Thread: Just can't get the hang of it.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Great idea, but unfortunately from all of the recently posted trips to a local barber, the experiences have been pretty lousey. Due to health concerns they pretty much universally use Shavettes, not real straights for the shave, so it essentially a hopped up DE shave at best.

Obviously you know whereof you speak (and I don't because nobody near me offers shaving schools and I bet most shaves are with a shavette as you say) but I would hope that Trumper's at least is an exception and there will be others. According to the Trumper's website,

A session of one to one tuition with one of our barbers, lasting approximately one and a half hours and covering all aspects of the technique of wet shaving with an open razor.

Designed to enable clients of all ages to get the best from their shaving, the instruction period will include the selection and use of the most suitable products and help with special shaving needs.

It costs £75 so it's not at all cheap. Can a Shavette be reasonably described as an open razor? I reckon even if they use a Shavette, they'd probably be okay with you taking your own blade down there for the lesson - the customer is always right after all!

May be you should try another razor.

May be do not go against the grain, try a little angle.

May be it is not the right soup/cream for you skin.
In my experience, right shaving cream can make a huge difference. I have a highly regarded one from Castle Forbes which smells like haven and lathers like it too, but using it even with 1-2 passes I usually get irritation. I found that the best shaving cream ever, for my face, is Kiehl's cream for the brush, it does not smell that good, lathering is also leaves much to be desired, but when I use it, I can 'scrape' my face with as many passes as needed, and even without any aftershave I get no irritation whatsoever.

Experimentation & patience are you friends.

Hi

I wouldnt pay 75 for a shave and consultation, I think some people are jumping on the band waggon, remember the economy is going down not up !!

I will pay 30, I think thats ok for sitting in a chair for 20 mins and having a chat

I spoke to Trufitt and Hill and they will shave you with your own straight if you pre arrange it. I always get a great service from them, so will give it a go.

Regards
London

Originally Posted by Dave12345

Hi

I wouldnt pay 75 for a shave and consultation, I think some people are jumping on the band waggon, remember the economy is going down not up !!

I will pay 30, I think thats ok for sitting in a chair for 20 mins and having a chat

I spoke to Trufitt and Hill and they will shave you with your own straight if you pre arrange it. I always get a great service from them, so will give it a go.

Regards
London

I agree that £75 is very steep and I can't afford but Trumper's have been around for more than a hundred years so they've sat on the bandwagon while it's disappeared and been rebuilt beneath them rather than jumped on it. Also, the nearest barber to me charges £25 just for a straight shave which I guess takes no more than 30 mins so in some ways £75 for 90 mins of a top barber's time isn't terrible vfm but it's still a lot to lay out in one go. Trumper's soap, scent and skinfood are top notch and worth the high prices - there's an episode of Poirot where everyone is astonished because Poirot has paid Trumper five guineas for a bottle of scent - but that's not to say their barber consultations are worth £75.