Thread: I went to the Barber yesterday

The weather was really nice here yesterday, I drove myself to work and a full schedule for the seekend so I tiik a half day vacation. Stopped at Wood Craft for some supplies to use on the next restore and stopped at my Barber's for a hair cut. I've been going to the same place for a while now and have been bring in some straights to show and for Angie to use when he cuts my hair. Most of the guys work there part time and are semi retired. They always enjoy seeing the blades I bring in, giving them a spin on my sideburns and neck and telling stories. It's a great time, thanks guys!

Well yester when I got to the shop it was around 1 in the afternoon and the last customer was just leaving so it was three barbers and me. Chats were about the shaving assembly lines in the shops of old, how to tell when the blade needed attention, hot towels, lathering the customer w/ a brush and cream (Angie hadent seen hard shave soap until he come to this country) and such. Angie mentioned that after working up a lather on his customers he would use his index and middle finger together to work the lather in even deeper, which of course was after the hot towel. When I mentioned C-Mons or Dubl Ducks you should see their eyes widen and light up. Bring one in and he puts it right into service. Man, when I brought in the Hess 8/8+ his chin hit his chest and he was just aglow. He likes round points alnd large blades and the Hess had both.

Well now it was time to use the straight. This time I brought in a Robeson 5/8 round point that went through my honing sequence. I stropped it just before work but had not shaved with it or tested it in any way after honing. Angie was in his glory. He kept saying "Can you feel that?" and I would jsut say "No, but I can hear it." His face was aglow again. The other two barbers came over and watched. Angie keep saying "Look! See how the hair is just coming off w/o any pressure!"

Well the owner of the shop ( a younger guy that probably never used a real straight on a customer) never joined in on our conversations but this time he was showing me his late father in law's barber hones and asked if I would sharpen up one of his straights a customer gave him. It's a really nice Puma! I cleaned it up a bit last night as I was cleaning some other recent finds. It will probably hit the hones soon. He can't use it in the shop but will be trying it out on himself.

I had a really great time at the barber yesterday. It looked like the guys in the shop did also. I hope they did. I'll have to find ways to get to the barber during the week, mid day, more often.

If you guys know of a barber that has used straights, bring one or two of your along the next time you get a cut. Maybe it will enhance the experiance a bit and bring on some interesting stories.

p.s. Angie said that the silk strop heated up the razor preparing it for the leather.