Disappointing Barber Shop Shave

**tsv** · 02-26-2012, 09:14 AM

I splurged yesterday for a barber shop shave. My barber offers them for $12. I had seen him do a partial shave before. He uses an electric razor to reduce the stubble before using a straight. This never seemed to be optimal to me, but I was game to try it. He started to attack my stubble with the electric. Very quickly my face started to burn. He spent about 10 minutes shaving me with the electric. After the electric razor assault, he draped a hot towel around my face. Ouch!!! He then applied lather from a Campbell lather machine. Hot lather and an irritated face equals pain. Ouch again!!! He did a one pass shave with the shavettte. My face hurt for the rest of the day. I'll continue to get my hair cut there, but I won't get the shave.

**Krona Kruiser** · 02-26-2012, 09:19 AM

Ouch! Even when my barber uses the electric to shape the back of my head, it's painful. A lot of barber's aren't obsessed as we are when it comes to techniques and implements that we now know. To be honest, the best straight shave I've had has been in Mexico. They use a real straight and a lot of those old Barbers still use DE's and straights to shave.

**heybatter** · 02-26-2012, 09:20 AM

I'm still waiting to see a "Awesome Barber Shave!" thread.

Sorry to hear about your experience.

**rxonmymind** · 02-26-2012, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by heybatter

I'm still waiting to see a "Awesome Barber Shave!" thread.

Sorry to hear about your experience.

LOL!! +1 & Amen to that.

**michiganlover** · 02-26-2012, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by heybatter

I'm still waiting to see a "Awesome Barber Shave!" thread.

I think you will wait until dooms day. Barber Shop shaves are a dead art, except for a handful of older barbers who started their trade in the 1950's.

There is simply not enough demand for the service for a modern day barber to become skilled in the craft. A handful of shaves a week is not enough practice to make a barber into an expert.

I have shaved myself with a Shavette, I have also shaved myself with a real straight. The two experiences are not the same, and I wouldn't pay to be shaved with a Shavette.

**Ptroiani** · 02-26-2012, 09:36 AM

My barber is in his 80's. Perhaps I will see if he will shave me with my Kamisori when I get it shave ready. Now THAT would be an experience!

Regards,

Paul

**rajagra** · 02-26-2012, 09:49 AM

One of the things I love about straight razors is you can shave off several days' growth without issues. Once you establish a starting point (under the sideburns) you can cut at the base of the hairs. The razor doesn't know or care how long the hair is, and it can't clog up.

IMO The only reasons for trimming the hair first are poor lather that doesn't gather the stubble, or lack of practice (putting it politely.)

Originally Posted by heybatter

I'm still waiting to see a "Awesome Barber Shave!" thread.

They exist, you just have to do some travelling...
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/136073-Banks-of-Ganges-barber-video-Straight-razor-no-lather-talent!

**Krona Kruiser** · 02-26-2012, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Ptroiani

My barber is in his 80's. Perhaps I will see if he will shave me with my Kamisori when I get it shave ready. Now THAT would be an experience!

Regards,

Paul

Careful with that. Might be too heavy for him. Don't turn into human sushi

**cluelessdude** · 02-26-2012, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by michiganlover

I have shaved myself with a Shavette, I have also shaved myself with a real straight. The two experiences are not the same, and I wouldn't pay to be shaved with a Shavette.

Never used either but how are the two experiences different? Can someone answer this question? Am i correct to presume that a straight provides a closer shave that lasts longer?

**Island Dreamer** · 02-26-2012, 10:07 AM

Yup, it's the rare "I got an awesome barber shop shave today!" thread we see here. Live and learn - it's the rare barber in the USA who has a clue about shaving much less giving a proper haircut.

**michiganlover** · 02-26-2012, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by cluelessdude

Never used either but how are the two experiences different? Can someone answer this question? Am i correct to presume that a straight provides a closer shave that lasts longer?

Shavettes tend to be quite lightweight when compared with a standard straight razor, and the blades (typically a snapped in half DE blade) are quite a bit sharper than you can ever get an standard straight razor. As such, one tends to use extra pressure with a Shavette, leading to more cuts from the super sharp blade. It takes a mighty skilled hand to use a Shavette successfully, and not cause weepers, and bad razor burn.

In comparison, a standard straight is a whole lot more forgiving.

**cluelessdude** · 02-26-2012, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by michiganlover

Shavettes tend to be quite lightweight when compared with a standard straight razor, and the blades (typically a snapped in half DE blade) are quite a bit sharper than you can ever get an standard straight razor. As such, one tends to use extra pressure with a Shavette, leading to more cuts from the super sharp blade. It takes a mighty skilled hand to use a Shavette successfully, and not cause weepers, and bad razor burn.

In comparison, a standard straight is a whole lot more forgiving.

Oh okay that makes sense. However, if I want a barber shop shave then a shavette being less forgiving isn't such a big concern considering the barber is experienced? The quality of the shave wouldn't be all that different from the same barber giving a shave with a straight I'm thinking...

**michiganlover** · 02-26-2012, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by cluelessdude

considering the barber is experienced?

Well the point of this thread is, that the Barber isn't experienced, and doesn't have much opportunity to gain the experience necessary to be proficient. In all but the largest of cities, the demand for a straight shave is likely nearly non-existent.

If I were to give you a straight razor, it would likely take you 3-4 months of shaving everyday with it to become experienced enough that your shaves would be nick free, razor burn free, and approximate the shave you can get with your DE razor.

A barber who is only giving a handful of shaves a month is not going to ever be able to become proficient at providing them, and hence the majority of Barber Shop Shave reports on this board are overwhelmingly negative.

**dpmtherrien** · 02-26-2012, 01:04 PM

This doesn't surprise at all. I think most barbers today don't know the first thing about shaving. With the old school barbers shaving was something they did all the time. Not so today.