Thread: New shaver

I just started shaving with a straight razor. I am two shaves in and haven't slit my throat and have a lot less hair on my face each time i do it. I still need a lot of work but am getting there.

One bit of advice that I haven't seen on here that I found really helpful was just going to a barber and getting a shave there. I did this a couple of days before my first time and I ended up doing a better job than he did, much less blood at least.

I plan on getting a proper barber shave occasionally just to really see technique.

I hope this helps someone.

I would thoroughly enjoy a good proper barbers shave. But, they are so few and far between in most places now a days. I will say this, if I could find one around here I would definitely frequent it. Good luck on your way into straight shaving. I will be joining the ranks here in the near future!

Originally Posted by saf

I just started shaving with a straight razor. I am two shaves in and haven't slit my throat and have a lot less hair on my face each time i do it. I still need a lot of work but am getting there.

One bit of advice that I haven't seen on here that I found really helpful was just going to a barber and getting a shave there. I did this a couple of days before my first time and I ended up doing a better job than he did, much less blood at least.

I plan on getting a proper barber shave occasionally just to really see technique.

I hope this helps someone.

Welcome!!!

Originally Posted by Foskey

I would thoroughly enjoy a good proper barbers shave. But, they are so few and far between in most places now a days. I will say this, if I could find one around here I would definitely frequent it. Good luck on your way into straight shaving. I will be joining the ranks here in the near future!

Did you try looking here:

Barber Spa - The Art of Shaving

Hello, Saf:

Welcome to Straight Razor Place, the world of gentlemen shavers. Don't forget, you have lots of friends here and ready to help, if you need it. Please keep us apprised of your progress.

Regards,
Obie

The reason you don't see that advice given here is because probably 99% of barbers don't have a clue about shaving someone with any blade let alone a straight and even the few that are competent are not able to use a straight for a variety of reasons. Some use disposables and some use cartridge types.

At one time a barber was the one to go to for the best shave of your life. Sadly, those days are gone.

If you have someone who truly gives straight shaves even with a shavette and knows what he is doing you are so lucky you ought to run out and buy a lottery ticket, it will probably be a grand prize winner.

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

Welcome!!!



Did you try looking here:

Barber Spa - The Art of Shaving

You know, I just spent a year in San Antonio and they had one there that I should have stopped in a time or two. Now, the closest I am to one is about 10 hours. Hind sight is 20/20 right? Argh...

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

The reason you don't see that advice given here is because probably 99% of barbers don't have a clue about shaving someone with any blade let alone a straight and even the few that are competent are not able to use a straight for a variety of reasons. Some use disposables and some use cartridge types.

At one time a barber was the one to go to for the best shave of your life. Sadly, those days are gone.

If you have someone who truly gives straight shaves even with a shavette and knows what he is doing you are so lucky you ought to run out and buy a lottery ticket, it will probably be a grand prize winner.

You are exactly right. I remember the barber I always went to with my father when I was a kid gave straight razor shaves. Unfortunately, at that point in my life. I only needed a quick clean up on the neck with a straight. Which I thoroughly enjoyed. But, now the shop has changed hands as the owner retired about 10 years ago. They just don't do it any more. A real shame, it is. I would definitely stop in again when in town, and gladly pay for the service.

A friend and I went to a place that gave straight razor shaves. We were happy to get the shave... And they served whisky shots with the shave. The problem I had with the service is that the shave wasn't that great and the guy kept saying how moderen multi blade safety razors were so good.

I feel like if we had somebody that was on their game I would have been introduced to straight razor shaving a decade ago.

It makes me a little sad.

There is a barber in the Rockville, MD (a suburb of Washington, DC) area that did shaves with a cartridge at one point before being critisized about the use of a cartridge shaver. "If all I wanted was a cartridge shave I wouldn't need you for that, I could have stayed home and gotten that. I am paying you for the straight razor shave." the customer exclaimed. Since then the barber has used nothing but straight razors to do shaves the same way all of the rest of us do.

Seeing this thread makes me wonder if having a real barber shop could be a business opportunity as part of my retirement plan.....

There is a barber shop that is about 5 miles from my house that is called "The Old Fashioned Barber Shop" the web site is Jupiter Barbershop - Flattops - Shaves - High & Tights - Haircuts - Barber Shop. it is run by 5 ladies and the last time I was there about 8 months ago I got treated exactly as they say on their web site. When I arrived I was given my complimentary beer and waited for my shave. the barbers in Florida are not allowed by state law to use a real straight razor, it has to be a shavette. And no shaving brush you get hot lather from one of those machines that heat up a can of shave cream. You do actually get a hot towel treatment with a facial massage included. The shave was ok but the barber only shaves WTG nothing else so it is not as close as what you get at home. The shave cost me $25.00 and the multiple hot towel applications made it worth the cost I just haven't made it back in a while.