Thread: Nothing against the Barbers

Well, nothing against beginners either. But given the choice I'd rather be shaved by a barber than a newbie. And nothing against hobbiests either, but given a post on here or a barbers manual; I'll take the manual.

Having written several textbooks I am very familiar with the know it all instructor, most of whom were not doing so well in their chosen field to begin with.

At the suggestion of Alan quite some time ago, I followed stropping and TPT instructions from the barber's manual verbatim and they've both served me very very well. Thanks again, Alan!

Chris L

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Well, nothing against beginners either. But given the choice I'd rather be shaved by a barber than a newbie. And nothing against hobbiests either, but given a post on here or a barbers manual; I'll take the manual.

Having written several textbooks I am very familiar with the know it all instructor, most of whom were not doing so well in their chosen field to begin with.

I can see the manual as a starting point, not the final word on the art of straight razor shaving. Given the choice I wager that an average SRP whisker wiper would choose his own honing over the average barber shop razor of 100 years ago.

We can learn a great deal from them. Like I said: it's nothing against barbers.... but i think i'm better than you

We've had these discussions in the past and I think they are silly and I mean no disrespect to the opener of the discussion.

I can still remember going to a barber in the 1950s and seeing people being shaved with a straight. What you maybe don't realize is modern barbers have NO formal training in straight usage with very few exceptions and do not have to demonstrate any proficiency in its use. In the old days barbers couldn't get a license until they passed a practical shaving test with a straight. Most people who use a disposable these days are self taught and when you go to them you are their source of practice.

If you got a shave by a barber in the old days you walked out of the shop with a shave far better than you could give yourself with few exceptions and if you were nicked by a barber or had any irritation, after punching the guy out he would never work giving shaves again.

Most people today seem to have an inability to accept the fact that barbers were expert at giving shaves but this was fact and as generally accepted as the sun rising in the east every morning.

My shave before my prom was by a barber with a straight and the only barber shave I shave ever paid for. He was about 80 and nearly blind, and this wasn't to long before all straights in barber shops seemed to disappear, but I still remember the whisper light touch of the single blade wipping the whiskers off my face. fifteen years later this memory was instrumental in my quest to learn to use a straight. Its taken My a few years of practice tobe able to consistatly be able to give myself the shaves that can match that one. Frankly it can't be done with a disposable blade either.

Originally Posted by kevint

We can learb a great deal from them. Like I said: it's nothing against barbers.... but i think i'm better than you

No.

I don't really think we've blown the lid on straight shaving compared to old traditional barbers, but if I was shaving 10 faces every day instead of one I'd expect to be better.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

We've had these discussions in the past and I think they are silly and I mean no disrespect to the opener of the discussion.

I can still remember going to a barber in the 1950s and seeing people being shaved with a straight. What you maybe don't realize is modern barbers have NO formal training in straight usage with very few exceptions and do not have to demonstrate any proficiency in its use. In the old days barbers couldn't get a license until they passed a practical shaving test with a straight. Most people who use a disposable these days are self taught and when you go to them you are their source of practice.

If you got a shave by a barber in the old days you walked out of the shop with a shave far better than you could give yourself with few exceptions and if you were nicked by a barber or had any irritation, after punching the guy out he would never work giving shaves again.

Most people today seem to have an inability to accept the fact that barbers were expert at giving shaves but this was fact and as generally accepted as the sun rising in the east every morning.

Punching the guy out? heh heh. more romaticism

Originally Posted by Wildtim

My shave before my prom was by a barber with a straight and the only barber shave I shave ever paid for. He was about 80 and nearly blind, and this wasn't to long before all straights in barber shops seemed to disappear, but I still remember the whisper light touch of the single blade wipping the whiskers off my face. fifteen years later this memory was instrumental in my quest to learn to use a straight. Its taken My a few years of practice tobe able to consistatly be able to give myself the shaves that can match that one. Frankly it can't be done with a disposable blade either.

heh heh. prom fuzz.

romaticism

Almost 24 years ago, I received my first Str8 shave from an old time barber. When I was a rookie Police Officer, I had a supervisor that was trained as a barber in NYC in the 1960's. He told me the students, were advised to go into the Bowery and entice "street people" into the school for free showers-followed by a haircut and SHAVE! I guess most were "pain-free" and tolerated new untrained hands well.

Originally Posted by kevint

Given the choice I wager that an average SRP whisker wiper would choose his own honing over the average barber shop razor of 100 years ago.

Extreme romaticism. The average SRP whisker wiper is still posting questions on how to hone.