Thread: They Think I'm Nuts!

When I was a kid I remember when barbers first started using those electrics for trimming. It was a real selling point and indicated that barber was modern as opposed to the old fogies who used mechanical clippers and straight razors. Besides around that time straights became obsolete to be seen only in museums where they all reside now. Har har.

Oddly enough I got the same response from a local barber. I'm bald so I don't get haircuts but I had been casing this place for a while and it looked like an old school barber shop. One day while out running the bases (i.e. cruising antique stores for straights) I thought I'd stop in and inquire if he had any old straights he'd be willing to part with. State law says shavettes are mandatory so the logic was I this guy is indeed and old school barber, he's likely got at least a couple straights from back in the day laying around, right? The owner was a balding 60 something with a thick New York accent. So I ease into the subject by saying, "Do you do straight razor shaves?" "Not much anymore but I used to teach it back in Barber College.", he says. I said, "Would you happen to have any old straight razors you'd be willing to part with?" He proceeds to pull out a hand full of new shavettes and explain the concept to me. I explained that I knew all about shavettes and used them as "basic training" for traditional straight razors and that was what I was really after. That's when I got the "two heads" look. He then proceeded to tell me that straight razors are not only dangerous but not all that close a shave. I'd be much better off with a DE safety razor if I insisted on going old school. I told him I had shaved nearly daily for a year and a half or so with a traditional straight and while there were some pretty spectacular nicks during the learning curve period that I had become at least functionally competent in honing, stropping and use of same and that these days nicks were few and far between. So then he says, " Ever heard of Dubl Duck straight razors?" My eye's lit up like a five year old on Christmas morning. I stood there mouth breathing and stammered out, "You...You...You have Dubl Ducks!?" Inside I was doing a happy dance which quickly stopped when he replied "Yeah I've got two of them, they're really old though and I probably wouldn't be willing to sell them. Next thing I know, he hands me an old cigar box. The first thing I notice is a pair of what appear to be NOS Dubl Duck Goldenedge Straights. Even though, I know they're probably not for sale my little heart was fluttering at some outrageous peep show straight razor porn on Saturday morning. As I stood there mouth agape fondling one of the Ducks he says, "If I did decide to sell them I'd probably be asking $150-$200 a piece for them." That was a bit rich for my blood on that particular day but he could probably talk me into one of these days. The rest of the box was for the most part flogged out no name stuff but then I picked up a Wostenholm Pipe Razor. He pointed to a cracked scale and said, "You can't have these fixed anymore." I didn't have the heart to tell him I knew a guy in Sandpoint, Idaho that could make a dried cow paddy into a beautiful shave-ready showpiece. "How much?" says I. "I'll give it to ya for $10" he replied. I said, I'd think about it and be in touch.

Originally Posted by 1OldGI

Oddly enough I got the same response from a local barber. I'm bald so I don't get haircuts but I had been casing this place for a while and it looked like an old school barber shop. One day while out running the bases (i.e. cruising antique stores for straights) I thought I'd stop in and inquire if he had any old straights he'd be willing to part with. State law says shavettes are mandatory so the logic was I this guy is indeed and old school barber, he's likely got at least a couple straights from back in the day laying around, right? The owner was a balding 60 something with a thick New York accent. So I ease into the subject by saying, "Do you do straight razor shaves?" "Not much anymore but I used to teach it back in Barber College.", he says. I said, "Would you happen to have any old straight razors you'd be willing to part with?" He proceeds to pull out a hand full of new shavettes and explain the concept to me. I explained that I knew all about shavettes and used them as "basic training" for traditional straight razors and that was what I was really after. That's when I got the "two heads" look. He then proceeded to tell me that straight razors are not only dangerous but not all that close a shave. I'd be much better off with a DE safety razor if I insisted on going old school. I told him I had shaved nearly daily for a year and a half or so with a traditional straight and while there were some pretty spectacular nicks during the learning curve period that I had become at least functionally competent in honing, stropping and use of same and that these days nicks were few and far between. So then he says, " Ever heard of Dubl Duck straight razors?" My eye's lit up like a five year old on Christmas morning. I stood there mouth breathing and stammered out, "You...You...You have Dubl Ducks!?" Inside I was doing a happy dance which quickly stopped when he replied "Yeah I've got two of them, they're really old though and I probably wouldn't be willing to sell them. Next thing I know, he hands me an old cigar box. The first thing I notice is a pair of what appear to be NOS Dubl Duck Goldenedge Straights. Even though, I know they're probably not for sale my little heart was fluttering at some outrageous peep show straight razor porn on Saturday morning. As I stood there mouth agape fondling one of the Ducks he says, "If I did decide to sell them I'd probably be asking $150-$200 a piece for them." That was a bit rich for my blood on that particular day but he could probably talk me into one of these days. The rest of the box was for the most part flogged out no name stuff but then I picked up a Wostenholm Pipe Razor. He pointed to a cracked scale and said, "You can't have these fixed anymore." I didn't have the heart to tell him I knew a guy in Sandpoint, Idaho that could make a dried cow paddy into a beautiful shave-ready showpiece. "How much?" says I. "I'll give it to ya for $10" he replied. I said, I'd think about it and be in touch.

First, I LOVE your story telling. And it makes me feel better that there's a guy out there that feels the same way about these things.

Second, I'll fight you for that Wosty!

P.S.> The cow-paddy line was awesome.

My childhood barber was a thick accented Italian named Luigi who retired many years ago and gave straight shaves. It was a real classic shop, with charts of haircuts that must have been from the '50s on the wall with names for all the different styles. He also had a sign that said "Be sure brain is in gear before engaging mouth." Every time when it was my turn, he would say, "Sitta-down, what would you like-a me to do? A medium?" I would respond, "Yeah, Luigi, just the usual - medium." He would then expertly cut my hair and ask about my mother and other typical barber shop talk. I really miss that. I saw him do a few straight shaves while waiting, not very often though, but he did always do the neck shave for my haircuts, and his finishing touch was always to run the razor slightly above the level of my hair, and it would "HHT" all the hairs that had not settled down. And here I have trouble getting a consistent HHT on my razor! I wish I knew what he used.

The barber I go to here in Brooklyn is run by these guys from Uzbekistan, and they give an amazing haircut for $11. $11 also gets a straight shave, which they use shavettes for, and I have seen them do it and they are certainly not new to it. There is another shop that has been around for a century or so in the same neighborhood, and they do straight shaves as well, but I have heard they give terrible haircuts so I don't want to know what their shaves are like.

Originally Posted by 1OldGI

He then proceeded to tell me that straight razors are not only dangerous but not all that close a shave.

That's pretty amazing coming from a barber but I guess they weren't all able to maintain & hone a razor properly which may account for it.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

That's pretty amazing coming from a barber but I guess they weren't all able to maintain & hone a razor properly which may account for it.

The thought that struck me...and maybe I posted it, but I'm feeling too lazy to go search...my Great Grandfather was the last man in my family to shave with a straight as his preferred method. My grandfather was taught to shave on a straight but after serving in Korea he always used a DE. My dad never even used a DE so far as I'm aware. Most of the old timers that are still cutting hair are several years younger than my grandfather would be...so the odds of them having shaved with a straight all their life is pretty slim. I'm guessing they were DE guys and followed the progression to cartridges along with all the other "sheeple."

Originally Posted by BigJim

The thought that struck me...and maybe I posted it, but I'm feeling too lazy to go search...my Great Grandfather was the last man in my family to shave with a straight as his preferred method. My grandfather was taught to shave on a straight but after serving in Korea he always used a DE. My dad never even used a DE so far as I'm aware. Most of the old timers that are still cutting hair are several years younger than my grandfather would be...so the odds of them having shaved with a straight all their life is pretty slim. I'm guessing they were DE guys and followed the progression to cartridges along with all the other "sheeple."

I can clearly remember as a kid in the 60's getting my neck shaved with a straight & whether it was the razor or the barber's technique or both it was always painful so I'm sure that, at least that barber didn't have it wired.

Originally Posted by BigJim

I can only imagine. My wife's fairly intimidated by the straight, but I bought a Gillette Slim at an antique store and after cleaning it up she said, "I could maybe try one of those." It's sitting in our bathroom waiting. Right now she's 9mos pregnant so it'll probably sit for a while yet.

You can always shave em for her... there have been quite a few posts on guys shaving their significant others (or just others) legs.... Heck I had to shave my wifes legs when she was pregnant... She said that most her friends that were pregnant looked like wookies and she was afraid of it. then played the "You did this to me.. you could at least help me look good." card..

Originally Posted by BigJim

I can't say as I mention it on a regular basis. It's come up at the lumber yard (I'm looking for wood to replicate a box I inherited so both of my inherited razors have nice homes), the boot store downtown (looking for strop leather locally), and the barber shop (because they mentioned it). I think if I heard a guy randomly talking about how he tweezes between his eyes to prevent uni-brow(or some other personal hygiene issue) that'd seem pretty weird too.

My wife tells everyone more than I do. THEN they start asking me questions and looking at me like I have a third head. Of course there are several other reason for them to look at me that way, but NOOOOOOO straight razor shaving seems to be the one that tops it off. Guess we souldn't tell them about us wierdo shavers having shrunken head collections too aye?

I got into it for the ladies. Ladies love guys who shave with a straight. At least thats how i interpret the widening of the eyes.

Originally Posted by Nervin

You can always shave em for her... there have been quite a few posts on guys shaving their significant others (or just others) legs.... Heck I had to shave my wifes legs when she was pregnant... She said that most her friends that were pregnant looked like wookies and she was afraid of it. then played the "You did this to me.. you could at least help me look good." card..

She's kinda particular about that. Wants to keep those kind of beauty regimes to herself. And really, I'm okay with that.

So far as the widening of the eyes goes, Tekbow, how do you interpret the guys whose eyes widen?