Report on barbershop shave.

[captmarc]

Nice, I wonder where the old guy is now... Too bad this has become such a lost art, but I am sure there are still shops out there who do this right. Especially with the re-surgence of guys like us realizing we don't need our mach 3's anymore, but still a little aprehensive about trying a straight...

 

[nichhel]

After a series of coincidences that began connecting their fateful dots yesterday, when I first replied to this post, I have also joined those who've had the misfortune of going for a straight shave that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

Last night, around 10, I found out that an appointment for a shave had been made for me at a new men's spa that has opened in town. My first reaction was to have the appointment cancelled because I'd gotten such a great, BBS shave Thursday morning and didn't think I'd have enough beard grown in by the next day. Turned out re-scheduling wasn't an option. I was also assured the woman giving the shave was "pretty good at it."

Spa was pleasant enough, as was the woman doing the shaving, but from the very first swipe of the blade (disposable straight-edge) I knew it wasn't going to turn out well. On top of the flawed technique, there was an air duct above the chair that was blowing cool air on me throughout, which dried my face in seconds. Imagine vigorous blade buffing done on a dry face, but with a straight razor. Somehow, though, no hair seemed to have really been removed.

When I got to work and started telling a friend about the experience, I got to the bit about my apprehensions on going because I'd had such a close shave yesterday and he said, "Why don't you go now?" I told him I did go. He looked at me, confused, and said "I don't think I've ever seen you this unshaven."

Did I voice my displeasure? Nope. I even tipped her. In retrospect, I should have taken as forewarning a book they had in the waiting area that said the best shave a man can get is from a two- or three-bladed, swivel-neck shaver.

Although I sympathize with your misfortune, it is good to know I'm not alone! My experience (dry face, vigorous blade buffing, no hair removed) was virtually identical. And yes, I hadn't been that unshaven in a month!

I haven't voiced my displeasure either, and I always tip quite generously (TIP being to insure performance, apparently) -- it's only that in extreme cases like this I wonder if tipping is sending the wrong message. I usually feel that in a situation like this the best you can do is to be polite, and resolve never to be put in that situation again (ie, never go back). But perhaps for both your sakes, to politely explain that you think this is going terribly and that it'd be better for both if it were just stopped here is best. After all, the other party won't know they're doing something wrong unless it is (tactfully) pointed out to them.

And in retrospect there were some honkin' big warning signs which I wilfully ignored because I've had great barbershop shaves and was hoping to repeat the experience.. My selfmade rules for a barber (must have a delicate, deft touch, must love hair rather than treat it as an enemy to be decimated) were set aside.

@htownmmm: I agree that professionals must at least be competent, although one cannot of course expect everyone to be as dedicated as amateurs (in the old sense). I did go back with a BBS. He didn't ask. Case closed.

I asked him specifically about insurance. Perhaps things like this are killing the old timer barbers. Can you imagine how the insurance premiums must rise as the barber's age reaches 60+? I can just imagine some smug insurance adjuster explaining to an old timer that if he doesn't cough up the dough the state board will revoke his license. A bit dramatic I know, but things like this make me mad. I mean they'll be factoring in dry numbers for arthritis, tremors, hygiene and completely missing out on the big component: skill. It's sad. If we could bring back the old school teachers and old barbers we'd be a much happier country

As for Don Wagner, I don't know where he is. I can infer he was competent if the legacy of the shop is an actual straight razor (that would be before they were banned for reasons of hygiene and safety).

zachster, that's a nice story. I hope Giannini retired and went to live in Italy, and goes down to the local barber every morning for a shave and a chat, in a little barbershop decorated in proraso green and playing italian radio opera!

GeeQue I believe they actually practise on balloons covered in lather. But yeah, after this, they're not practicing on me neither (unless I'm in Italy )

 

[marcobeard]

It's still possible to get a great barbershop shave, but only if the barber gives shaves regularly, i.e., more than one a day. Next time you're in Chicago, grab a seat in Tony's chair at J. R. Lala Barber Shop at 141 W. Van Buren (first floor of the Chicago Board of Options Exchange Building). You may have to wait in line while guys ahead of you go under his blade, but at $16 plus tip, you're not likely to be disappointed.

 

[captmarc]

Check out this link

http://nymag.com/weddings/listings/grooming/

Notice the 2 Paul's locations, who seem to have really experienced guys.

Anyway have any experience at these places?

 

[180gVinyl]

Last month I was in Sicily to watch a UEFA Cup football match in Palermo. The day after the game, I was in Trapani and passed by a barbers where I saw a customer with hot towels around his face. "This is for me", I thought.

After some Proraso Pre, my face was wrapped in hot towels and then lathered. I was given a relaxing straight shave and face massage by a very pleasant young lady.

This experience cost me 5 euros - A bargain

 

[180gVinyl]

That particular shave was the closest that I've ever had


It still beings a smile to my face

 

[Scottsabarber]

Mods: Not sure where this should go. Please move if needed!

So there's a downtown barbershop in Des Moines, it's called the Executive Forum, been in operation 15 years. Owner's a nice guy called Scott, and I've had a great shoeshine there before care of Sabino. There's a little display window that shows a Monsieur Charles shavette, so I booked a pre-work shave for Friday morning.

The prep was normal, very relaxing hot towels, and some nameless, nonfoaming cream was rubbed on. An injector blade was used in a shavette type handle. I noticed there was no slickness, the cream seemed more like a paste and figured it was one of those fancy new things shaveblog talks about sometimes.

Immediately there's a scraping on my face, I can feel the angle is all wrong, the blade feels perpendicular to my face, and I can _tell_ no hair is coming off (from long experience with blunt bic disposables )

He dabs on a bit of water that temporarily helps with slickness. The whole experience was so godawful that I'll just skip to the end. I endured it patiently though I felt like running away screaming and mentally was chalking it up to one of those days in life that you just accept turned out rubbishy.

At the end my upper lip was raw. The middle had hair that was uncut, the sides were somewhat trimmed (left side more trimmed than right). Visible stubble on the cheeks, he hadn't even tried there -- that is to say he didn't cover all the cheek. Under jaw -- totally unshaven (he just gave up halfway through, I think). Chin: raw, but shaved, far from BBS, but at least evenly shaved. Lower lip -- haha, he didn't even go there.

Now, I didn't notice this during the shave because I was mentally sedating myself through this torture (the hot towels made it easy), though I did notice that he stopped halfway.

Walking away, $20 lighter, I felt my stubble and almost stumbled in surprise. Back at the office I was so embarrassed by a check in the mirror I sat at my desk the whole day and luckily my only meeting was cancelled by someone else before I did it

I did a bit of a net lookup and it turns out the shop was owned by a Don Wagner for most of its 15 years, and Scott's probably had it for a lot fewer. In retrospect, and to be kind, perhaps he saw he wasn't getting anywhere with my face, and for liability issues decided to quit while he was ahead. While talking to him before the shave from hell, he said he uses a Mach-3 and shave foam (no brush) himself and offered to show me a straight someone had gifted him, as well as the straight that came with the shop when he bought it.

Here's the predicament though: I said I'd come in for a haircut later next week -- but I don't want to show up clean shaven and get into a pissing contest. Either I never go back there (nice people and place, just incompetent at shaving) or just go back acting like nothing happened (and now I cannot be sure how good the haircuts are either, though the shoeshine is superb).

Nichhel,
I'm embarrassed to find this post. I realize it has been over a year since, but please accept my apology for such poor service. I happened to stumble upon this somehow tonight. I do not recall you or this particular service. No excuse can make up for your experience and I wish I could take it all back. I no longer use the Roffler gentle shave cream for face or neck shaves.
I wish that you would have spoke with me about your experience, however I understand that you didn't I can't say that I would have said anything either. I'm glad that I have found this post and read all the comments about the service.
In November of 2006 I installed a hot latherizer and a Hot towel warmer. I now give every client a neck shave (around ears and back of neck) That keeps me "in practice" using the straight razor. I would love to be able to do Face shaves everyday, however that is not reality. Most people shave them selfs and a "service" is more for nostalgic purposes and not a daily or weekly choice for the average client. I purchased the EF in July of 2005 from Mr. Wagner who owned the shop for 45 plus years. The shop has been on the "skywalk" since 1984.
If it is any consolation please know that I love what I do. I love being a barber and I strive to improve my skill as a barber. I'm completely ashamed of the service that you described and if there is anyway that I can make it up to you please let me know.

 

[Samovar]

Scott,
I teach in a trade program and if only one of my student came out with a response like that, I would give him a strait A.

My old italian barber told me he had to shave his own teacher for years with a straight.

Improving your skills is the way to go in any trade. Using a shavette on your clients neck is such a nice touch in this clipper day of age.

Do you shave with a straight?

Good luck in your business

 

[lamina]

What a small world indeed...and what a coincidence such a feedback..Incredible!!

Anyway it seems you've been improving your skills and hardware ...well done, it's the only way to go. Sometimes the things go wrong just like that, for any reason in special...maybe a bad night or your 15 years old dog died that morning... well...X factor.

Such a feedback from a client doesn't help to improve the str8 razor or the barber's general image. If i was you, i would invite nichhel for a free shave as a compensation gesture and asked him what he thinks about your skills now... and what could be done to correct his first general impression. People can improve themselves and their skills, of course. Hear what he have to say...

Here, the art of shaving is not a lost art i think...all the shaves i made at the barber were 5 *. Even in Turkey (well it took about 50 mn with face massage) or Morocco i found nice artisans...

 

[Scottsabarber]

Scott,
I teach in a trade program and if only one of my student came out with a response like that, I would give him a strait A.

My old italian barber told me he had to shave his own teacher for years with a straight.

Improving your skills is the way to go in any trade. Using a shavette on your clients neck is such a nice touch in this clipper day of age.

Do you shave with a straight?

Good luck in your business

Thank you for your kind words. I have tried shaving my self with the straight, however I found it way to difficult. I usually don't take the time. Hot towels, lather and pre-shave oil at my shop gets my a real good shave.

 

[Scottsabarber]

Although I sympathize with your misfortune, it is good to know I'm not alone! My experience (dry face, vigorous blade buffing, no hair removed) was virtually identical. And yes, I hadn't been that unshaven in a month!

I haven't voiced my displeasure either, and I always tip quite generously (TIP being to insure performance, apparently) -- it's only that in extreme cases like this I wonder if tipping is sending the wrong message. I usually feel that in a situation like this the best you can do is to be polite, and resolve never to be put in that situation again (ie, never go back). But perhaps for both your sakes, to politely explain that you think this is going terribly and that it'd be better for both if it were just stopped here is best. After all, the other party won't know they're doing something wrong unless it is (tactfully) pointed out to them.

And in retrospect there were some honkin' big warning signs which I wilfully ignored because I've had great barbershop shaves and was hoping to repeat the experience.. My selfmade rules for a barber (must have a delicate, deft touch, must love hair rather than treat it as an enemy to be decimated) were set aside.

@htownmmm: I agree that professionals must at least be competent, although one cannot of course expect everyone to be as dedicated as amateurs (in the old sense). I did go back with a BBS. He didn't ask. Case closed. BBS must mean Badger and Blade Shave? I typically don't ask about someone's beard (that's not good business practice I certainly will think about asking future clients. Thanks)

I asked him specifically about insurance. Perhaps things like this are killing the old timer barbers. Can you imagine how the insurance premiums must rise as the barber's age reaches 60+? I can just imagine some smug insurance adjuster explaining to an old timer that if he doesn't cough up the dough the state board will revoke his license. A bit dramatic I know, but things like this make me mad. I mean they'll be factoring in dry numbers for arthritis, tremors, hygiene and completely missing out on the big component: skill. It's sad. If we could bring back the old school teachers and old barbers we'd be a much happier country

As for Don Wagner, I don't know where he is. I can infer he was competent if the legacy of the shop is an actual straight razor (that would be before they were banned for reasons of hygiene and safety). Don Wegner retired in my conversations with him I don't recall him mentioning too many shaves. It's a service that has gone by the wayside. Probably the biggest reason is time, you can make more money cutting hair.

zachster, that's a nice story. I hope Giannini retired and went to live in Italy, and goes down to the local barber every morning for a shave and a chat, in a little barbershop decorated in proraso green and playing italian radio opera!

GeeQue I believe they actually practise on balloons covered in lather. But yeah, after this, they're not practicing on me neither (unless I'm in Italy )

No balloons are ever used, at least not were I received training