The worst shave ever!!!

[philipfromga]

I decided to use a new barber shop today. One that advertises hot shaves, so I decided to get one. I have never had a barber shave so I wasn't sure what to expect other than having been on B&B long enough to know what prep should, etc. Well as you can gather from the title it wasn't a raving success. I do have perhaps the BBS skin that I don't really ever get myself but I sacrificed a seeming gallon of blood and at least 3 maybe 4 layers of skin from my face. It started well enough with hot towels and some oil. The barber mix some ARKO cream in with the hot lather machine cream and lathered me up. He had a shavette style razor and after doing my cheeks he goes "my what is this beard Iron or something" and seemed to have a tough time around the chin. Well he then left a minute and came back with a fusion razor and a mug of water. I was thinking this won't be good but maybe he knows a trick or something. It was something all right. He kept my face lathered but he actually started "scrubbing" my chin area with the razor. Its been an hour and it still feels like its on fire. I came home doctored my face added some nivea and some aloe to it but I just know tommorrow is going to be bump city.

Now I question whether I should ever let anyone else touch my face again. I had been looking forward to trying a Barber shave and now I have this bad taste to swallow. Is this a common problem with barber shaves? Do they just no work for some people?

 

[TorzJohnson]

I have read many, many accounts of barber shaves on this forum, and nearly all of them have something in common. This statement:

Its been an hour and it (my face) still feels like its on fire.

Hope your face feels better soon.

 

[gone down south]

I posted a similar story after my birthday shave this year left actual blood trails running down my cheeks and chin. I'm sure that there are some good barber shaves out there, but I'm not risking it anymore.

Honestly, I took 6 months to demo practically every major razor, blade, cream and soap option and came up with the perfect combo for me. I practice on myself every day, and know my contours and growth patterns perfectly. How can some guy who probably shaves 2 people a week give my any better shave than I'm getting now?

 

[Shane]

I posted a similar story after my birthday shave this year left actual blood trails running down my cheeks and chin. I'm sure that there are some good barber shaves out there, but I'm not risking it anymore.

Honestly, I took 6 months to demo practically every major razor, blade, cream and soap option and came up with the perfect combo for me. I practice on myself every day, and know my contours and growth patterns perfectly. How can some guy who probably shaves 2 people a week give my any better shave than I'm getting now?

+1 If you want something done right, do it yourself. The only person I've heard about giving superlative barber shop shaves has been Farrell. Too bad I'm not in Jacksonville.

 

[Black Adder]

I'm going to have to mirror and confirm what everyone else has said. Posts like this are actually very common here. Now, there have been exceptions to your story, but they are rare.

I've said it before, but it's worth repeating, and I think others should adopt it, too...

Nobody but me goes near my face with a razor. Nobody.

Hope you get better soon!

Don

 

[luvmysuper]

It's a logical positive that SOMEWHERE in the world is The Worlds WORST Barber.
He is working and shaving people every day.
It's only a matter of time before someone from B&B runs afoul of him.

 

[withoutink]

So sorry to hear about you unfortunate shaving experience.

 

[Koss]

I'm going to have to mirror and confirm what everyone else has said. Posts like this are actually very common here. Now, there have been exceptions to your story, but they are rare.

I've said it before, but it's worth repeating, and I think others should adopt it, too...

Nobody but me goes near my face with a razor. Nobody.

Hope you get better soon!

Don

Maybe its the same guy traveling across the country since every town he comes across eventually kicks them out on the road again!

I say we start a Mob with pitch forks and torches! His time over there is up!

 

[Rusty Jackknife]

The barbershop shave is a lost art.

I have had a few good barbershop shaves, but the majority have been similar experiences. Red marks, bumpy skin, and $20-$30 less in my wallet.

I now pass on this service.

 

[Wilpar76]

I wouldn't completely give up, but I would be very selective if I were you.

My barber does the "classic" barber shave, but I have seen him do it. I would never let him give me a classic shave. However, I do let him use a straight razor when lining up my hairline on my forehead.

Several others have stated it, but the art is lost. Most barbershops today (in my opinion as I have been to 4 in the past year before settling on my current shop) are less worried about making long term customers. They are more concerned with getting heads in and out of their chairs. I once read in the biography of a famous Baltimore barber that when he was learning his craft in NC, his boss told him that he had cut three heads an hour during the weekdays and four heads an hour on Saturdays.

Granted, I deliberately take my time because I enjoy the time to myself, but it takes me at least 20 minutes to shave with the prep (shower included), the shave (3 passes), and the post shave.

My point is that you are not going to get service like that in a barber shop.

 

[Oden_Flagship]

Uh yeah I'm more of the notion that if you want a job done right you had better do it yourself. I know plenty of dudes that would rather pay somebody else to do it, but I think, Hey - who cares more about my face than me - and this goes for my car, my house, my life. If I don't know how to do something, I think it'd be a good opportunity to learn. You might not get the best results at first but w/ practice and time you will.

I would like to try a barber shop shave on the idea that it'd be a luxuary expense but I'd have to go to a trufitt and hill type place and just shell out the dough for an unbelieveable experience.

It's a lost art, it truely is. Thanks for the heads up man.

 

[ShaveAddict]

There's good barbers but, you need to find them.