Do barbers use multiple passes on clients for smooth shaves?

Hello all,


I have never been to a barber before, do they shave you multiple times to get that BBS shave like we do our selves?

Reason I ask is here in Ontario they do not teach shaving in hairdressing school anymore and I have been shaving friends and family at an attempt to learn. So far non of which has been a nice shave and I only do a single N-S pass.

Barbers in my area are unwilling to apprentice me or even talk to me about how to go about learning this side of their trade.

Thank you for your comments everyone, more help the better.

James

Never been to a barber for a shave myself but judging from videos of straight shaves on Youtube, barbers do indeed make multiple passes.

There have been reports from members here of unpleasant barber shaves in which the barber shaved only WTG, though.

Just incase people are wondering, I have been using a feather AC, I just bought a Kai Excelia off telly and cannot wait to try it. (on myself first ofcourse) and managed to hunt down three differnt types of kai blades to try. pro touch mg, captians and touch milds.

Short answer, yes. It's the only way you are going to get a decent shave.

Only barber shave I've had is overseas with a straight razor. Single pass, smooth as silk. Less than $5 you could get a hair cut, shave & neck/scalp massage all with a good splash of the local version of clubman or bay rum.

I've been lucky enough to have been shaved by a few different barbers over the years. Each time it's been 2 passes with touch ups.

In Turkey mostly one pass. But slow, carefully, short strokes with shavette straight razors. If you want, they do ATG for second pass.

Around here, my experience (two barbers) has been a single pass with a presentable, but not perfect shave. I'm still making the rounds of local barbers who do shaves, posting the results on my facebook page. The second barber I went to told me in no uncertain terms that she only does a single pass, and I must say, it was the best so far. It depends on what you're paying. For twelve to fifteen bucks, a presentable shave is fine, but some places I've seen on the Internet charge over twice that, and for that kind of money, I'd expect baby's butt smoothness and all the little indulgences. I've got a post about my quest for local shaves on the forum somewhere, if you'd like to see it.

Yes. The textbook of standard barbering teaches a two pass shave. The second pass is done with water only (mixed with any residual soap left on your face). In the days of yore this was supposedly quite common. Today, I think it depends on who you go to.

A straight razor shave for most guys these days is perceived by some barbers as a treat for a wedding or whatnot. There may not be the attention to closeness of feel that was on the old days. But they may amp up the experience of being pampered and looking good after the shave.

As mentioned earlier in the thread, though, there seems to be a lot of horror stories. That said, I just don't have the confidence in any modern barber to trust my sensitive skin to him.

Chris