Real Barber Shops?

[kg4ghn]

So I usually just let my aunt cut my hair as she is decent at it and it is free. Lately I've been wanting to find a good old school barber shop to go to. I also want to get a shave from a barber b/c I've never had it done before. The shop I do usually go to has the shop feel but he doesn't do shaves. After checking the yellow pages and calling around, most of the shops that do shaves are run by women, with women doing the shaving. Now, there isn't anything wrong with that, but that just isn't the experience that I'm going for.

So who still has a real, old school barber that they go to, and has anybody ever had a woman barber shave them with a straight? Do they still even use straights?

 

[Live2Ride]

I go to a real, old school barber. He has been in his shop for 34 years. Got the idea from an article I read on the "The Art of Manliness" blog. Here's the link: http://artofmanliness.com/2008/05/20/rediscovering-the-barbershop/

The summary: Why get your hair cut by some girl who you have nothing in common with when you can go to a real barber.

There is actually a female barber in town and she does shaves - but with a Mach 3. Don't know why a guy would pay for that.

Have fun finding a barber, it's worth the effort.

 

[azmark]

I've always gone to barbers and almost all do but they use Shavette type razors but Im sure it depends on your states health codes.

 

[Leche]

Check around areas that have an older population. I have seen some old school barber shops in those areas, I used to take my son to one where I used to live.

 

[dpmtherrien]

+1 on the shavette's. I think health rules almost make using a disposable blade razor a mandatory thing today.

 

[KarthVader]

Go to an old school barber here in Rochester, MI. I got a shave the other day with hot foam and it was great!

 

[Go West Young Man]

9 out of 10 posted experiences with barbershop shaves seem to be negative - remember, these guys (or gals) probably only do a couple a week in most areas, it's not like the old days where a barber would have dozens of shaves a day.

Personally, my one experience ended with me leaving the shop with blood literally streaming down my face from multiple wide open cuts. Not an experience I'm anxious to repeat!

 

[kg4ghn]

9 out of 10 posted experiences with barbershop shaves seem to be negative - remember, these guys (or gals) probably only do a couple a week in most areas, it's not like the old days where a barber would have dozens of shaves a day.

Personally, my one experience ended with me leaving the shop with blood literally streaming down my face from multiple wide open cuts. Not an experience I'm anxious to repeat!

While that may be true, forums are notorious for making things look worse than they really are. There may be 500 people get a shave, and 490 people got great ones, but it is going to be the 10 that got crappy shaves that you see on forums not generally the people happy with it. Not that those 10 people didn't get bad shaves, obviously you did. It's just that it skewers the whole picture if you go by just what you read on forums.

I think I'm going to go in to a few local shops and just get a hair cut and ask about shaves and how they are done while I'm there. Might take a while to find one that does good shaves, if I ever do.


I still want to try it at least once, and if that turns out bad then I will know that my fantasy of having a good old time barber shave is just that: a fantasy.

 

[Go West Young Man]

^^^ agreed. My only concern now is that I shave my face 6 times a week and know every nook, cranny and change in hair growth. I'm familiar with my trouble spots, and know exactly which products to use when and how. The barber who shaves a couple people a week with whatever product he gets from his supplier just can't compete with that.

 

[Isaac]

A little bit of plugging...

When i am in NYC i usually go to Chelsea Barbers. Rudy (the owner) is the one that gives me the cuts. Cant say that I have ever had a bad cut there. Really neat place to go. I highly recommend it. No girls in the place either.

Here in El Paso, I go to a place called Abel's Barber Shop. Its ran by a man that is surrounded by family. Its been in business for 30+ years. His father was a barber, he is as well as two of his brothers and his daughter. Really neat that the family history is there. Unfortunately no "real" straight razor shaves. Ive seen them start off shaves with the shavette, and finish off with a disposable.

The guy that cuts my hair is Pepe, who is the owners brother. He was a teacher at the local barber school, and a Andes Clipper rep. Nice guy, and I have yet to get a bad cut from him either. BTW...he loves the Pinaud Clubman

 

[airplanedoc]

I go to a real old school barber shop. They quit shaving with a straight razor because of insurance company not the health department. They said the insurance went up 400% because of the straight razor use.

I would go to a female barber if I had absolutly no other choice. Not because a female barber can't cut hair, or be a barber. Just that at my barbershop it has always been (unwritten rule) men only, women come in to pickup/drop off husbands but never stay around. Even mothers drop their kids off and go shopping while the boys hang out at the barbershop.