First shave at the barber...

Today was I finally decide to go to a barber...to see if he could provide me with the perfect shave...I was impressed...but perfect...mmm no....to my suprise when the barber was done he offered to put some cheap aftershave that had alcohol in it...the shaving cream that he used was the stuff I could find at any walmart..!!!...let's first tell you the steps he took
1. Rub my face with a hot towel for a couple of seconds
2. He then applied some cream on the beared area
3. Then dab my face with shaving cream with his Fingers
4. Then came the striaght blade
5. He manage to shave off my 5 o'clock....but...but
after then the first pass coutined to shave after with no more shaving cream on my face!!!...
6. He then applied some cream or lotion to my face and coutined to shave the spots he missed or wanted to go over..
When he was done my face felt dried and alittle iratated...and then he said that it..!!I felt my face with no hairs...well just a tiny tiny bit...it looked good but the feel was not...is this just a bad barber...anybody no where to get a great shave in the bay area..
Now is a barber supposed to leave your face hairless after a shave or is it just impossible...???

Where did you go for this shave?

There's been some previous discussion of 1512 Barber Shop in San Francisco, but I still haven't been there.

These days, most barbers who still offer shaves, do them infrequently. Therefore, they have little practice giving them. Also, please understand that before the advent of the safety razor, many men did not shave on a daily basis, often receiving only a periodic shave by a barber. Unless one was attending a military inspection, a BBS shave was not expected. The common man did not consider a barber's shave to be a time of pampering. That was reserved for upper class gentlemen.

It is best to ask a barber what his shave consists of and how much experience he has in giving them. A while back, a B&B member asked his barber for a shave, only to have the barber pull out an electric razor from a drawer!

There are establishments offering luxury shaves, but they are few and far between.

-Clarke

My barber, or "stylist" if you will, has a straight with disposable blades. He uses it to give a more ragged edge around the back/bottom of styles. I asked him if he gives shaves and his answer was something along the lines of "Eehhhh, if someone asked for one I could, I've been taught how, but it's not really something I do"

I think the only way to get what you feel is a great shave is to get one from someone with more skills than you. I'd bet many B&B members don't have a local barber with more skills than they do themselves.

However, that shave you got may be a real treat for those who typically do a Fusion scrub in the shower.

mblakele said:

in San Francisco, but I still haven't been there.

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got my shave in pittsburg, at a very old school barber..

is that the only place you know in SF...when i called he told me that its 40 dallors for a shave...Dam...i think that might be a little pricey for one shave.....

Do you guys think that its worth it....

I paid a old school barber $50 for my wedding shave.. It was the best shave i've ever had and am currently trying to mimic the results with my DE!

Get a new barber!!

Hell no. Where was that , T&H? I can't remember but they charge 40 or 60. Anyway, no, if I was going to blow 40 or 60 on a shave I'd pick up some new hardware to get a better one on my own, at home. I kinda' like shaving my own face and it's personal to me. I guess if money was no object, which it probably would be if I was sensibly spending that much on a shave, I would look into getting my barber to personally visit my house before breakfast everyday, because if I was blowing that, I know I wouldn't have time to fuss with trekking to go see him.

pstercle said:

got my shave in pittsburg, at a very old school barber..
is that the only place you know in SF...when i called he told me that its 40 dallors for a shave...Dam...i think that might be a little pricey for one shave.....

Do you guys think that its worth it....

Click to expand...

For $50 that shave better involve some dancing ladies swinging pillows at each other

My local barber has three formulas: (rather steep IMO)

Basic Shave - 18 EUR (25 USD)
shaving cream + shaving + aftershave

Deluxe Shave - 25 EUR (35 USD)
hot towel + pre-shave oil + shaving cream + shaving + alum + aftershave

Royal Shave - 35 EUR (50 USD)
hot towel + pre-shave oil + shaving cream + shaving +cold towel + alum + rose water + aftershave + moisturizer

This thread is starting to make me think that any un/under-employed B&B members could moonlight giving barbershop shaves.

pretty sure in the USA you need a license to give shaves.

I'm starting to rethink my "shaving is too personal" stance now that I see what the rest of you have to pay. Maybe I should take advantage of the barber shop by my house before they retire. My barber offers shaves for around 10 bucks, with a straight and a lather king and the whole nine yards.

I went to NY shaving company, paid 60 (well gf did, it was bday) and got the full deal...straight, 4 passes, towels in between each one, of course re-lathering on each one....several girly "masks", and a lot of moisturizing......was a great experience and a great shave - got me into this stuff.