Thread: "Why Barbers Do Not Shave Anymore?" as told by a Barber

Aloha!

You genlemen may find this interesting. All of the Barbers I have been to over the years always told me it was "Blood Born Pathogens" that stopped them from shaving. This article states otherwise. It's his take (as a Barber) on why Barbers no longer shave. I've had a few "Shavette" shaves over the years, but I really do miss a straight razor shave by a Barber. The old fashioned way. Those were the best. The last one I had was 1995 ish.

The article: https://fromthebarberschair.wordpres...barbers-shave/

-Zip

There's still some that do around me. Some of the guys I've worked with go to them for shaves. I use a straight razor myself and couldn't bring myself to let someone else shave me.

I have been in for quite a few hot shaves. Many areas they can use a straight razor, most choose to use a shavette or disposable blade razor simply because it is more simple. The price rang varies a lot. Haircuts hang around $20 but shaves are around $50 so shave and a haircut $70. There is no shortage of people lining up in the cities, and you may have to wait more than 24 hours for an appointment. Of course I can get a nice shave on my own but the rest of the treatment is tough to provide otherwise. I have paid as much as $90 for a shave. My first hot shave was an old Italian barber in the big city, near the waterfront. It was not as long on the treatment but a great shave, it was the mid 80's and it was $20. I do realize the regions are different and on the coast we pay a lot more for a lot of stuff.

In the olden days before the safety razor men who did not have the dexterity to handle a straight had no choice but to go to a barber every so often. In those days most men would go to the barber's once or twice a week for a shave. Especially the less wealthy. Nowadays most men like to shave every day. Going to a barber every day is unaffordable for many. Moreover, we seem to be in a hurry all the time: so much to do, so little time. A decent barber's shave takes half an hour, DIY shave 5-10 minutes at most.

Aloha!

I often wonder what it was like shaving in the old west. We see Barbers dipicted in Westerns shaving cowboys all the time. That makes good television but I don't think it was all that common for your regular cowboy to go to the barbershop for a shave. But can you imaging shaving "On the trail" with a straight razor, soap and a mirror? No aftershave as we know it, or any sanitary ways to keep the razor clean, and probably a simple hone for semi-sharpening the blade at best. There must have been a lot of infections from nicks and cuts back then. Either that or men waited for their weekly bath at a bath house, to also go to the barber and get a weekly shave.

Kinda funny there Zip, a friend of mine has "Cat House" coins from the late 1700's early 1800's.

They are wooden for the most part, one side says $1. The other says "Good for 1 shot, shave & screw"
Dang things don't mention the bath part

That's funny, Dave! Nothing new under the sun as they say. Even our great great grandfathers needed a little "R&R" so to speak.

Some states it's just too much trouble to live by the rules of a straight shave, hence shavettes.

As to shaving in the old days I don't know how much different, I,m not sanitizing my razors now, I shave with them, mostly just tap water warm, wipe it down and stick it in my safe. They only get dipped in the blue stuff when I first get them, now years later I haven't done anything to them. I think you hit already, the old cowboy just waited till bath time or if he was a clean shaven guy all the time, a small mirror and his razor lather and brush was all he needed. He had plenty of leather to strop on with his saddle, and when he seen town there was always a guy who honed razors around.

My dad was one of those guys who went to the barber for his shaves and trim, his own mug of soap and brush were left at the shop, he usually did a Monday, and a Saturday , in between he'd still shave with his razor at home(DE, and then electric) But those barber shops have just about vanished. Tc

I used to go to the barber by me once a month as a treat to myself for a hair cut and shave. The hot towel, the cream, the face massage, the works. The last time I went the price went up to $30 plus you leave a $5 tip for the job well done. $35!! I used to pay $8 for all of the above (that was some years ago, granted) that's $420 a year! Think of all the razors and such I could buy for $420....hmmm. all in all it helped me to get back into shaving again

Some of the commercial boats I have worked on were rather light on amenities. Ten days off shore, a bath, a haircut, and a shave were not only great, they were needed before heading out on the town.