Thread: What would you give a barber?

My girlfriends cousin is a barber. She's a girl (the barber and girlfriend, smartass). She is one of the best barbers I have come across in my short 31 years.

She would like to start offering straight razor shaves, but must learn how to properly shave a man (and get the required licensing). So what would you give a barber to start them shaving? Here is my gift list, feel free to modify it: (by the way, she wants to use a traditional razor)

Dubl duck razor (wedge or hollow-ground?) Or disposable? What's best for a barber?
New Swaty to touch up razor every week or so...
Tony Miller practice strop until she is ready for a full 3" latigo with linen
Various aftershaves/balms/toners to try out.
hot towels
printouts of barber manuals on shaving, to supplement her own books

As a female, she will not be able to try shaving out on herself, I'll probably be the test subject while she is training...please pray for me.

Is there anything to add? I went for a haircut today and almost gave her the helj sitting in my car for practice...

I taught the local barber here to hone his razors.
So.. Honing lessons is another thing you should give

Also, depending on how often she will have to give shaves, a TM pasted strop would also be great for touching up. Maybe even better than a swaty?

The local barber prefers to use real straights, because it is the 'real' shaving experience, and because disposables cost money.
In some pplaces, you can only use disposables or people's own straights, due to regulations.
If she uses real straights, she should be able to desinfect them between shaves.

Also, in the beginning she will make the same mistakes that we did when we got into this. I'd say give her a couple of shaveready wapienicas to use, and once she has some experience in razor handling and razor care, maybe get her a duck.
If would be a real shame if she dings a duck or inadvertedly let is rust.

anything off this page...
http://www.shavingshop.com/index.php?category=73
the larger blade is great for barbers, it reduces the amount of work she'll have to do, and they are stainless... and they're Henckels... what more could she ask for?

A big pack of balloons, for shave training.

Before you get her anything, you need to check the local and state regulations on str8 shaves. Many places in the US require a barber to use a disposable blade for each shave. So that kind of limits you to a shavette if the regulations are that way in your area.

Randy

Originally Posted by richardhead

She would like to start offering straight razor shaves, but must learn how to properly shave a man (and get the required licensing).

My understanding is that if she doesn't have the required licensing, she's a stylist and not a barber.

Originally Posted by rnfuller

Before you get her anything, you need to check the local and state regulations on str8 shaves. Many places in the US require a barber to use a disposable blade for each shave. So that kind of limits you to a shavette if the regulations are that way in your area.

Randy

+1. the barber shop near me offers shaves, but they use a shavette or something like it. I asked why, didn't razor blades get expensive, and they told me that state regulations prevented them from using the same blade on more than one person. Next time I'm in I'll ask if they are allowed to use one of my razors on me, but that seems kind of stupid.

Originally Posted by ScottS

My understanding is that if she doesn't have the required licensing, she's a stylist and not a barber.

She has a barbers license, but may be limited to using a shavette.

Originally Posted by richardhead

She has a barbers license, but may be limited to using a shavette.

It should have nothing to do with it. A barbers license, among other things, is a license to apply blade to skin.

every video ive seen of a barber shaving someone (new videos) have been using a shavette.

its just to prevent cross contamination, itd be kinda like a tattoo artist using the same needles, even if its been put in an autoclave... its still kinda gross. and im sure itd have to be honed much more often considering there could potentially be several customers per day.

id say she should maybe get a shavette and another straight razor.. shavettes are pretty cheap anyways.

if you had her charge an extra ... what, quarter, or less (if she orders more blades im sure they are cheaper) she would easily make up the money lost in blades, plus ya know.. its only half of a blade.

BUT yeah. gotta check regulations.

sorry for my long and pointless post. heh.