In a display case at the barbershop.

Old guy and his son run the place, both certified master barbers. "Those are what we used in the old days," the father says. Now they use shavettes, might be a matter of law, not sure.

I told him I know some folks that still shave themselves with straight razors and they'd probably enjoy seeing a photo of his collection. Also a few safety razors in there, including that crazy giant plug-in model on the left.

 

My barber has a collection of all the straight razors he has used over the years. He say's hes' been a Barber since 1958, I would say he's old enough to be.He said that his barbershop was broke in to once but the police department caught the people in the barber shop. He keeps his collection under lock and key now.
He said he shakes too much to offer a shave with his straight razors. He says he used to work at MCRD when he first started then he went to George Air Force Base in 1962 and worked there until they shut the base down and then started working in the shop where I started using him as my Barber.

 

Great collection.

 

Great pic! Wish I had an actual barber shop like that around me.

 

Yes what they call a Barber shop around here is a bunch of guys masquerading as Barber's using Norelco Electric Razors to shave peoples heads for $12.00 bucks each. Also the current fad is to offer a straight razor shave for $15.00 for your face and or another $15.00 to $25.00 to shave your head with the straight razor.

 

Yes, there are a few barber shops that masquerade as true barber shops around here that offer a "straight" shave for $15 too in southern Florida. I would never take them up on the offer and only got my haircut there once because it said "$10 haircut" outside which is the usual price around here for barbers to charge. But when I got to the counter after getting the cut, the barber if you can call him that said "$15"! Now I didn't even ask why he was charging me an extra $5. I gave him a $20 and told him to keep the change. I always tip $5 on a $10 haircut. But I am the type that's not going to argue with you or ask you why you're charging me more. I will just never come back again plus tell anyone I know about the experience if the subject of haircuts comes up. So for this extra $5 this mambo jambo tried sneaking in on me, he lost who knows how many countless haircuts, shaves, and dollars he lost because of his extremely shortsighted and disrespectful practice. And never in a million years would I let some mambo jambo jerk put a razor to my face when I already know the skillset and requirements to get not only a decent shave but one without the incidence of nicks and cuts. I just don't think there are enough people getting shaves from barbers frequently enough to be able to keep their skillset sharp enough in this area to be any good at it, at least equal to what I can do. I don't care if they did learn how to do it in barber school or not. We have a barber school here in Pompano Beach on Federal Highway, im sure there are a few people here who might be familiar with the one I'm talking about. And if you see what is going to school there and the quality of barbers they are chucking out these days, then you will know to steer well clear of most barbers who offer a "straight" razor shave. The only good actual straight razor shave I ever had by a barber was over in London, England at Harrod's department store located in the basement back Iin 1997. The only barbers I would trust here in the States would be barbers that started back in the late 50's or the early 60's but then again, these guys are losing their ability to be able to keep a steady hand and I can understand that. This is definitely becoming a practice that is more or less becoming confined to the home even though the industry as a whole is seeing a rebirth, it is within the private sector. I would trust most of you guys to shave me before I would trust any so-called barber now days. Iveoften thought about getting an old restored Koken barber chair for my home and offering straight shaves to my friends for the hell of it, maybe even charging for it, actually I would charge because otherwise the human tendency would be to take advantage of the service otherwise. Someday I will have an old Koken in white leather.

 

I would have caved and asked "How much?"

 

$15.00 for SR shave in Indianapolis would be a steal. They are getting $25.00 and up, if they will do it at all.

 

No one here will even offer them, even those that do know how. The "economy of the chair" if you can do a haircut in 15 minutes, but a shave takes more like 45 because of all the prep included, you have to charge a lot more than people want to pay for a shave, and your line of customers won't want to hang around for you to do something that takes so long. I think if we had any shops with mor ethan one barber, they might chance it, but everyone one-man-shop's it here. Pity. I'd like to see a nice full-service barbershop take root around here.

 

Sadly enough that seems to be what a barber shop has become. I remember as a kid when there was a real barber shop every where you looked, but those guys were old back then, so sadly over the years they have faded away and their shops have become convenience stores, flower stores, etc...A few remained barber shops but I have no interest in having my hair cut by some kid wearing his pants below his butt and blasting rap music as he goes to work on my head with an electric trimmer.

My Barber always cut your hair with a pair of scissors, and you got a head full of Brylcreem whether you wanted it or not.

 

All the barbers here use Shavettes for hair trimming. I haven't gone to one in at least 5 years. Just a plain buzz cut done myself with a $30 set of Wahl Clippers. I've saved approximately $1500. A sum which I have invested in shaving equipment of course.

 

That is awesome.

 

I went to the Barbershop today. Got my hair cut. "Chesty Puller" would be proud !

 

Over the winter I grew out my beard. At the local barbershop they charged me 35.00
dollars to shape it and to shave my neck with a straight razor. So 15.00 dollars is a steal.

 

Wow I'm not sure what's appropriate to say now in this thread or best introjection. Experiences and peoples perspective on what a fair amount is will always very. Even with that variances it's not entirely ambiguous to think as new lazy ill informed youth push new trends the value of skill would rise. After all we often do things as humans that others cant in order to stand out or feel unique from the mainstream.

When I see now days professional barbers who make an effort to shave this way, tend to be in bigger cities and nicer parts of town. They're often employed by rockabilly and greaser subcultures and charge $100-200 for a SR shave. Also noticed the terrible trend of shavettes growing at several manhattan barbers averaging $100-150 for the shave. I dislike this practice and think these people are basically cheap lazy thieves. The shavette does not give the same shave or feel or experience as a traditional SR but a very close compromise. I'm not paying you for close on something I can do myself.

The second location still offering SRS has been the old men in the basements of the waldorf, 4 seasons, Ritz Motels. The cost $100

Last place the old man and son running country road barber shop. Pulling from my dads time at these places as the old men by now are 1 n 1000 likely the sons taking over just aren't doing everything the old man did cutting corners and so forth. Either getting away from the SR "likely for time" and not fully grooming the appeal of going back is diminishing. But he still gets the old man $5-10 haircut and $20-30 shave, and when my Grandfather was around he raved over the old man at the country barber.

The other new personalised mens grooming shops coming out should be burned down in their disgrace. You can see them here. youtu.be/owe3-2oNxR0


I personally would never go. I pay $25-30 proper cut and style with tip or $120 if bleach/coloring that doesn't look butchered to all hell. Sort of funny since I'm so often in a hat. These cosmetology schools now are producing lawn care weed wacker operators and not skilled talented professionals. When you find one tip right and let them know you recognize their talent and appreciate it. You look at where you are and the type of clientele they normally service. You don't go to the ford dealership for Maserati service. I think we get choked up on too often by expecting things people can't deliver by looking in the wrong places for the service or undervaluing their skill set and expect it done for circus peanuts. You're HVAC guy doesn't do your framing and you wouldn't want your black sheep cousin representing you in court would you? ;-) After all you dress and prepare for where you're going in life not where you are. You meet people and make connections every day in life. Where you position yourself determines the type of connections you make.

 

I've been a barber 15+ years myself, heres my station. I do face shaves and neck shaves with vintage straight razors. Thanks for the pic, wish us barbers were still all traditional.

 

Excellent rig, Sir! Wish you many customers!

In Rotterdam (The Netherlands) is a popular barbershop, called Schorem (literally: scumbags, but the pun is in the pronunciation, which again translates into: "Shaved 'im"). Anyways, they do straight shaves (shavette or 'real' straight, depends on the barber, I presume) and (old style) haircuts. They've got about ten seats I believe ( they just moved to a larger shop across the street). No appointments. You just walk in. First in, first served. Strictly men (and boys). Women aren't even allowed to enter during opening hours! € 30 for a shave, € 30 for a haircut, € 50 for a haircut & shave.

They even have their own brand of pomade: Reuzel (lard). It's an old style pomade and it gets great reviews. (I'm not in any way associated to them, by the way!)

You'd best come in early or you might have to wait for several hours! But then again there's drinks and cheese and sausages, so you won't starve! I'm saving to head up there one time in the not too distant future!

And then there's a barber here in the island where I live (Schouwen-Duiveland, Zeeland, The Netherlands). Haven't been there either yet. I should!

 

Believe leave it or not there's old Barber no more than 2o miles from where I live with more than 1oo vintage hundred razors on display everyone for sale including a English solid silver scale model and I've never made him a offer on a single razor, I will have to take a photo the next time I'm down that way.

 

Please do!

 

I'm pretty sure ive hit the 350 straight razor mark, I dont display them all though, too much chance of getting them stolen for my taste