-Barbers-​

(Part 1)​

(Not my great grandfathers shop)​

　
　

Barbers, we all know at least one, but do we know what they really do? Just what does it mean to be a barber? Is it really just cutting and styling hair? And best of all, giving us average Joe’s an awesome straight razor shave leaving us baby butt smooth? Or is there something more to being a barber than meets the eye?​

I’ve been wondering and asking myself these questions a lot lately. Maybe out of curiosity, perhaps more so since I just started barber college myself. Now, as far as my family goes, I will not be the first barber. That honor went to my great grandfather who owned a shop up in Youngstown, Ohio. He had passed before I was born, but I have seen photos of him at his shop from my aunt. In most of them, you can tell they are posed, he is standing stiff beside a customer with a cape on, shears or razor in his hand. The wall behind him covered with customers shave mugs. What really stands out is his pressed white jacket in the black and white photos. You can almost smell the soaps and tonics sitting on the shelves. After him, several of my cousins have picked up the trade and kept it alive in our family, all being able to make a fairly good living at it.​

And now, here I stand where they once were, separated by time, but connected by tradition. You all know that feeling you get when you pick up that vintage razor and you wonder just where it‘s been, and who has used it? That little bit of awe feeling you get, knowing someone else in time once shared this little piece of history? Yeah, I got that feeling….​

Now, enough of me, lets take a quick look at the history of barbers. I promise to keep it brief and only hit some of the high lights for you.​

Like prostitution, and law enforcement, a barber is one of the worlds oldest professions. The root word of barber is “braba“, which comes from Latin, meaning beard. Another word closely associated with barbers is “tonsorial”. Tonsorial, also comes from Latin meaning simply to be cutting, trimming or clipping the hair with shears or a razor. Here is a little known fact, at one time, barbers were know as “Tonsorial Artists”.​

In history, archeology shows us that hair cutting and styling has been around as long as the glacial age in some form or another. For the rest of us, this means there has been some form of barber around for about 2.5 million years.​

Many of mans earliest tools were common items found in his environment. This holds true for early barbers as well. For cutting and shaving they would use sharpened bone or antler, flint, or oyster shells. Animal sinew and hide were used to tie or adorn the hair. In some cultures the use of braiding the hair was used to meet this need.​

Some primitive cultures believed that both good and evil spirits could enter the body through a persons hair. And if a person was believed to be possessed by an evil spirit their remedy was quite simple. They would put the persons hair loose around them, then on to some ritual dancing (fox trot anyone?), and then the shaman/witch doctor/barber/ high priest would cut the persons hair short. Tying it close to the head and with this done, the evil spirits were driven out and kept out, and the good spirits were trapped inside the body (and you thought your barber had some lines to up sell his services, wait till he tells you, that you have EVIL spirits trapped in you!).​

Given archaeological evidence, all cultures used or practiced some form of beautification or adornment. Wither it was from pure religious purposes to social class status, barbers were there. The Egyptian culture can be credited for being the first to cultivate beauty to such extravagant fashion. Egyptian tombs have reveled such artifacts as mirrors, scissors, and razors (made out of tempered bronze and copper) combs, brushes and even cosmetics.​

Egyptians also had coloring agents made out of bark, minerals, berries, and other items found in nature. These dyes were not only used on hair, but also the skin and nails as well. Of all the make up used then, eye make up seemed to be the most popular. Use of these cosmetics were first recorded in 1500 BC.​

Barbers were used by Egyptian priests and noblemen, this being documented in Egyptian public records, sculpture, and even in their art. The Egyptian barber Merma’at even had a image sculpted of him because of the high regard he was held at (Talk about tipping your barber!).​

Now, lets jump ahead a little bit. Now we will reference a book almost all have seen if not read. The Holy Bible, makes reference to barbers in Leviticus. Moses was told by GOD to command those who had recovered from leprosy to shave their bodies hair as part of a ritual cleaning. Ezekiel is seen referring to an ancient custom when he said “Take thou a barbers’ razor and cause it to pass upon thy head and thy beard.​

Hmmm, perhaps there might be a little more to barbers and their history after all. I hope you join me again in Barbers Part II which will be coming soon.​

As always… Happy Shaving.​

-Oh, and don’t forget to tip your Barber!​

Ditto. Well done, Brian.

Well done Brian.

Will you have an appendix on shaving with obsidian?

I became fascinated with Barberiana through wetshaving. Its nice to see the ongoing revival of the old barber shop tradition . long may it continue. Great topic Brian.

Well done and very informative. Thanks for sharing.

Excellent article. You have the gift of writing sir, a talent that alot of us don't have.

Excellent post. I really miss the old barber shops where you could get a real haircut and a shave. It is becoming a lost art. My uncle was a barber back in the 30's-40's in Oklahoma City. My cousin opened up his barber shop in Oklahoma City back in 1954. If I can figure out how to post some pictures of the shop I will.

Shop in 1954



Shop in 1964



2011 - My cousin still cuts hair at the shop 3-days per week, but he sold it last year to a younger barber. Here is the new owner giving a shave.

Thank you, I'll be adding more to it as we go along. The first 100 hours is mostly about the history of, and book learning the techniques I will later be using. This past Saturday I got to try clipper cutting hair for the first time. I learned why the barber looks into the mirror instead of directly at your hair. He will see dark patches of your hair better this way, and knows where needs to have another pass made.

And I will try my best to add something on shaving with obsidian Dale. If our books don't cover it I shall do a little research for it.

Brian, where are you going to barber college at? The barber schools here in WI don't teach the art of shaving anymore. Mostly scissor cuts and styles, etc. Stylist, not barbers.

Great Photos. That is my hope to have a shop where a fellow can relax, get a shave and a hair cut, and just soak in the atmosphere. I remember growing up my father or grandfather would take me to the barber, and if mom had to, she'd drop me off at the door and the barber would tell her what time to be back. It was sort of like a man cave women just didn't come into. Where men could just be without the need to talk but yet enjoy being in the company of other men. Foul language was never heard there, it was almost if the patrons were held to a higher standard once they walked thru that door. Today when you go to the hair salon, and a woman is cutting your hair, how often does she ask about your kids, you ask about hers, then there is that little bit of silence, then she is chatting up the other ladies there as you set being ignored. Hair salons are good for women, but men need barber shops. IMHO at least.

The closest one for me is almost an hour and 15 min away, located in Clarksville, TN. I found all kinds of beauty schools, heck one is just a block away from me. But like you said very few barber schools. From what I understand barbers are making a come back. I think men are starting to realize that we are losing our identity as men. Why else is the Art of Manliness, and other sites like it dedicated to teaching young men, the things us older guys take for granted?

Excellent posting Brian. Good fortune in your tonsorial endeavors!

There are barber shops popping up all over the place in the Tampa Bay area. One 5 blocks away from me are swamped every weekend, and you need an appointment. Appointments have never been the norm with the barbershop I grew up going to. Now I'm wishing I had more hair so I could go get a cut.

Great work! I won't be tipping a barber unless I run across one who does straight shaves at a good price as I shave my head. But I'd love to get a traditional shave at some point. I'd just be picky and want real lather, so hopefully a barber that would be willing to use my brush and maybe cream/soap. I know, not likely.

Awesome read. Thanks for posting!

We have a Master Barber just down the street from our house that I go to. When I asked him about a shave, he said he used the hot lather machine. When I asked about a brush and cream he told me he couldn't do it because he didn't have it, and it was against state law. BUT, if I was to bring it in with me each time, he would be more than happy to do it for me. His cost to shave you, $5.00 but that is a face shave, I'm not sure what he would charge for a head shave.

But learn from me, ASK them how often they give shaves. I got one in Clarksville last week from a lady Master Barber (she had been one somewhere from 9-12 yrs, I don't recall just how long) and she butchered my face. I asked her if it was her first shave, she said no, but it came out it wasn't something she did very often. She tried laying it on me for having sensitive skin, I told her I shave everyday without issue using my DE and SE razors. So I guess the moral of this story is to ask first.

Thank you very much. You can count on me trying my best.

Looking forward to part 2 my friend

Speaking of an appendix..... let us not forget that, at a not-to-distant point in our history, the barber was also the local surgeon.