the closest shave you'll get.

I loved Okinawa for that privilege alone! The barbers there really know how to use a razor. Over here, it's a bit of a challenge. The last barber in my neighborhood who would shave the back of your neck as part of the barbering service left the area, and now I have to "commute" to get that service.

I have a DOVO straight razor, and a Merkur DE (double edge) safety razor that I take when traveling. Once you learn to use the gear, there is nothing like it. Shaving used to be a chore, now it's something I enjoy.

 

[Don Ramon]

Straight Razors & wet shaving

I loved Okinawa for that privilege alone! The barbers there really know how to use a razor. Over here, it's a bit of a challenge. The last barber in my neighborhood who would shave the back of your neck as part of the barbering service left the area, and now I have to "commute" to get that service.

I have a DOVO straight razor, and a Merkur DE (double edge) safety razor that I take when traveling. Once you learn to use the gear, there is nothing like it. Shaving used to be a chore, now it's something I enjoy.

I am in total agreement. I also have a Dovo and Merkur and there is nothing like it. For those of you interested in trying wet shaving, contact Jim at vintagebladesllc.com for more info. He will set you straight.

 

[TraditionalFrog]

For those in the Indianapolis, Indiana area....

I Just discovered this:

http://www.redsclassicbarbershop.com/index.html

Red's Classic Barber Shop

I'll definitely be giving this a try next time I need a hair cut.

 

[freebird]

I also shave with a straight. A good place to get help online is http://www.straightrazorplace.com the guys there can give you the ins and outs of honing, stropping, shaving, even restoring.

 

[Flipped Lid]

For twenty-five years or more, I had my hair cut in various beauty salons. When Red's Classic Barber Shop in Indianapolis opened it's doors, I gave it a try and, boy, did it take me back to my youth. I walked in the door and immediately recognized the scent of the room. It was exactly the same scent as the barber shop where I got my first haircut sometime in the late 1950's (I was too young to remember) from the barber who cut my hair until I went off to college in 1973. Red's had the exact same barber chairs. The only thing missing was the razor strop that hung off the side of the chair. They had essentially the same products on the shelf. I was distressed to learn that Southern Rose Butch Wax is no longer manufactured. The barbers there are all skilled and will cut your hair any way you want it. You can get a straight razor shave and your shoes shined while your hair is cut. I get a nice two-minute neck and shoulder massage from my barber before he lowers the chair.

They carry many Pinaud-Clubman and Caswell-Massey products along with a variety of hair-care, soaps, and shaving supplies. They once carried a very nice selection of beautiful men's hats from the Beaver Hat Company, but have now switched to cheaper, poorer quality hats as those weren't selling well enough according to the owner. The pictures on the website don't show how beautifully the place is decorated with lots of hardwood and appropriate artwork on the walls. In the background you'll hear music Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Jerry Vale, Tony Bennett, and others. All in all, it's a very nice place to visit and very nostalgic for a man of my age (56). If you find yourself in Indianapolis and in need of a haircut, a shoeshine, or a desire to travel back in time a few decades, pay them a visit.

http://www.redsclassicbarbershop.com/index.html

 

[Bert Fink]

A lot of shops, (including the one I work in) have stopped offering the shaving service under pressure from their insurance companies. Considering all the lawsuits out there these days, it's really no wonder the liability insurance rates to cover the shave service went through the roof.

It's really unfortunate, the ability to use a straight razor was one of the reasons I decided to commute an hour to barber school instead of attending the cosmetology school a few blocks from my house......