Thread: Barber Shave Breakin' The Law

Originally Posted by heelerau

I guess it is still legal for a barber to use straights down under.

Gotta love the Aussies... We Americans tend to think of ourselves as world leaders, and "the SuperPower" but It's out allies down under who have the right concept of how things should go...

I agree. I don't know how different Australia is from America, but Australians don't seem so eager to sue each other into bankruptcy. I completely understand why barber's wouldn't use a traditional straight the way lawsuits are going in the U.S. Hell, I know a case where a burglar fell on a kitchen knife in the house he was robbing and sued the family. He won!

Not to get too off-topic, I just wish I could bring my own straight and strop into a barber and have them shave me using that. Someone else mentioned this before and I think it's a pretty cool idea.

See, I thought about the following concept. Since it seems that the sharing of blades seems to be a problem, let's get rid of it. You want a real straight shave? Buy a straight and a) bring it in or b) let the barber store it for you. Thus every time you walk into the shop, your blade is shaving you and only you.

I fully agree... but the chance of cross contamination is greater off a strop, he would still have to sterilize or clean the blade...

American "policies" or the sue happy nation... would require people to sign a waiver or their right to sue if anything happens as a result of the shave. Kind of like they do when you get a tattoo.

There was supposedly an italian barber who crossinfected clients with hepatitus by using a straight.

I would've thought an alcohol dip would be sufficient, but i'm not sure i'd like to take my chances. Call me a sissy.

Originally Posted by RalphS

I am lucky to know a barber who still uses a straight rzr and gives you a ten minute hot towel facial treatment. BUT, I think he's bucking the system --

I've visited many OHIO barbers who proclaim they are no longer allowed to shave customers with straight rzrs . . . I am a lawyer, and I've reviewed the OHIO barber regulations and I found no prohibitions -- unless it relates to the method of sanitization that barbers are required to perform on all babering instruments -- perhaps the barbers belive the effort to sterilize the blade isn't worth the effort .

I think the sanitation rules are designed to minimize the transfer of skin diseases more than blood borne illness. Frankly, I do not remember a reported "rash" of transferable skin conditions that necessitated the sanitation rules.

Maybe we should become a political action group too . . . . let's advocate to return the art to barbering!!


RalphS

Ralph which one do you go to?

You don't have to go all the way to Aussie Land to find folks who don't sue one another in to oblivion. Here in Canada you can only sue for actual financial losses, not emotional damages. For instance, if you killed me, my wife to be could theoretically sue you for my lost wages. The case would most likely fail, however, but yeah, we can't sue for twenty million worth of making me feel bad. :P

We also do have a few places left up here that can give you a straight razor shave. Some of them are better than others, but they are all pretty high end trendy places. The 1950s manly pursuits are becoming popular with the modern yuppies.

So it's not illegal here in Ontario, Canada, true land of the free. Hardly. You can get a straight razor shave, but in the name of all that is holy, don't get caught with a straight in your pocket if you're going somewhere for the night! Oh, and it's illegal to smoke inside any public building, or within something like 9 meters of it's entrance. Oh, and make sure that if you're going to own fire arms you have a couple extra thousand to deal with all the storage regulations, because if you screw up on any of them, you'll never own a gun again, once you get out of jail that is. Oh, and if a murderer breaks in to your house, make sure you don't shoot them unless you want to be charged with murder. Actually, funny story, out west a bit a while back there was this guy breaking in to people's houses, robbing them, murdering the family and burning down the house. All in a relatively smallish area. The RCMP reminded people that firearms were for collecting and sporting use, not for self defense. Oh, and if you drop a three inch exhaust on you 150hp 1984 Camaro, expect it to be impounded for being 'modified for street racing'. But! You can get a straight razor shave! :P

Good lord! Charged for murder in self-defense? I suppose that's happened here in the US as well. Probably manslaughter though here. I'm no lawyer though...

Originally Posted by heelerau

I guess it is still legal for a barber to use straights down under.

But what about on my face?

Has anyone heard of Hawleywoods? Its an old school barber shop in California that specializes in the pomps and straight shaves with real straights. They have a website just google it. I think the owner is the one who showed Johnny Depp the basics for Sweeny Todd.