Disappointing barber shave

[WetWhiskers]

Hello all,

A bit of research found a barbershop in my (extended) area that still gives shaves. The little hole-in-the-wall older-style place doesn't do them anymore.

I walked in with a SAS. The shave started with Barbasol shaving cream, was a single NTS pass with a disposable blade like this one.



They did get the back of my neck though.

I walked out 7$ poorer and with a CCS. Oh Boy.

Don't need to do that again.

The old ways are dead here in northern Santa Cruz county.

Ww

 

[chilliman64]

for those that don't wetshave, I'm sure a barbershop shave would be deemed very good to excellent.

for those of us that know better (ie B&B members who have decent skill with a straight/DE/SE) I'm positive we can do better shaving ourselves. I doubt anyone could shave my neck and face to the same standard that I can do it myself. CCS for a barbershop shave is about what I would reckon to be a fairly normal result.

 

[WetWhiskers]

for those of us that know better (ie B&B members who have decent skill with a straight/DE/SE) I'm positive we can do better shaving ourselves.

And how. Both my son and daughter both commented that it was "lousy compared to what you normally have."

Ww

 

[graysonhenryrussell]

It's a dying art. My barber in Charlotte still gives them but I don't know of anyone else here. I would say that for someone who knows what they are doing, it's easier to shave someone else with a straight than to shave yourself.

 

[dpmtherrien]

It seems that what you've experienced seems to be the way it is today. The newer, younger barbers just don't seem to know how to give a good straight shave. Also it seems that disposable blade straights are what's required in just about all shops due to health regulations.

 

[Cobra0369]

That's a shame. If I'm paying money for a shave, it should be done properly.

 

[Chadao]

I highly recommend Red's in Indianapolis. Next month I will report in from Red's in Nashville.

 

[weizemanner]

And how. Both my son and daughter both commented that it was "lousy compared to what you normally have."

Ww

Do you normally shave against the grain? Traditionally a barber "shave" is one pass with the grain, a "once over" or "second-time over" shave is WTG then XTG, and a "Close shave" or "against the grain shave" is a full WTG pass followed by XTG on trouble spots then ATG.

To make a living, most barbers need to charge about $1 per minute for services. If you consider that you paid for less than 10 minutes of shaving... You got a reasonable "shave" AND neck shave

 

[mindofsummer]

That's too bad. I had great shaves from village barbers in Turkey 20 years ago, who used proper straight razors. And a very nice shave more recently from The Mandarin Barber in Hong Kong. There are some places here in Providence that get good reviews for their work. I don't think you should ever expect a mediocre shave from a barber. Or else, why bother?

 

[Ducati Scotty]

In defense of newer barbers, most probably didn't get much practice in school nor do they get it on the job. No one really asks for straight shaves much any more. And if they do, you have to give it with one of the disposable style straights for health reasons. Some if those are better than others but I haven't heard anyone claim any if them are as good as a real straight.

Scott

 

[Robert R]

I recently got my first barber wet shave in San Francisco. It was really good. Total time was around 50 minutes. The shave was with a shavette, since they can't use traditional straight razors. Since they can't use the same blade on different people. It was a great experience, with the face massage, exfoliation of the face, 3 hot towels to get the beard ready. The shave of course, then a calming cool mask followed by cool towels to close up the pores, then aftershave lotion. It was awesome, but 50 dollars plus tip sucked. I can do that at home, and that's what got me in to straight razor shaving.

 

[Ron Scott]

I would rather cut my own hair than let a barber shave my face.

When I shave I see and feel what I'm doing and adjust my shaving accordingly. A barber can't come close to that and I don't want to watch him try.

 

[mgoldmann]

A family friend worked as a barber to help pay for school (she's now a surgical tech- go figure). I showed her this thread and she told me that a lot of barber schools don't even have shaving in the lesson plan any more. That, and there are a lot of places that won't do it as a matter of policy (liability, insurance, etc).


All things considered, I'd rather just do it myself.

 

[InHotWater]

The places where I go for a haircut would at least use a hot towel on the face as prep. And they have the Lather King machine that produces some nice hot lather.

 

[The Dean]

$7 for a CCS? I'd say you got your money's worth, given the current price of barber shaves. But you don't go to a barber for a CCS--at least I don't think most do.

I like getting a barber shave for the pampering and the experience. If it involves Barbasol and a quick pass with a shavette---well, that's not the experience I'm looking for. Truthfully, most of the great barber shaves I've had ended up being too close for me--uncomfortably close. (I gave myself one of those with the 2011 R41 the other day.) So I pick my spots for getting a barber shave.

I wouldn't judge all barber shaves by your one odd experience, but as many have said most modern barbers simply have no idea how to give a shave. After a couple of very disappointing barber shaves, I now try to look for recommendations/reviews before entering. Even then, there's always some risk involved, IMO.

 

[WetWhiskers]

I wouldn't judge all barber shaves by your one odd experience, but as many have said most modern barbers simply have no idea how to give a shave. After a couple of very disappointing barber shaves, I now try to look for recommendations/reviews before entering.

Ah, but this was the ONLY place in like 20 miles that does them AT ALL.

Ww

 

[D E Windsor]

My barber will give a shave for $4 but I have never availed myself to it. I suspect that the DE shave I perform myself would be just as good and probably better. When I really go for it (which is about every time) I don't know how a good barber could top the BSS results I get at home. I may have to render the $4 one day just to find out.

 

[The Dean]

Ah, but this was the ONLY place in like 20 miles that does them AT ALL.

Ww

Too bad. Not much you can do about that, I suppose. When I first moved to St Augustine I only found one guy in the area who would give me a shave. so I went for it. A disaster. I couldn't shave again for a week or so. Since then, after a lot of research, I found some others in Jacksonville. But I learned my lesson from that butcher, that's for sure.

 

[PFP_Dad]

My barber will give a shave for $4 but I have never availed myself to it. I suspect that the DE shave I perform myself would be just as good and probably better. When I really go for it (which is about every time) I don't know how a good barber could top the BSS results I get at home. I may have to render the $4 one day just to find out.

I'd think the curiosity would be worth $4, though you may just be paying them to hurt you. A CCS for $7 seems like a bargain to me. Most of these threads end with severe razor burn, a subpar shave, and the OP being $50 poorer.

 

[The Dean]

I'd think the curiosity would be worth $4, though you may just be paying them to hurt you. A CCS for $7 seems like a bargain to me. Most of these threads end with severe razor burn, a subpar shave, and the OP being $50 poorer.

I think the standard price for a basic shave (with hot towels and such) seems to be between $15-$20 at most of the shops I have seen. Sometimes they have a luxury version (with more towels and/or passes for a bit more). Of course, the prices can be much higher at high-end salon-type places or in the major expensive metro markets (NYC, LA, etc).

I'm shocked to hear people getting shaves for $4 and $7. I'm not sure if I'd have to try it at those prices---or be too afraid to try it. Maybe both.