Thread: Where To Get Professional SR Shave in MA

Is it even possible?

I've heard everything from it's not legal in MA to it is, but not a lot of places do it because insurance is so high. Apparently Master Barbers are the only ones licensed to do it. How does one go about finding one? There's not many barber shops that have web pages, and I don't think there's a yellow page for Straight Razor Shaves.

With the amount of heresy and no filter to determine what is correct and what isn't, is there an actual resource where I can get this info? Perhaps a list of Master Barders who still do shaves?

I want to get a professional shave done so I have a good baseline of comparison for when I shave myself. I've shaved multiple times since getting my razor and have experienced some improvement, but there is still a little RB. Plus, I have no way of knowing if it is all just technique or if the razor could use a honing (or just extra stropping for that matter).

If not MA, then perhaps in the surrounding states?

Im not sure where you live, but at The Art of Shaving stores you can get a shave I think it is $35. There are ones in Boston, Natick; other than that some barbers will offer this as well.

Originally Posted by swimlikehell

Im not sure where you live, but at The Art of Shaving stores you can get a shave I think it is $35. There are ones in Boston, Natick; other than that some barbers will offer this as well.

That's where I started. According to the manager in Natick, apparently Boston doesn't do it, and the Natick store hadn't been able to hire someone as of the last time I was there (about a month ago). I'll have to check back with them again.

A true straight shave is near impossible because of health codes. if you do find someone the chances are it will be a disposable of some type. Barbers are not trained for straight shaves and haven't been for sometime. In some states they may still have to show minimal competency but they don't use the skill. Most folks who have gotten shaves from barbers were not happy with the result.

I have no doubt there are a handful of people who can give you a good shave. Finding them is the problem.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

A true straight shave is near impossible because of health codes. if you do find someone the chances are it will be a disposable of some type. Barbers are not trained for straight shaves and haven't been for sometime. In some states they may still have to show minimal competency but they don't use the skill. Most folks who have gotten shaves from barbers were not happy with the result.

I have no doubt there are a handful of people who can give you a good shave. Finding them is the problem.

In response to your post a disposable blade is still a blade and a real straight razor shave is still possible.

There are no health codes in Massachusetts which limit using a fixed blade razor, it is however a nuisance for a barbershop unless a customer has his own, the stropping and honing can only do so much, a high quality disposable blade is much better as it will have a perfectly sharp and perfectly honed edge.

Your comment "Barbers are not trained for shaves and haven't been for some time" is highly ignorant of the facts, in Massachusetts and most other states as a part of a barbers test to get his license he or she must perform a straight razor shave, if he isn't "competent" he isnt a barber.

The fact however is that most barbers find it to be a headache and a waste of time so they do not do it after they obtain their license and if they do they skip certain steps.

There are 2 reasons for this.
1. Barbers dont charge what its worth ie what art of shaving charges.
and
2. Because of this they end up loosing money, a proper straight razor shave is at least as long as a haircut if not longer.

The art of shaving is a commercial establishment.
There is a place to get a classic straight razor shave and its a local business found in western mass.

Its called Ace of Blades

Our shave has several steps and is part shave, part facial,part massage, and the deluxe shave includes a mud mask after the shave is complete.

If you come for a shave ask for Will, the owner. The other barbers also do shaves, but if you want it done perfectly with time taken see the owner, make an appointment or walk in.

Ace of Blades,932 Boston rd. Springfield ma.

Certainly didn't expect this thread to be resurrected 2+ years after that fact. Appreciate you taking the time.

At the time I posted this, there was very little in the way of straight shaves (that I could find anyway) in the central MA area. On a trip in Ontario I happened to find a place about a year after this post. Nice place, got the full treatment and had both face and head shaved (I do both with my own straights at home). I wanted to see what a professional shave was to what I was doing at the time. Face went well, head not so much. It was a VERY close shave in spots. I came to the conclusion that no one knows my own head better than I do (seems rather elementary in hindsight). Still it is nice once in awhile to sit back and have someone else do it for you. Since then, I've had my face done once more in the Worcester MA area, but that was a quickie. Spots were even missed, so I shan't be returning there. There is a new place I just found (on Green St. in Worcester, for those of you in striking distance) that I have yet to check out, so I may happen by there in time.

I wanted to see how it was professionally done to guage how well I was doing myself, as at the time of the original post I had only been straight shaving for maybe 6 months. Nowadays the only advantages to having someone else doing it is that the blade is as sharp as it can get and (if you go to the right place) you can just relax and let someone else do it.

Incidentally, the place in Ontario I went to was working on getting a license so they could put in a whisk(e)y bar. It was very much geared towards men and they did things like hosted bachelor parties and such. If I ever make it back there, I'll certainly take a look in (just for the face shave though!). Can't think of a better way to enjoy a shave than with something in a peated single malt. But that's a different forum....

I've been looking for a forum where I could post in my first thread telling a moderator he didn't have his facts straight. Waiting for two years before I posted wasn't a tactic I had thought of.

So, welcome to the forum and keep in mind I had no idea what I was talking two years ago either!

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I've been looking for a forum where I could post in my first thread telling a moderator he didn't have his facts straight. Waiting for two years before I posted wasn't a tactic I had thought of.

So, welcome to the forum and keep in mind I had no idea what I was talking two years ago either!

I'm guessing Ace of Blades place didn't exist when I posted. Ace could straighten us out on that (pun!), as he did on the regulations/requirements in MA. I don't know if it was because I've been looking harder or if this market has opened up some but over the last 18 months or so, I have noticed more shops offering shaves to varying degrees of thoroughness. I know the two places I found in Worcester are pretty new; certainly coming into being well after I started this thread.

We've have had a pretty big resurgence in the last two years. Although in some defense I've never met a barber that really impressed my with any razor skills either. It reminds me of a bad teaching joke, barbers and straight razors.

Me: I taught my dog how to shave me with a straight razor.
That's incredible! And he shaves you?
Me: No, he didn't learn any of it. I couldn't even get him to sit still during the lesson.

Hi, I'm a newbie here but I have been a fan of straight edge razor shaves for my head for the past year. I might be wrong but I believe that if I can get a head shave with the straight edge, I can get one for my neck/face at the same place -- I have seen it at the places I go.

As for who can do it, in MA, I've been told by master barbers at these places that the difference in licenses between a barber & a cosmetologist is 2 things:
- barber cannot wax
- cosmetologist cannot use a straight edge

As for where to get a straight shave? Several places advertise and you can look on yelp or other places for reviews but they are few. Personally I have been to 3. The two most memorable & easy for me to get to are:
- Edgemere Barber Shop, 129 Hartford Turnpike, Shrewsbury, MA 01545. (508) 667-8481.
- Just Cutz, 903B Main Street, Waltham, MA 02451. (781) 891-6966.

Edgemere has 3 guys who cut. I've had the 2 junior guys. They do a good job.

Just Cutz has 5 guys. All of them have cut my hair. The owner/manager Fritz does an amazing job while the others do a good to great job. With Fritz, I don't have to ask him to finish off a little here or there - it is perfect. Of course, he charges a little more than the other guys but it's worth it.