First Professional Straight Shave Advice Needed

I've been growing my beard out since Christmas in anticipation of this years Renaissance Festival (I go in character). I have a very wiry, curly, and tough if not patchy beard. Well, today was the faire and I'm ready to lose the beard. In two weeks, I'm going out of town to see a string quartet perform and I want to look my best. While in the big city, I plan on going to a barbershop for my first professional shave! I do know that the barber uses a shavette, and so I suspect it will be somewhat similar to my traditional DE shaves. My questions are thus:

Should I go ahead and start shaving tonight and get back on a regular shaving schedule?

Should I go ahead and start shaving tonight and just skip a day or two before getting my first pro shave?

Should I just trim my beard to a more respectable length and let the barber shave it all off?

What would you guys do?

 

Unknown barber and a shavette... I'd trim it as much as possible and leave the very basics of a shave to the barber. Good luck!!!

 

You think I'd be better off giving the barber a miss altogether and just shaving with my DE?

 

I dunno... if it were me, I'd probably go to him, just for the experience. I'd just make sure he doesn't have TOO much to work with.

 

As I find it easier to get a comfortable shave after skipping a shave and the barber is an unknown, I'd at least skip a shave or two. Really with straight shave you might as well just trim it down and give him more to work on.

I've never had a barbershop shave myself, but from what I've heard it's more about the experience than shave quality for anyone who already wet shaves.

 

Whoa, Micah. This looks like a geniune shaving thread. Are you feeling ok?

 

Well, you know, I've got to start getting some more new shaving experiences if there's ever going to be another UAASA.

 

I don't know how sensitive your face is but after not shaving for a while my face gets really irritated for the first couple of shaves. I'm talking serious razor burn that lasts for quite a while.
If I was going in for a shavette shave where I wasn't in control of the pressure or angles I would definitely need to break my face in for it.

 

If you go in with it as it currently is, he'll probably end up just using scissors or trimmers to shorten it down before shaving anyway, so might as well do it yourself in the meantime.
Also, as it has been awhile since you last shaved, it would be good to start getting your face acclimated to it again, well hydrated, etc.

I'd go with shave as normal until then, but give him a couple days worth of growth to mow down.

 

This has been on my mind for some time, there was an advert in the local rag last week for a hair cut and wet shave for a fiver. I passed it up because the place in question is a hair salon, not a barbers.
I saw a video of a "professional" shave being done with a shavette by the fairer sex. The lass didn't have a bloody clue. Just lathered the guy up with the foam and shaved shaved shaved, no re-lather. Put me right off. That said there is a couple of gents in town who are proper barbers. I mean to take my own razor in and see what I can learn from the old pro's.

 

Yeah, I've actually been in to talk with the guy, and he sounds pretty knowledgeable. There didn't appear to be any blood on the floor and the two or three times I drove past I never saw an ambulance out front, so I think it'll probably be pretty safe. He's on facebook, so some of you guys who have an account might want to check him out and see what you think.

 

I just sent an email to Kevin at the Old Town Barber Shop and I'm awaiting his response. Let's see what he has to say. Did I miss any thing?

 

yeah, you forgot to ask why hotdogs come in packages of 10, but hotdog buns in packages of 8....

 

Because you sometimes get an odd ball like me who wants 2 dogs in there roll.

 

Actually, it's all about shelf space. If you'll notice, a package of hotdogs is roughly square (at least if you don't get 'bun length') as is a package of hotdog buns. Square packages look better on the shelf and they pack easier onto the delivery truck. Bakers and butchers didn't consult with each other before deciding how to package their respective products. In the end, it's the consumer who ends up having to buy 4 packs of weiners and 5 packs of buns to break even. Lord help the people who have OCD and picnic plans for the 4th of July.

...not that I've given it much thought or anything.​

 

I actually have several theories about the hot dog/bun thing, but I'll let most of them pass, and say it's the practical issue Micah stated...although, we usually get the bun length dogs, with only have 8 in a package, so it all balances out.

 

Well I did it. I shaved the beard off last night. Trimmed everything down with the 'lectric trimmers and then shaved. Everything went surprisingly well--nice smooth shave. Lathered up with Uncle Albert's Amazing Solid Cream Shaving Cake (Atreides) and loaded up my first GEM Micromatic. I'm impressed with the GEM (Blue Star Blade), it was more aggressive than I thought it would be, which was a pleasant surprise. Finished up with a splash of Pinaud's Bay Rum. Hmmm... not nearly as much burn as I anticipated. All in all, a pretty darn good shave. Now I'm anxious for next week's big experiment!

 

Tomorrow's the big day!

I've been shaving since last week, but I didn't shave last night, and I won't shave tonight, so I should have a fair amount of stubble for the barber to knock off. I think I'm looking forward to the shave more than I am the concert I'm going to see. That's kind of shavegeekish, isn't it?

 

My gf took me for a professional shave on my last birthday and like you said it was more for the experience.

The shave wasn't the best and left me with many ingrown and razor bumps when i normally have none