So the other day I was coming out of the diner and I noticed across the street an American flag, a barber pole, and a sign saying "Old fashioned Barber Shop." Since my lurking on this forum I decided it would be interesting to peek inside and see what was going on in there. So I went in and this place looked like the real deal - Aqua Velva, Old Barber Chair, horse hair brush, Clubman, old time magazines, conservative talk radio from the corner, older barber who said he had been there for 20 some odd years. So the first thing my friend asked was whether he offered shaves. He said that he used to but in the late 80's the state told them not to because of AIDs so he got rid of his hot lather machine but he showed me his old strop and seemed very knowledgable - he told me all about the different strops and hones he used to use. I told him I was interested in traditional shaving and he thought I meant straight edge and looked at me like I was crazy - He was incredulous and was like "why in the world would you want to do that? You know what kind of gashes youll get with a straight edge if you cut yourself?? Why not just use a disposable razor - shave and throw it away, no cuts." I told him I use a badger hair brush to make lather and at first he asked me what I meant - apparently "badger brush" didnt ring a bell (even though he had one out as decoration - although he said it was just "a nice brush" that a woman brought him as a gift) and then finally he said oh you mean like this - and pulled out an old spice mug with a VDH boar brush. Then he asked why I would do that when I can just buy lather in a can for a dollar at the drug store.
I told him I was interested in DE razors and he wasnt sure what I meant so he pulled out a rolls razor and asked me if thats what I was talking about. I tried explaining and finally he pulled open a drawer that was full of injectors and other DE's and said - "oh you mean these??" Just then another customer came in and got in the conversation and said - oh yea DE razors we all used to use that but they dont work as well as the new ones - I still have one that I use sometimes to touch up my mustache. Youll need to go to antique shops to find those." The barber mentioned that I was interested in old ways of shaving and the customer had a laugh and said he remembered when they used to use the strop to spank them.
Finally he went to attend to his customer and I thanked him and walked out.
Im still trying to make sense of this old time barber - who was obviously knowledgable about straights, hones, strops - had a collection of straights, and strops, a bunch of rolls razors and injectors, a mug and brush - but couldnt believe that I would want to use them instead of disposables and canned goo
I told him I was interested in DE razors and he wasnt sure what I meant so he pulled out a rolls razor and asked me if thats what I was talking about. I tried explaining and finally he pulled open a drawer that was full of injectors and other DE's and said - "oh you mean these??" Just then another customer came in and got in the conversation and said - oh yea DE razors we all used to use that but they dont work as well as the new ones - I still have one that I use sometimes to touch up my mustache. Youll need to go to antique shops to find those." The barber mentioned that I was interested in old ways of shaving and the customer had a laugh and said he remembered when they used to use the strop to spank them.
Finally he went to attend to his customer and I thanked him and walked out.
Im still trying to make sense of this old time barber - who was obviously knowledgable about straights, hones, strops - had a collection of straights, and strops, a bunch of rolls razors and injectors, a mug and brush - but couldnt believe that I would want to use them instead of disposables and canned goo
