Got my first "Barbershop" Shave

[Blade Wielder]

Right outside the place I work, there's a hair cutting place -- it's got the spinning pole, so I guess it's as barbershop as you get. A little while ago I asked them if they did shaves and they told me they did. I asked to see what they use then, and was shown a shavette. Of course. So yesterday, after I had finished work, I went in there for a shave, figuring that because I had never had one done before, and because I walked by the place every day, I might as well. Just to see if they could do it as well as I can. Eight dollars was the price.

So the guy sat me down, put a towel around my neck and started applying shaving cream with his hand. He had nearly finished this step before I asked, "Hey, aren't you going to prep my face with hot towels or anything?" He said sure, he would do it for me, rattling off a jumble of excuses, including, 'Some guys don't like the towel' and 'This cream here moisturizes just as well.' (Abort! Abort!) So then he applied the towel. It was wet, but pretty cold. It was only on there for thirty seconds before he began with the cream again -- a poor lather.

He then asked me what my face was used to. I told him to go with the grain, then across. He nodded an affirmative. His with-the-grain pass was pretty straight forward. He moved swiftly enough and was soon re-lathering. But on the cross-grain I thought he was being a bit aggressive with the strokes (this was a machine-sharp edge, after all), and he went against the grain where I'm usually very careful with my straights. I noticed at that point that my neck and a space above my lip were red with a irritation. I toughed it out, though. When he was nearly done he asked, "Is that close enough? Because if I go any further, it's probably going to bleed." I was like, "Well, I personally stop before the 'bleeding stage,' so yeah, I think that's close enough."

He then offered me "alcohol." I agreed, but asked if I could apply it. It burned.

When I got home, I noticed that he had left a centimetre-long, thin nick beneath my chin. I hadn't noticed it before. This is basically what I expected for eight bucks. I've heard some bleed when they loose their "shave virginity" at a barbershop, though.

[RichZ]

Sorry but you got screwed. My barber gives a get shave smooth as a babys butt, hot towels-twice nice lather. I've had it done 5 or 6 times no nicks.

$7.50 plus tip.

[Blade Wielder]

Yes, that was implicit in my post.

I will now go in search of a new, old school barber. One who understands the straight razor.

[robertlampo]

Blade, I spoke to my new "barber-in-training" on Thursday about his plan to get a barber's license. Right now he doesn't need one because he works uder the tutelage of a certified barber (at least here in NY he doesn't). He told me that he will use a shavette on his test. I was always under the impression that they had to demonstrate stropping and using a real straight for the shave - not so. He did tell me that he had to give a haircut and shave in about 45 minutes and had to keep from nicking the patron with the razor. A cut that is a gusher is immediate failure but a nick can be forgiven if the barber knows how to treat it and be sterile.

I asked the owner of the shop about his state certification exam. He said it was administered by old-school Italian men in Manhattan. Since his test, which was only two years ago, those old-school men were replaced by men in their twenties who are somewhat more lenient than their predecessors, by the barber's own admission. Lenient or not, it's one thing to show competancy during the exam by using hot towels, giving facials, etc. but once the barber is certified, do they revert to cutting corners as Blade Wielder has experienced? Do most men even know what to expect from their barber anyway? Probably not. Most Baby-boomers and those younger have never had a professional shave anyway. Hell, most go to salons!

I think that is probably the trend we will see nationwide - a loss of the old, classic way of barbershop grooming because a newer generation of people have streamlined the procedures.

I'll never forget my first, and only, professional shave. It was by an old-school Italian who pampered me to the fullest and gave me a baby's-bottom-smooth shave with a minute nick that needed a microscope to be seen and that was due to a blemish that he shaved over.

I'd like to visit Trumper's one day to see their techniques.

Just my observations.........

-Rob

[auximage]

Sorry but you got screwed. My barber gives a get shave smooth as a babys butt, hot towels-twice nice lather. I've had it done 5 or 6 times no nicks.

$7.50 plus tip.

Rich,

I live in Brooklyn, and am curious where I can go to get a good shave at that price in the city?

[JerseyLawyer]

I believe they use a shavette because the law in New York requires them as opposed to an actual straight razor.

In New Jersey, there is a shave test on the exam still (though it is now a "Cosmetologist-Hairstylist" exam and the "Barber" license is extinct), and at least my barber still uses a real straight razor.

I think it depends on the state, really.

[RichZ]

Rich,

I live in Brooklyn, and am curious where I can go to get a good shave at that price in the city?

Little Neck Queens. Two Italian brothers own the shop and they only charhe $7.25 for a haircut also.