Thread: Barber Shave Breakin' The Law

There is barber shop here in Walnut Creek that will give you a shave with a straight razor. Actually just a couple of the guys in the shop will. I saw a guy getting one when I stopped in a few years ago and went in for a shave and a haircut on my wedding day. It was the best shave experience I've ever had and started my using a straight soon after. The barber that shaved me honed my grandfathers blades for me for some wine I made.

Ralph,
Shaving in Ohio is legal and practiced by few but our numbers are growing. We at our barbershop "The Noble Baron" in New Albany, Ohio not only shave but shave almost as much as we cut hair. The risks associated with shaving are not much different than those associated with using clippers in the sense that if your barber is not sterilizing his equipment he can pass disease either way. Nowadays most barbers use (and should use) disposable straight razors as we do, however I have straight razors that belong to my regulars. The aids epidemic scared a lot of older barbers as there was so much misinformation out there and even some barber inspectors (now retired) in our state detered us from shaving. However if a barber tells you now that he cannot shave it is usually as a result of laziness or being out of practice. The schools only teach you the basics (strokes etc.) and it is the barbers responsiblity to get educated and above all shave often. In Ohio it use to be barber school then 5 years under a master barber as an apprentice who groomed barbers to be great master barbers, so the schools were just a starting point. With the loss of the barbers union years ago they did away with the internship under master barbers but did not improve the barber training. The purpose of the barber board in Ohio is per their own admission one thing, "To Protect The Public". They feel if barbers can make it through school they will learn or go broke trying I assume. They do not educate. We have recently began a barbers association that is promoting not only continuing education but also protecting the trade and all its skillsets. I am a barber purist as I always say. I believe that if we are taught it that it is our job to practice it so the skills will not be lost. We need to inprove the schools, be tough on shops that are not sanitary and grow the trade with accurate information about our craft in all states, not just Ohio. Check us out The Noble Baron Barbers Shaving Massage Hope this helps!

Barber shops are making a come back here in Winnipeg I know of 7 with two new ones advertising on the radio lately.
I have only been to two and they both offer proper straight razor shaves.
Two others offer shaves but I don't know if they use real straights or shavettes.
The rest I don't know what services they offer but they are here.

This is categorically false. There are several places around the state that offer this service. You must be a licensed Master Barber to offer the service. The only reason why someone would tell you that is because they don't offer the service themselves and are afraid if you find a place that offers such a service they'll lose you as a customer. I know of places in Greenwich, Newtown, Farmington, Hartford, and Groton that offer shaving services.

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Originally Posted by JBame

Ralph,
Shaving in Ohio is legal and practiced by few but our numbers are growing. We at our barbershop "The Noble Baron" in New Albany, Ohio not only shave but shave almost as much as we cut hair. The risks associated with shaving are not much different than those associated with using clippers in the sense that if your barber is not sterilizing his equipment he can pass disease either way. Nowadays most barbers use (and should use) disposable straight razors as we do, however I have straight razors that belong to my regulars. The aids epidemic scared a lot of older barbers as there was so much misinformation out there and even some barber inspectors (now retired) in our state detered us from shaving. However if a barber tells you now that he cannot shave it is usually as a result of laziness or being out of practice. The schools only teach you the basics (strokes etc.) and it is the barbers responsiblity to get educated and above all shave often. In Ohio it use to be barber school then 5 years under a master barber as an apprentice who groomed barbers to be great master barbers, so the schools were just a starting point. With the loss of the barbers union years ago they did away with the internship under master barbers but did not improve the barber training. The purpose of the barber board in Ohio is per their own admission one thing, "To Protect The Public". They feel if barbers can make it through school they will learn or go broke trying I assume. They do not educate. We have recently began a barbers association that is promoting not only continuing education but also protecting the trade and all its skillsets. I am a barber purist as I always say. I believe that if we are taught it that it is our job to practice it so the skills will not be lost. We need to inprove the schools, be tough on shops that are not sanitary and grow the trade with accurate information about our craft in all states, not just Ohio. Check us out The Noble Baron Barbers Shaving Massage Hope this helps!

I'm having trouble getting to your site. Can you check your. Link?

I am truly a rebel at heart, in every since of the word. And I think if it's my decision to get a straight razor shave from a barber I trust, then it should be my right to assume the risk. I'd even be willing to sign a paper to waive any right to legal action. I mean... after all, it's my body. It's the 21st century and we know how to avoid most of the risks. It's not any different than a tattoo.

I think its a lot different than a tattoo. A good shave does not draw blood, a tattoo can't be done without!

Originally Posted by Splashone

I think its a lot different than a tattoo. A good shave does not draw blood, a tattoo can't be done without!

A good shave won't leave the customer with a permanent mark either .........

Originally Posted by stupidyank

Odd all this talk of HIV stopping straight shaving in barber shops. Hepatitis is MUCH more virulent than HIV. But I suppose scares like this are rarely based on reality.

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Seems to me that there are far more nooks and crannys for germs, bacteria and viruses to congregate on a shavette than there are on the standard old fashioned straight razor. An old fashioned straight razor seems much easier to keep clean and sanitary.

I think the comments go to prove my point. It's much easier to find someone who can give a sub-standard tattoo than someone to give a straight razor shave, despite the risks.