I found some old newspaper articles and cartoons (c.1900-1940) on barbering, clipped and glued to card stock, in the estate of an old barber (US). These were likely posted inside his barbershop for the customers' enjoyment. One of these articles caught my attention:

The quick-shaving champion of England, and possibly of the world, is Robert Hardie, a Manchester barber. Hardie's record of shaving five men in one minute and 15 seconds stood for some years, but not long ago the champion of the razor thought he would try for a new and better mark, so he shaved six men in one minute and 29 seconds.

Now he challenges the world, offering a bet of 500 pounds sterling, and his money can be won by anyone who will match him at either quick shaving or blindfold shaving.

Barber Hardie can shave one man, no matter how harsh his beard, in 12 seconds, or he will let himself be blindfolded and then make a clean job of it in 27 seconds. Besides these feats, which are accomplished with an ordinary straight razor, Hardie will give any man a perfectly satisfactory shave with a carving knife in 45 seconds, or with a penknife in 28 seconds.

It takes me 20 minutes, from strop to splash.

Christopher