Thread: Old barber manual

Hi i need some help finding the old barbers manual that talks about honing towards a smile.
Thanks,
Mike

Originally Posted by Southbound

Hi i need some help finding the old barbers manual that talks about honing towards a smile.
Thanks,
Mike

You could always look in our library, its in there.

Originally Posted by Southbound

Hi i need some help finding the old barbers manual that talks about honing towards a smile.
Thanks,
Mike

http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...t_-_Honing.pdf


http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...lling_X_stroke

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just go to the honing threads,, its pretty common to discuss honing a razor there,, some one will help you Tc

The thing with old barber manuals is that they were intended to teach the basics of honing, not the advanced stuff. In fact, I doubt that many old time barbers ever bothered with fancy edge correction techniques - I think when the hone wear became a problem, they just broke out a new razor and tossed the old one. Has anyone ever seen a barber manual that discusses the different grind styles and any honing variations?

Originally Posted by Maladroit

The thing with old barber manuals is that they were intended to teach the basics of honing, not the advanced stuff. In fact, I doubt that many old time barbers ever bothered with fancy edge correction techniques - I think when the hone wear became a problem, they just broke out a new razor and tossed the old one. Has anyone ever seen a barber manual that discusses the different grind styles and any honing variations?

The one quoted above is from 1961 IIRC. I have another, Moler's from 1926. According to Robert A Doyle author of Straight Razor Collecting, the Germans perfected hollow grinding in the late 1800s and it wasn't long before the hollow ground dominated the industry, and the old wedges were phased out.

Chances are by the early 1900s most barbers used hollow grounds. Just as the safety razor pretty much ended straight razor shaving for the majority of men by the middle 1900s.

Say that to say, the reason those manuals don't address the different grinds is that pro barbers weren't razor enthusiasts the way we are. They just considered them a tool to make a living and wanted the easiest and quickest to hone. IMHO.