Thread: Barber's notch: what's the point?

I have several notched razors, and I've yet to figure out how the barber's notch is an advantage. Is it supposed to help you get around the nostrils? Maybe it just helps when you're shaving someone else? I don't get it.

I do not think it has a purpose. I think it was simply designed to lighten the razor without changing the width. If you held up a razor all day long you might appreciate that. That is my guess.

Any guesses as to what it shaves around are only guesses and you would have to move the blade sideways in order to get anything into the notch.

Years ago, when barbers still used straight razors I asked my old barber that very same question. What he did was to show me. He took one of his "notched" razors off the counter and very quickley put the point in the top of his pocket, on his barber smock and fliped the razor open.

He said when working on a coustomer, with wet hands, opening a razor this way was easer than using two hands.

Excellent, that makes sense!

Interesting!

It seems I read somewhere that the notch was used by putting his (the barber's) index finger of his other hand in the notch, and, thus, making a two handed pass with the blade. I honestly don't know when or why this would be necessary, perhaps as a guide, when needed, using more pressure???

Whatever?

Either way, I thing the barber's notch looks really cool!