My barbershop expirience today

[ODJ]

This is awesome.


I hate living in a small town with no barbers.

By the look of your avatar your small town doesn't have any gyms, either. Posting a shirtless cell phone picture as your avatar? seriously?

 

[Sawblade]

My barber back in Boerne, TX does straight razor shaves. I tried it once, but she's a little out of practice because a lot of her client base for that has died. This was before I started using DE razors, so I didn't know what a styptic pen was until...AAAAAGH!

 

[ironfist]

Hey guys the barbershop I went to you needed an appointment which I didnt know beforehand. They also were charging $45. I don't know if thats good or not. Ended up going to a city barbers paid about $20 and even though he used a shavette it was alright.

Keep in mind I live in Glasgow Scotland So old barbershops dont come by often.

 

[Wcoppage]

I went to a barber today that I found through the Art of Manliness, Barber finder. I had been there before but this time I was cut by a gentleman that I hadn't sat in his chair before. Long story short, I saw he had Osage Rub out. So we started chatting about razors. He went in the back and got out a straight that he said he needed to get cleaned up. He was telling me stories about one of the shops he worked at use to have a rack and everyone would have there own shaving mug. At the end he told me about another place down the road that I have to check out. He said they have a huge antique razor display/collection out for viewing. It was a good day.

 

[thekinge]

Bill, thank you for sharing your experiences!

Keep in mind that in many places (NY state among them) barbers still need to do a strait shave to earn their license. Additionally, most barbers much better skilled with the clipper than any beautician. This site.. (now in archive) used to have regular updates on reviews of barbershops:

http://www.reocities.com/rodeodrive/3696/

I also have a need to finish every barbershop related post with this:

LOL! The video had me laughing all the way. I'm from India and it is very common for barbers in India to offer a massage (sometimes with oil applied to the head) after a regular haircut. However this barber in the video seems to have added a few "cosmic" tricks mainly to attract "firangis" (foreigner in Hindi). And by the amount of youtube videos with this guy, it seems to have worked!!!

Many places worldwide a visit to the barbershop includes a haircut, shave, head/neck/face/shoulder massage, ear cleaning... Particularly in the developing world. Seems we're going backwards.

Indeed, this is still common in India, although thanks to economic development, major cities in India are moving at breakneck pace to Hair Cuttery types of salon chains

 

[simon1]

My Barber is 89. He is still practicing in the same location he has been in since WWII ended. Recently he brought in a young apprentice to carry on the trade in the old tradition.

I believe $12.00 is a standard fee dictated by the Barber's Union.

That seems a bit high, but I guess it could be the market in a particular region. The one I use charges $7 for a haircut and $6 for a straight shave. I usually give him $10 for a haircut. Billy (there's 3 barbers in the shop) uses the shavette for the neck, behind the ears, and inside of the ear. One time Billy was busy and I used the guy next to him. He used a regular straight, that he had put in barbicide, to trim with.

The place has been in business since 1916 and it has the old Koken barber chairs like I sat in when I was a kid, on the booster seat set across the chair arms. The place has the 1930s-40s feel to it with black and white pictures of people in fedoras and 1940s vintage cars. One time when I was waiting for Billy to become available I saw him finish up the cut with what looked like an old Oster vibrating scalp massager. The guy getting the scalp massage looked like he was about to go to sleep.

There's another similar one several blocks down the street that hasn't been there very long and they charge $6 for a cut. They use shavettes also, but the place is decorated with pictures of 1950s cars and such and doesn't quite have the feel of the other one.

They are getting ready to start construction on a new hospital with an adjoining 1930s themed shopping center here. They are planning to use wooden structures, chip-and-seal roads, no curbs and other design features. It will be interesting to see if an old-time barber shop opens there.

 

[Chadtheguru]

Mr. Woodrow Allen in my hometown was our family barber for 5 generations. I have some fond memories of my grandpa taking me to him when I was smaller. When I get to Heaven, I'm definitely getting a flattop.

 

[superkreep]

Classic barbershop FTW

 

[bcraig.waciii]

Okay for all of you saying that I was skimpy on my tip: I'm currently a high school student trying to save every dime I can because I'm trying to go to college next year. The whole reason I went to this guy is because he was cheaper than most of the other places in my area.

 

[Toothpick]

i'd say thats a steal for how well you were treated. i've been wearing a flat top style haircut almost my whole life (i'm 28) and you'd be surprised at how hard it is to find someone that can cut an excellent flat top these days. i moved to TN last yr and went to bout 4 different places till i found the one that did it just how i like it. decent size barber shop, bout 6 chairs and 6 dudes serving people fresh cuts, i walked in, was greeted, i told em im looking for a flat top so they set me up with a guy that looked to be in his low 30's. i was skeptical at first but after telling him how i liked it he went to town and did a great job, even finished it with warm lather and straight razor shave of my neck and touch up around the ears. IMO its rare to find a barber that can do your hair exactly how you like it, most times i think we just walk out with the "good enough" cut.