Thread: Straight razors and a funeral parlor.

Hi Chaps,
As you all know im a Funeral director here in old blighty and I thought it would be awesome to change the razors in the mortuary to straights. Ok I know this subject may be taboo but I have no wish to upset anyone by opening this discussion up, I just wanted to let you all know that I have used a straight on several clients and had one family tell me that their Grandfather had never looked so good and after I told them what razor I had used they smiled and told me he would of loved it!

I have now taught the razor basics to my staff and its going down a treat! there are some issues mind you but my clients get the full treatment of a heated towel soak, proraso shaving cream etc I do not skimp on the shaving process! and I have found that the straights get into corners and areas that most conventional razors fail to do often leaving a client with a little stubble or patches in places.

I just wanted to share this, I know it will come across as weird and a bit morbid but my intention is to show that a straight razor has a place still in this modern world and that some of my staff after a bit of show and tell are now looking into getting a straight for home use, so I may have converted a chap or too at my yard.

You mean the health codes allow you to use an actual straight and not a disposable? Can your clients catch anything? (har har)-sorry about that.

Yes no problems, the funeral trade in the UK is largely unregulated and as long as the razors are washed down in dis-spray or some other powerfull antibacterial liquid it is fine....I did double check with the NAFD just in case lol! their thoughts were plain and simple...a razor is a razor...keep it clean and your fine.....so i was pleased!.

Reminds me of the Doc using an alcohol wipe on a death row inmate prior to starting a lethal injection I.V
at any rate more power to you,at least you will not need to buy steptic pencils.

Seems reasonable to me. I dated a funeral director for a while, and she always took great pride in doing the makeup and hair on clients. Someone's got to make them look good, I doubt the straight will give them much of a scare.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Reminds me of the Doc using an alcohol wipe on a death row inmate prior to starting a lethal injection I.V
at any rate more power to you,at least you will not need to buy steptic pencils.

That last line gave me a good laugh.

Why not? I feel the best shave possible for the departed's final viewing is most appropriate. If the skills of the Mortician include proficiency with a straight razor, it is all for the better. BTW, I have chosen cremation! I will be scattered with a fine blade!

I know at least one parlour here in town uses a straight with disposable blades. I will have to find out if they use canned goo (I suspect that they do) but they have found that the blade is the best for a shave and control. It makes perfect sense as you can shave yourself with a straight without tensing parts of your face and trying to help the blade along actively. Also, with a cartridge you will get clogs if the person has not shaved recently.

I suspect that nobody there wants to figure out how to maintain a blade or they might be persuaded to go with an outright traditional (for some reason an 8/8 W+B seems appropriate.)

Cool. I honestly think this is great. The dead won't appreciate it, but at the very least you'll cut down on your consumables.
And it is nice that an old skill such as shaving with a straight is being used again.

Not weird at all! It's great to hear someone proud of their work, regardless of what it may be. I don't have any spiritual obligations to my corpse beyond my life, but I would be happy to know someone was taking the time to make me look good