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What have you learned from barbers?

Have you ever gotten any advice on shaving from barbers?

Was it useful?

Would you take your son to a barber for instruction on how to shave?

What, if anything, did you learn?

Or did you teach the barber a thing or two?
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Early in my SR education, I obtained a traditional straight razor shave from my local barber. We discussed a few things (as men do with their barber). What he emphasised most was skin preparation.

Was it useful? Yes.

Would I take my son to a barber for shaving instruction? Yes, provided that the barber shaved him with a traditional straight razor.
 

Mike M

...but this one IS cracked.
My barber was the person who turned me on to DE shaving after listening to my complaints in the chair about being unable to find a cart or disposable razor that could give me a decent shave and not bankrupt me
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
Humility. Our barber was a pillar of the community. He ran a two chair barbershop, tucked away in the corner of a strip mall. A quiet man with broken English who emigrated from Italy. He was always active in youth soccer, both coaching and sponsoring teams. Gave freely of his time and was a leader in his spiritual community. The barber shop was always busy and he was always there. I don’t know where he found the time and energy to be so active. He cut my hair from when I was 7 until I was 20. I’ve never had a regular barber or frequented a regular shop since then. Magical times and a kind, generous and humble man.
 

Eben Stone

Staff member
I've only been to 4 barbers. 2 were nice guys and my regular barbers growing up. Lots of good memories. The 3rd was a complete a-hole and I ended up walking out. The 4th tried to shave me with a Derby Extra and gave me the worst shave of my life.

If I learned anything, it's being nice and patient will give people fond memories of you long after you're gone.
 

garyg

B&B membership has its percs
Humility. Our barber was a pillar of the community. He ran a two chair barbershop, tucked away in the corner of a strip mall. A quiet man with broken English who emigrated from Italy. He was always active in youth soccer, both coaching and sponsoring teams. Gave freely of his time and was a leader in his spiritual community. The barber shop was always busy and he was always there. I don’t know where he found the time and energy to be so active. He cut my hair from when I was 7 until I was 20. I’ve never had a regular barber or frequented a regular shop since then. Magical times and a kind, generous and humble man.


Having a great amount of inertia, at this age I can still name my barbers from the 1950's to now .. Johnny & Vic, Joe >>>>, Aurie .. I spent many hours in their chairs. Humility is what struck me, and patience - I think all were Siciliano, the last names I knew matched towns on that island .. when the barbershop ban was lifted last spring here, at 6:30 am, there were a whole lot of geezers outside the barber shop.

But to the OP, no advice, but he gifted me a strop, a barber's hone and a Red Imp straight .. and told me to be very careful
 
My barber cut my hair from the time we moved to the States until I went off into the Army. The thing I always remember was his classic witticisms like:

“If you're good at what you do, shut your God damn mouth. You don't need to say nuthin’. Everyone knows your good”.

“Everybody wants to be Sinatra. You, my friend, are no God damn Sinatra.”

“A little pain never hurt no one” ( I still ponder on this one. I think he was drunk)
 
My barber cut my hair from the time we moved to the States until I went off into the Army. The thing I always remember was his classic witticisms like:

“If you're good at what you do, shut your God damn mouth. You don't need to say nuthin’. Everyone knows your good”.

“Everybody wants to be Sinatra. You, my friend, are no God damn Sinatra.”

“A little pain never hurt no one” ( I still ponder on this one. I think he was drunk)

Man those are some serious yogi berra-esque witticisms! I feel like we’re losing characters like that these days. That last one is a gem! And for the record i wholeheartedly agree.
 
Man those are some serious yogi berra-esque witticisms! I feel like we’re losing characters like that these days. That last one is a gem! And for the record i wholeheartedly agree.

Thanks Macduff. His name was Rudy and he was a veteran of Monte Cassino (”You don’t think the lather is warm enough? Try shaving with cold water in your helmet with a rusty razor, and God damn Krauts shelling you”) My Dad never approved of his profanity, but we used all pile back into the station wagon giggling “god damn” until he told us to knock it off. Good times indeed!
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
My childhood barber was a sicko who told dirty jokes and introduced 10 year old boys to hardcore Swedish porn magazines. Of course, many kids loved it, but still... His son, also a barber who had a chair in the shop, was arrested and convicted of breaking into the parish school and stealing its classroom televisions and other technology in the early 1980s.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
My barber cut my hair from the time we moved to the States until I went off into the Army. The thing I always remember was his classic witticisms like:

“If you're good at what you do, shut your God damn mouth. You don't need to say nuthin’. Everyone knows your good”.

“Everybody wants to be Sinatra. You, my friend, are no God damn Sinatra.”

“A little pain never hurt no one” ( I still ponder on this one. I think he was drunk)
I'm pretty sure I was like this when I cut hair. The mom's ALWAYS told me not to get their kids wound up! Never swore too much, or ever took the Lord's name in vain. Always remember your audience! I was blessed to last long enough to cut LOTS of grandkids of my original customers.

I saved my cussing for when I became an RN!!!
 
Have you ever gotten any advice on shaving from barbers?

Was it useful?

Would you take your son to a barber for instruction on how to shave?

What, if anything, did you learn?

Or did you teach the barber a thing or two?
Ive learned a lot. I wouldnt be a traditional wet shaver if it werent for my barber giving me a straight razor neck shave. My barber also taught me the importance of proper skin prep and after shave skin care.
Whats funny is now, I think that she has learned just as much from me about shaving as I have from her. I asked her the last time why she always does the hot towel after she shaves my neck and she told me that she honestly didnt know. We then discussed what a hot towel actually does and how, while it does feel good, its kind of pointless to do it after the shave.
I think it many ways, my barber appreciates a client who understands and appreciates the finer points of her craft. I mean, whats not to love about a beautiful woman who gives you a great haircut at a fair price and a neck/shoulder massage afterwards?
 
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