Thread: Are they legal for barbers to use in Ohio?

This may be a common thread, but I've been wondering if straight razors are illegal for barbers in Cincinnati to use. I moved too far away to go to my barber of 6 years that used a straight razor. I won't go to one that doesn't. He says that barbers tell people that they aren't allowed to use them because of AIDS. My old barber says that they tell people that because they don't want to use them because they're expensive. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I find it hard to believe that the 2 or3 local barbers that I know of that use them are breaking the law.

Depends on the state. Look into the state licensing boards for Tattooists and piercers. Somehow barbers fall into this category.

I know in Portland, where I live, everything has to be disposable. All the places that give str8 shaves here use Feather no sharpen razors. Even mine uses a shavette for neck and ear trimming.

I really doubt that any barbers in the United States are using a real straight razor. It's probably a shavette type razor that uses a disposable blade but has a handle that looks like a straight.

Traditional straight razors could be used if they are sterilized in an autoclave. When straights started being banned in the 1980s, these were too expensive for barbers. Thus the origin of the shavette.

Nowadays, fewer and fewer barbers are giving shaves. In fact, most don't have the proper chair any more. So, I think what you are hearing is a justification for the fact that those barbers just don't want to/know how to give shaves.

Yeah, he probably uses the disposables, but these other barbers won't use those, just clippers. And this last "barber" I talked too said that his clippers get just as close as razors. Nice try.

Originally Posted by SaveTheStraightRazor

Yeah, he probably uses the disposables, but these other barbers won't use those, just clippers. And this last "barber" I talked too said that his clippers get just as close as razors. Nice try.

Clippers? For shaves? When older barbers refer to clippers they refer to those manual things used for cutting hair. newer guys use electric ones also used for trimming hair on the back of the neck and sideburns. years ago when short hair was the style they used the electric clippers to give crew cuts and other types of haircuts but they never used clippers to give shaves.

Whether the statutes mention razors or not many times its an insurance issue or the statutes are written in a way so as to make shaves with straights very inconvenient and then of course there's the skill issue.

My barber is 89 years old. He uses the shavette to get the hair on the back of the neck and behind the ears. It is a six chair shop and the owner is the only one who does shaves. I am told he also uses a straight with a disposable blade.

As a pro tattooist I used to use a Weck with disposable blades to shave the tattoo area but I stopped as I think it leaves a better impression on customers to be shaved with a disposable like a Bic type.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

My barber is 89 years old. He uses the shavette to get the hair on the back of the neck and behind the ears. It is a six chair shop and the owner is the only one who does shaves. I am told he also uses a straight with a disposable blade.

As a pro tattooist I used to use a Weck with disposable blades to shave the tattoo area but I stopped as I think it leaves a better impression on customers to be shaved with a disposable like a Bic type.

I have ink and personally I put my trust in my research and the artist. I wouldn't care if he used a real straight cause I know his/her rep will carry through and he/she wouldn't use a "dirty" instrument.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

My barber is 89 years old. He uses the shavette to get the hair on the back of the neck and behind the ears.

That's all I have done and when somebody uses the electric clippers, it doesn't get close enough for my liking. That "barber" says that they get as close as shavettes/straight razors and I called BS. If the guy doesn't want to use the razors, then why not just say that he doesn't want to hassle with them instead of making lame excuses like the electric clippers work just as well and the open razors are illegal?

Originally Posted by Chimensch

I really doubt that any barbers in the United States are using a real straight razor. It's probably a shavette type razor that uses a disposable blade but has a handle that looks like a straight.

Traditional straight razors could be used if they are sterilized in an autoclave. When straights started being banned in the 1980s, these were too expensive for barbers. Thus the origin of the shavette.

Nowadays, fewer and fewer barbers are giving shaves. In fact, most don't have the proper chair any more. So, I think what you are hearing is a justification for the fact that those barbers just don't want to/know how to give shaves.

My barber gives shaves with a Shavette but has offered to shave me with my own blade if I bring it in. I haven't yet had a shave from him because I'm quite good at cutting myself and need no one else to do it for me. A couple of the girls who work for him use a real straight for the neck hair. They keep the blade hanging in barbicide, wipe it off before using it on you, wipe it off again when done, and pop it back in to the barbicide. It's freaking painful. Unless they strop at the beginning or end of the day, I've not seen them put that razor to anything and it pulls like crazy.

There are a few barbers around here that offer shaves with a shavette, not for legal reasons but because they were never taught how to maintain a traditional straight. I offered to teach one of them but he was scared of messing the edge up stropping or honing and then giving the customer a bad shave.