Do barbers still use traditional straight razors or just shavettes

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by 7055, Mar 7, 2016.

  1. 7055

    7055 Active Member

    Just wondering, do they still use traditional straight razors or is there some law against that now to prevent blood borne pathogens from being transferred? You would think that there would be a way to sterilize them.

    With shavettes you have a replaceable blade but you lose some of the nostalgia of having a solid piece of steel across your face and the stropping. You also pay more for the blades. Come to think of it, I don't see how shavettes help because you don't even replace the whole blade, so it is still possible to transfer something if the shaver knicks someone.
     
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2016
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  2. Norcalnewb

    Norcalnewb Magnanimous Moos

    I think it varies from state to state. I got a true straight razor shave at a shop in Houston a year or so ago.
     
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  3. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    I'm here in New Jersey. Law says shavette, and that's what they use.
    No sense risking your license and job when a shavette will do the same thing a str8 will.
     
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  4. Herm2502

    Herm2502 off to elf practice

    I believe Ohio either requires disposable blades (shavette?) or sterilization in an autoclave.
     
  5. kurtmill

    kurtmill Active Member

    I believe Colorado still allows straight razor shaves. I know about 3 years ago I had a barber shave the back of my hairline with a straight.
     
  6. 7055

    7055 Active Member

    I don't know why they would outlaw them, if for example you use a Feather AC instead, and accidently knick someone, you could get some of those pathogens on the part of the blade that is not disposable, so it would still require some kind of sterilization.
     
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2016
  7. Drygulch

    Drygulch Snowballs

    Most states have laws that rank different items as higher or lower risk, depending on what they are and how they are used. A shavette can have the blade removed, and then be put in barbercide. A straight, the blade is intact, and so is ranked as a higher risk. Some states that allow SR shaves don't do them because Barber Schools don't teach SR shaving anymore, so there is no way to get the certification required. I have only looked at one shop in Kansas, but they appear to use a shavette, instead of a traditional SR.
     
  8. 7055

    7055 Active Member

    Couldn't you just dip a straight in barbercide as well?
     
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  9. Drygulch

    Drygulch Snowballs

    We are talking laws, not common sense. Cutting instruments require a higher level of sanitation than blade holders, where the cutting surface is thrown away.
     
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  10. 7055

    7055 Active Member

    I see, that is too bad though for the states that outlawed them. A shavette just isn't quite the same as a straight IMHO.
     
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  11. MarshalArtist

    MarshalArtist Psychiatric Help 5¢

    Some of this depends on how much they want to bother. A shavette is just easier than trying to maintain a regular SR. To be disinfected, an item needs to be in Barbicide for several hours--a dip won't do. I'm not sure if that will take the edge off or not. I know autoclave or any sort of heat sterilizing will.
     
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  12. Mr. Oldschool

    Mr. Oldschool Johnny Dangerously

    From what I understand, the law in Oregon allows real straights, but those few barbers that still shave tend to use the shavettes due to the maintenance issue. And they always stick the holder in Barbicide between uses, so even the non-disposable part gets cleaned. Anyone remember the episode of Dr Quinn Medicine Woman where the barber discovers his dirty razor caused one of his customers to die? Considering that was something they had only just started to look at in the 1980's, I remember thinking the episode was ridiculous.

    Thinking about that a little further, I think there is no way a cartridge razor can compete with a straight at cleanliness. They have all those crevices and nooks and crannies to grow germs in where a straight is necessarily cleaned every time you wipe it down and strop it. Even DE's would have trouble staying as clean unless you only use each side once and then throw it away.
     
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  13. 45auto

    45auto Well-Known Member

    I talked to a salesman at AOS he told me normal straight razor shaves weren't possible due to the fact you can't sterilize the strop.
     
  14. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    The strop is why Colorado mandates shavette.
     
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  15. Hairy Alaskan

    Hairy Alaskan eww da toilet

    My understanding is that straight razor use is outlawed in several states. I learned this when the wife and I went to Vegas in 2013 for our 10 year anniversary. We were both really excited because she surprised me with a "real" straight razor shave which unfortunately turned out to be a shavette shave. It was still nice to be pampered but the shave wasn't very close and it wasn't blood free.
     
  16. 7055

    7055 Active Member

    I'm surprised to hear it wasn't blood free, is that common from professional barbers?
     
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  17. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Wouldn't surprise me. Most people going into barber shops these days aren't going in for the $10-$15 shave when they can do it themselves. Thus barbers don't get that much practice.
     
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  18. Darkbulb

    Darkbulb Cookie Hoarder

    California requires disposable blades as well.
     
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  19. Hairy Alaskan

    Hairy Alaskan eww da toilet

    This place specializes in straight razor shaving. I have really sensitive skin and always seem to bleed easily on my neck. I didn't leave there bleeding but I did have a few weepers that needed a bit of attention during the finishing process.
     
  20. pundi64

    pundi64 Well-Known Member

    I know over here in Thailand, they use Shavetts, never had a weeper here, but with the high increase of HIV , I'm glad they do.
     

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