I've been looking for a new barber for a while. Today, I visited one I'd passed many times and thought about trying out. The haircut itself was decent, but after I got home, I realized the back wasn't as short as I'd wanted.
What I'm really here to talk about, though, is that the barbershop also does straight razor shaves. I don't think I've seen a barbershop doing straight razor shaves in a while. (Most of the ones I've seen that shave customers use a shavette.) Obviously, this was pretty exciting. But when I talked to the barber, he said he uses his dad's (also a long-time barber) old hot lather machine. So sadly, it's not lather whipped up in a bowl by a brush.
While I didn't get a shave, I did get to experience the blade. The barber shaved the small hairs at the back of my neck and around my ears with his straight razor (with the shaving cream from his lather machine). He also cut a hairline in place (per my request--this is something I really like but not every place will do) by starting with clippers and finishing up with the straight razor (no shave cream for this though).
I enjoyed my haircut, but I am a little curious. Do straight razor shaves usually have a bit of blade feel? I don't think the barber cut me, but I did feel some irritation where he used the straight razor. (If this is normal, I don't think I'll ever try a straight razor shave.)
Also, there were some old wet shaving paraphernalia along the walls of the barbershop. I saw numerous straight razors, a Gillette flare tipc and a SE (I'm guessing a GEM, but I didn't get a chance to examine it closely) along with a boar brush, brush stand, and large lather mug that were arrayed along the walls as decoration. If I go back, I'll take some pictures with my phone.
What I'm really here to talk about, though, is that the barbershop also does straight razor shaves. I don't think I've seen a barbershop doing straight razor shaves in a while. (Most of the ones I've seen that shave customers use a shavette.) Obviously, this was pretty exciting. But when I talked to the barber, he said he uses his dad's (also a long-time barber) old hot lather machine. So sadly, it's not lather whipped up in a bowl by a brush.
While I didn't get a shave, I did get to experience the blade. The barber shaved the small hairs at the back of my neck and around my ears with his straight razor (with the shaving cream from his lather machine). He also cut a hairline in place (per my request--this is something I really like but not every place will do) by starting with clippers and finishing up with the straight razor (no shave cream for this though).
I enjoyed my haircut, but I am a little curious. Do straight razor shaves usually have a bit of blade feel? I don't think the barber cut me, but I did feel some irritation where he used the straight razor. (If this is normal, I don't think I'll ever try a straight razor shave.)
Also, there were some old wet shaving paraphernalia along the walls of the barbershop. I saw numerous straight razors, a Gillette flare tipc and a SE (I'm guessing a GEM, but I didn't get a chance to examine it closely) along with a boar brush, brush stand, and large lather mug that were arrayed along the walls as decoration. If I go back, I'll take some pictures with my phone.
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