Anyone ever get shave with Straight Razor at Barber or Barber College?

[DesertIguana]

Back in late 60's friend was going to North Hollyweird Barber College, let him cut hair couple of times. As he got closer to Barber Board, he asked it I would let hair & bread grown for couple of days for beard, and month on hair as he need someone to be Board Dummy.

Went back so Earl could cut hair and shave beard. Hair went fine, but the ordeal with hot towel before, and being shaved was not going well. Earl had instructor come over, and look. He said stop this guy will fail you at board. Find new model dummy. Apparently my beard grew uneven in multi directions, and in swirls.

Girl friends father was barber in Duarte CA, I asked him years later if he ever shaved anyone face. No was reply, as to do so would raise shops insurance rates. He did clean up by ears, and neck line with straight razor. But no face shaves.

Told him my Earl story, he kook at neck close, said instructor was right. I was on do not shave list.

 

[Badgerstate36]

Some will do it but its pretty expensive. Any decent barber shop shoud be able to give you a haircut and straight razor shave package for around $100. Its pretty common for them to do it for men who are getting married and want to look their best.
I think that nowadays when they do the shave for the practical exam they use a straight razor without a blade (because people are often so nervious taking their exam that its just a bad idea) and they have you simulate cutting your client, so that you can show that you know proper first aid.

 

[DesertIguana]

Some will do it but its pretty expensive. Any decent barber shop shoud be able to give you a haircut and straight razor shave package for around $100. Its pretty common for them to do it for men who are getting married and want to look their best.
I think that nowadays when they do the shave for the practical exam they use a straight razor without a blade (because people are often so nervious taking their exam that its just a bad idea) and they have you simulate cutting your client, so that you can show that you know proper first aid.

Well if you nervous taking test that is no problem if you prepared mentally & technically. Take a test on how to shave a customer should be a real world experience, not made easy IMHO. Maybe the State Board should issue two licenses to Barbers's, Full License, or Haircuts only?

Also back when Earl my friend went through the program to become barber, the student got lost of shaving experience. Shave were FREE with Haircuts.

New Student were in FREE SERVICE Section clients were street people, the poor. After cutting teeth you moved up to 35 cent section, then advance students were charging 65 cents, because they were close to graduation.

 

[rbscebu]

All my barber shaves have been with traditional SRs. My first was as a uni student when I was to meet one of my girlfriends immediately after lectures. I don't remember the price but I do remember the shave and the girl (now a medical doctor).

My next foray into barber shaves was in Cebu a few years ago. One of the local barbers shaved customers with a traditional SR. I would get him to shave me generally about once every week or two. The cost started at about US$1 and steadily climbed. I stopped when his pice got up to about US$2.

In Australia (and the Philippines), business licencing is controlled by local government (not state or federal). Most local government do not require a barber to hold a licence, although most government technical colleges offer courses in barbering.

 

[one2mny]

Some will do it but its pretty expensive. Any decent barber shop shoud be able to give you a haircut and straight razor shave package for around $100. Its pretty common for them to do it for men who are getting married and want to look their best.
I think that nowadays when they do the shave for the practical exam they use a straight razor without a blade (because people are often so nervious taking their exam that its just a bad idea) and they have you simulate cutting your client, so that you can show that you know proper first aid.

My state requires an actual shave for the practical exam. The shave was the least of my worries when I took the practical exam.

And to answer the original question, yes I’ve been shaved by a barber.

 

[DrewMc]

I had a barber shave about six years ago and wrote about the experience here:

Trip Report! Merchant and Rhoades, Chicago - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/trip-report-merchant-and-rhoades-chicago.527409/

 

[silverlifter]

Barber Shop Shave

I have never had a barber shop or someone else shave me with a straight razor. Let's hear it from those of you who have. Was it as close as you can do on your own, straight razor, double-edged safety razor or otherwise? Was it comfortable? Get any cuts? Will you do it again, or do you do...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[garyg]

My barber is 86 or 87 years old, I can't remember which. He said when he went to barber school here in the Motown in the 60's they had to hone, strop & shave customers with real straights. He doesn't miss them, but he couldn't recall the last facial shave he performed. He still has a price on his board for a shave - $25 - right above the note that he don't take credit or debit cards ..

 

[DesertIguana]

Landlord in Miami was barber in Coral Gables back in 1958.

It was normal haircut got finished off with straight razor to make neckline perfect, and clean up around ears.

Sam was guys nsme he was master tuning up razor before each use, he did the back and forth action on his Strop.

It was like a great musician with fiddles bow making music.

 

[BigJ]

My barber is 86 or 87 years old, I can't remember which. He said when he went to barber school here in the Motown in the 60's they had to hone, strop & shave customers with real straights. He doesn't miss them, but he couldn't recall the last facial shave he performed. He still has a price on his board for a shave - $25 - right above the note that he don't take credit or debit cards ..

Brings back memories of the barbershop in my home town in the olden days (before internet)!!

 

[DesertIguana]

Most people who cut hair today at place like supercut, shortcuts, are not barbers. They are cosmetologist who could do well styling, bleaching, and stuff ladies want.

I see less and less Barber Shops, and recall back in 1970's and 1980's when Barber did Razor Cuts on Hair. Same Razor they shaved with. Passing fad that went away.

I have not beed to Barber maybe in 10 years or more, have Beard trimmer, I cut my own hair with. Am I as good as Barber heck no, but it works for me.

 

[Brutus]

Yes, several times.

Around the Mediterranean basin, it is actually still quite common and not that expensive (less than $15).


The thing is, though, that since I know my beard growth better than any barber, I get better shaves when I do it myself.
It was always a pleasant, slightly indulging experience.


B.

 

[RayClem]

I like a straight razor shave....but only if I am shaving my own face with a straight razor that I have honed personally to my expectations.

In some parts of the world, you can still get a traditional barber shave with a traditional straight razor. However, many jurisdictions prohibit the use of straight razors for health and safety reasons. If you can find a shop that provides barber shaves, it will be with a shavette equipped with a disposable blade. The quality of the shave will be dependent upon the quality of the shavette and the quality of the blade as well as the barber's skill.

One reason getting a barber shave costs so much in many areas is that the cost of liability insurance is astronomical. If the barber nicks the client, the client might sue the barber for a large sum, so barbers who do provide shaves have to be well insured and the cost of that insurance is passed on to the clients.

 

[Badgerstate36]

My state requires an actual shave for the practical exam. The shave was the least of my worries when I took the practical exam.

And to answer the original question, yes I’ve been shaved by a barber.

Interesting. Honestly, I think thats probably the right way to do it.

 

[Badgerstate36]

Well if you nervous taking test that is no problem if you prepared mentally & technically. Take a test on how to shave a customer should be a real world experience, not made easy IMHO. Maybe the State Board should issue two licenses to Barbers's, Full License, or Haircuts only?

Also back when Earl my friend went through the program to become barber, the student got lost of shaving experience. Shave were FREE with Haircuts.

New Student were in FREE SERVICE Section clients were street people, the poor. After cutting teeth you moved up to 35 cent section, then advance students were charging 65 cents, because they were close to graduation.

Typically thats one of the major differences between barbers and cosmetologists: barbers are licensed to do a straight razor shave, cosmos arent.
For a long time I went to one of those Sports Clips type places where they have cute girls who cut your hair and the girls do straight razor shaves but they put this guard on the razor so that they cant cut you. I commented to one of the girls at the time how much I love a good straight razor shave and that Id been thinking about how to do it myself (this was probably 5 years ago, nowadays I can do a straight razor shave with my eyes closed). The girl kind of laughed, told me, "Well, I technically dont know how to do a straight razor shave either. Im just a cosmetologist and Im not licenced to do a straight razo shave." She then showed me her straight razor with a guard on it.
I personally think that if youre a barber who has put in your hours and is ready to take your practical, giving a straight razor shave shouldnt be a big deal. I could understand how nerves could come into play though and it could make your hands shaky and just make giving a straight razor shave a bigger deal than it should be.

 

[DesertIguana]

I personally think that if youre a barber who has put in your hours and is ready to take your practical, giving a straight razor shave shouldnt be a big deal. I could understand how nerves could come into play though and it could make your hands shaky and just make giving a straight razor shave a bigger deal than it should be.

Think you hit the Nail Square on Head with those comments. People take tests in school all the time, the folk who study, prepare, and last apply themselves normally do well. The words I don't test well, or interview well are just excuses.

 

[Badgerstate36]

Think you hit the Nail Square on Head with those comments. People take tests in school all the time, the folk who study, prepare, and last apply themselves normally do well. The words I don't test well, or interview well are just excuses.

Amen. I was a terrible student in high school, mostly because I didnt care, didnt try and never turned homework in. I could never study, skim over the material before the class and still get a B on the tests, so I was happy to skate by with a C- average.
Im getting ready to enroll in barber school in January and I plan on working hard, having a good attitude and totally killing it because Im learning to know the information, not just to pass the test.
One of my greatest regrets in life is not trying in school when I was a kid and I look forward to seeing how I can do in barber school when I actually am trying.

 

[DesertIguana]

Amen. I was a terrible student in high school, mostly because I didnt care, didnt try and never turned homework in. I could never study, skim over the material before the class and still get a B on the tests, so I was happy to skate by with a C- average.
Im getting ready to enroll in barber school in January and I plan on working hard, having a good attitude and totally killing it because Im learning to know the information, not just to pass the test.
One of my greatest regrets in life is not trying in school when I was a kid and I look forward to seeing how I can do in barber school when I actually am trying.

Well what you did in H/S is history, and behind you. Now you have NEW Opportunity, it sounds like you have different outlook. Never been to a H/S Reunion, so I do not know how all the super star in H/S turned out. Do know one guy made it big in Hollywood, another guy went to UCLA to play Basketball, did well, but was not super star he thoght he would be. This other Freshmen was shining star Lewis Alcindor Jr.

 

[DrewMc]

Amen. I was a terrible student in high school, mostly because I didnt care, didnt try and never turned homework in. I could never study, skim over the material before the class and still get a B on the tests, so I was happy to skate by with a C- average.
Im getting ready to enroll in barber school in January and I plan on working hard, having a good attitude and totally killing it because Im learning to know the information, not just to pass the test.
One of my greatest regrets in life is not trying in school when I was a kid and I look forward to seeing how I can do in barber school when I actually am trying.

Best of luck with barber school. Keep us posted on how it goes! I know little about it and would be interested in following along.

 

[Juanmosey]

I had a haircut and shave in Juarez Mexico back in 1973 or 74. I bet he spent an hour shaving me. Was it close? What do you think? Shop was right on the main drag as you cross into Mexico. Avenida Juarez I think.
PS: Just when I thought he was done he did another pass, LOL!