Barbershop shaves: what's been your experience?

As I have never had a straight razor shave, I thought a good way to break myself in before trying to shave myself would be to get one at a local barbershop. However, I've heard some horror stories about guys getting butchered. What have people's experiences been with getting barbershop shaves?

Anyone else here from the Chattanooga, TN area? I found a web site for a local barbershop that offers straight razor shaves: whiteoakbarbershop.com/shave.html. Apparently this place has been in business since 1925 and is a landmark in the area. Their detailed description of the shave sounds good. It costs $15.

I was thinking I might pick up some good tips from the barber. Let me know what you guys think.

Payne

I had the same idea. Went to a barbershop for a shave before I decided to do it myself. Overall it was a positive experience, but the shave was not nearly as close as I had expected. The barber only did one pass and nicked me up a bit. He spent all of about 10 minutes on me. He did give me some good advice so it was not a total loss. The biggest take away was to observe his shaving technique and to get the feel for a straight razor on my face.
BTW I gave myself my first shave today...the barber got much closer than I did! I cut myself about as much as the barber did. I'm going to try another barber in the city and see if I can get a better shave. Just in case you were wondering I am in the philly area. There are tons of old italian barbers in south philly to choose from. hopefully the next one will be better. Best of luck.

My experiences have been awful.

In fairness ive only had one shave from a very well known barber in N.Ireland and London (Jason Shankey). He left me rough and my skin was on fire. This was 7 years ago so maybe he has improved.

I was getting my hair cut last night and as I always do, I asked do they do shaves. Yes she said but with a lot of growth she said its best to trim it down with clippers or using a mach3 to cut it down so the straight can shave better. I almost burst out laughing!!!!! I didnt have the will to tell her that all my 'real' straights (not some crappy injector) cut through a weeks growth with ease.

Ignorance is bliss for these people. Straight razor shaving really is a lot art.

I used to get shaves from time to time back when I lived in Buffalo (about 25 years ago). I went to Chick's Barber Shop on Elmwood. He'd keep you under a hot towel until you melted, and then do one pass with a DE. Then, he'd finish with a straight. All in all, an excellent shave and a nice experience. In all the time I was there, he never cut me once.

I believe Chick relocated up to Hertel Ave. He'd be getting on by now, but one could hope he still has a few good shaves left in him.

I can't think of any way to be turned off to straight shaving then by going to a barber for a shave. Remarks like gee he didn't even cut me once make me laugh. Imagine if you went to a dentist to fill your teeth and he passed the drill bit through your gum or cheek. Or if you went to a ritsy restaurant and got poor quality food, badly prepared and a surly waiter.When barbers gave shaves years ago and were competent at it to cut someone of have them leave with the slightest irritation on their fact would be a travesty and totally unacceptable.

People used to go to barber to get the best possible shave experience. Kind of like going to a good restaurant and getting the best dining experience. If you have a truly competent barber who gives shaves with even a disposable your the luckiest guy in the world.

I've had two barber shaves. One was the best shave I've ever had and the other was poor. The good one I got from an old Italian barber out on Long Island. It was amazing. He finished by buffing my face with talc. My face was like glass and felt great.

I think its hit or miss these days.

Jordan

I've had 3 barbershop shaves with the most recent one on the Saturday before Memorial Day. I had grown a beard and wanted it shaved off for the summer. I decided to take a chance at a shop I'd never been to before. The shave was just okay -- honestly mine are better. I got 2 small nicks and he used a shavette. My second shave by a barber was by the barber I had been going to for haircuts for several years. Gotta say that was the worst of the 3 I've had. Several cuts and he used an actual str8 razor, but he felt so bad about it that he didn't charge me. The first one I ever had was very close, but my face was red and was on fire for about half a day. There is one other barber in my area that I know gives shaves and I eventually will try a shave at his shop.

I would definitely tell you that I would not base my shaving with a str8 razor on my shaves at a barbershop. For me, I use a barbershop shave as a comparison factor to my own shaves and if it turns out great at the shop, that's just a bonus from the experience. Good luck!

Its been a lon long time but the barber shop shaves I had back long ago were excellent, but my barber back then still used a real straight and had about fifty years of oing them under his belt. Sooner or later I'll give my current barber a shot at my face and see how he does, I will make it clear though that the quality of the shave will very much effect the size of the tip.

I've had quite a number of barber shaves, but they've all been either in foreign countries or at Indian barbers here in the UK. It's very common to go for a shave elsewhere, less so in US/UK now, so the barbers are much less practiced. I was in Morocco recently and had the best shave of my life. It was a tiny little barbers in the souk, like all shops it was the sort of place that if it was in the UK I'd probably walk right past. However, this guy was amazing, spent plenty of time lathering me, letting the hair soak, then did 3 passes with a shavette, the cheapest, lowest quality one you can imagine, with blades that were a dollar per ten pack.

Man, my face has never been that smooth ever. I watched him shave my friends head and face and it seemed like he dropped into some sort of zen trance when he shaved, quite amazing to watch. My friend and I both shave with straights, and both came out in awe of his skill. He used a cheap boar brush, cream that was a dollar a tube, and that shavette with cheap blades. He did change the blade twice on me, but then I have a tough beard.

I used to live in the far east for a little while and would always have a shave when I got my hair cut. I think it's much more common in these places, everyone would get a shave with their haircut.

So, try an indian, turkish, moroccan barber if you have that sort of area near where you live. For me it's always been a great example of 'it's not the tools that make a difference, it's how you use them'.

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Originally Posted by jnich67

I've had two barber shaves. One was the best shave I've ever had and the other was poor. The good one I got from an old Italian barber out on Long Island. It was amazing. He finished by buffing my face with talc. My face was like glass and felt great.

I think its hit or miss these days.

Jordan

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Could you tell me the location of the barber shop on Long Island.
Thanks.

I get a shave with every haircut. My barber is an older fellow probably in his mid 60's so he has lots of experience. The first shave he did nick my neck a little but in his defense it is a tough place to shave on me and he hasn't cut me since then...probably 12 shaves total. He does the hole bit too, hot towel--lather with hot towel-- wipe off lather--hot towel--relather--shave--cold towel--aftershave. It really is very relaxing.
Anyway I would suggest talking to the barber and finding out how much experience he has, how many shave he does now and so forth. If you get the shave and its good but not great think about getting 1 more to see if he has learned your face a little. I found that the shaves I am getting now are even better that the first few because my barber is getting to now my face.

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Originally Posted by grrem

Could you tell me the location of the barber shop on Long Island.
Thanks.

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I can't remember the name of the place, but it was in downtown Patchogue. This was about 15 years ago and the barber was probably in his 60s then, so I don't know that he'd still be working. You could check it out though. :shrug:

Jordan

It seems to me that experience is the biggest factor when getting a barbershop shave. Back in mid-april, when I was getting into the whole straight shaving thing, I was doing some internet research with regards to the legal aspect of providing shaves as part of a business idea I had. I'll share more on that when it comes to fruition. Anyway, I stumbled across an article that was kind of a "best of in Dallas" which detailed different outstanding services around the area. A place called Brownie's Barbershop was second on the list with a little write-up. This line was what sold me on this place...

"And if you want to get a really close shave, Ray is one of the only straight razor-shave barbers left in Dallas. It’s a vanishing art. And he must be good — his very first customer still comes in after 20 years."

Now, I had convinced a friend of mine to give it a try as I was discussing this business idea with him, so when I found this place, we planned a trip on our day off. My initial plan was to walk in and ask if Ray was available to shave us both, but Larry (the friend) walks through the door and announces that he's here for a straight razor shave. Well, this older barber grabs him and sticks him in the chair and my heart sinks as another barber puts me in a chair after I say I'm here for the same. I was convinced that Larry had gotten Ray through dumb luck and that I was going to get filleted by some less talented fellow. Throughout the process, I was occasionally able to glance over at Larry and was noticing little blood spots ALL over. It was then that I asked my barber "are you Ray?" to which he repled that he was.:y Irony, huh? So, after my shave and a quick hair trim which I got since I was there anyway, I had a very decent shave without even a nick. Poor Larry. His face was smooth, but at the cost of quite a few battle wounds. The base of his septum even had a cut straight across where it looked like his barber had finished his upper lip and just planned to take the nose with it, then decided last minute not to. :roflmao

At the end of the day, we were both pleased with the experience. Larry informed me that he has ultra-sensitive skin anyway and that the "old-timer" could've shaved him raw and it wouldn't have bothered him as it was the experience he was after. And he said it was still the closest shave he'd ever had. I'm assuming the difference in shaves was either experience or practice. The old-timer could've been Ray's uncle who was experienced, but out of practice. Or he could've been some shmuck. Who knows...

The article is here if you want to take a look:

Dallas Voice :: Readers Voice Awards - Services

You'll have to scroll down a bit as it's not at the top of the page.

I should just make "sorry for the long post" part of my signature...:shrug:

Adam

P.S.: Jockeys has mentioned another place in Richardson (just outside of Dallas proper) King Barber, which I will be trying soon enough. The link to their website is here:
King Barber

There was an article a few weeks back in the Washington Post about the resurgence of men going to barbers for a shave. There are some upscale places here that are offering high end shaves (hot towel, hot lather, etc.) but for outrageous prices. It sounded more like a salon experience when one guy mentioned getting a manicure at the same time! :td

As I read further it stated that one of the really expensive shops was going the whole 9 yards for preparation and then doing the actual shaving with a MACH3!!!! :rant::nono::mad:

Why bother to go get a barbar shop shave if he's going to use a crummy disposable blade razor?

I've had a barbar shop shave twice in my life. Once when I was in high school and just starting to grow a beard. I went to an old fashioned barber shop at the time. I loved that place, they gave you the hot towel even if you didn't get a shave just to relax you, they did all the detail trimming around your hair cut with a straight razor, and the old guys finished it off by putting this mechanical devices on their hands that made them vibrate something fierce while they gave you a shoulder rub. And that was for the huge sum of $7! Oh, for those days. Well, anyway, I decided one day when I went for a hair cut to ask him to give me a shave too. I figured the extra $3 was worth it for the experience. Even though he probably could have just plucked the handful of hairs growing on my face he went through the whole treatment. It was amazing. I don't remember a single knick.

The second time was after reading that stupid article in the Post. Except I didn't go to one of those fancy places. I went to the same middle-aged Vietnamese guy who cuts my hair. I decided that since he uses the hot lather and a real str8 for doing the detail work on my neck and sideburns that he could do a decent shave too. I was absolutely right. He's excellent as well.

It's not always age but it's definitely practice. And it helps when the barbar still cares about being a barber instead of trying to be a stylist.

I have had 4 shaves in 4 places.

Best Shave by far was in Turkey. No razor burn, no nick, and the smoothest shave I have ever had. The even did the whole head/neck/finger massage thing and burned the hairs out of my nose and ears without me smelling the burning hair.. sorry off the point there... and it cost me about £2 Best and most relaxing shave ever..

Next to it was in Ireland, Knights of the Green in Dublin.. A middle eastern lady shaved me. Great shave bar a few tiny areas missed on the last pass. you could only feel them as you passed your hand XTG.. but WAY to expensive... was over €30 for a shave.

2nd WORST.. Slim Jims in Ealing in West London....
Got a hair cut and shave. Shave... the guy slashed my ****ing face... and let me leave bleeding.. I have a mark on my face for about a month... enough said about that one...

WORST SHAVE EVER.. and probably rivals the worst on here..

Can;t remember the name of the Barbers but it was the top floor in the Oaks shopping mall in Ealing, west London. Asked the guy did he do shaves... he said "of course, come in... sit down.." I did... First mistake..!

I got up half way thru the shave, grabbed one of their white towels.. wiped the blood from the right side of my face. as soon as i took the towel away the blood just poured. I thru the towel on the floor, grabbed another clean one and walked out of the shop holding the towel to the side of my face.. The guy butchered me. I had marks on my cheeks and neck for weeks after that.

Unless I get a recommendation of where to go for a good shave I will be doing it myself..!

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Originally Posted by The Limp

The guy butchered me.

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AAAUUUCH! :mad:
Hope you recover soon!

I've had good and not-so-good experiences.
The first barber shave I've had was also the best. My wife says it was so smooth I looked like a 12 year old kid. It felt like it, too, I couldn't feel any texture at all in any direction, like glass. The man is a master. I mentioned it was difficult to find a barber who would use a straight because of fear of HIV etc. contamination. He told me that it had taken him years to master the straight razor, and that he had even shaved heads of state when he was working in NYC. I was told that next time a barber says "Oh, straight razors are unsanitary" ask them how their clippers are sterilized. To him there was no difference. I've tried going back many different times but he is often booked solid. Almost forgot, I showed him some of my straights (I only owned two at the time-a Pakistani SimCo and a Dovo Special) he asked me if I was in the trade (I was pleased, but said no) he rapidly did a thumbnail test, thumbpad test, and took them to the strop on the barber chair. Back then, I thought he was going too fast. I was wrong. The man was just good.

Then I had a more traditional feeling (perhap) barber shave, that was close, but equivalent to what I could do with my own straights or DE's. He seemed to feel that straights were more about the nostalgia than they were about a better shave. In spite of that, he did a decent job and the price for a shave and haircut left me change from a $20 bill.

Finally, the worst shave I had was still pretty decent, I guess, it was by a young barber at T&H in Las Vegas, a present from my fiancee (now wife). Everything was going pretty well, hot towel with lavender in it, Rose lather from the latherking, second hot towel, 1 pass WTG with a shavette, so far so good. Another hot towel, more lather-but the technique or something was a little rough on the ATG pass. I was a little raw from it. Not too bad, but unfortunately I sneezed just as he was shaving my upper lip, so I got a nice bleeding cut.
I've never felt that a DE blade/shavette gave as low-irritation shave as a regular straight, though.

Based on my experience, though, I'd say go for it. If the barber prides himself on the traditional skills of a barber, chances are he will be proud of his shaves.

I've come close but I've NEVER matched completely the shave I've received at the hands of that first barber. A true master barber, and not just a certificate. It is difficult to explain, but when you get one of those perfect barber shaves by a barber who knows what he's doing, it will be worth every penny, and you'll have something to strive toward, when you used to think your shaves were great.


John P.

I have had several straight shaves over the last thirty years by two barbers and they have been great. One was when I was an under graduate and was scared of straights. The other was this year when I made the barber use a straight rather than an electric. My opinion, most barbers know how to do great straight shaves just seem to rely on the electric becuase their customers demand it.