Barbering

[Jezebel_Amazon]

So I'm a Hairstylist but somehow my interest in classic barbering seems to be driving me nuts. I'm curious where is the best place to purchase tools online Also, are there some kind of online tutorials on how to do a straight razor shave. I really want to experiment. I'm sure this sounds scary... hahaha.

But assistance, please?

 

[James71]

I believe its traditional to practice shaving an inflated balloon.

 

[Chainsaw]

Whoa! Easy Honey, I read about you in the bible or something. My Croatian Buddy did his tour of duty in a black barber shop. You want to learn that stuff you gotta put in your time. Usually you can't learn that stuff (as a woman) unless your Italian.

Anyway good luck to you.

 

[Atomic]

Not to sound rude, but try shaving your legs and such with a straight razor for a while. I believe they make beginner straight razors you could use, and girls have to shave around ankles, knees, etc. THAT would be good practice! Try looking in the classifieds here from time to time, I know a lot of old razors show up, and I'm sure barber tools could be found if you start a wanted thread.

 

[SGT Rocket]

Some States

I think some states don't let you use a strait razor any more. I got a shave in Oregon and they used some sort of "regular" name brand razor.

It was an interesting place. It had ball games on TV, nice chairs, nice interior, and one free drink (I had a Coke) that was either soft drink, beer, or wine. If I remember correctly.
The lady that cut my hair was totally girl-next-door cute! But, I was already in a relationship. I didn't go back because I wanted the strait razor experience~I still haven't found it.

However, I think there is a place here in MN that still will shave you with a razor.

I think that there is a "barber school" tech school that you can go to. It's a little different than cosmetology. At least that is my understanding.

Good luck, we need more barbers who can shave us.

 

[SGT Rocket]

barber school

This one in Minnesota mentions shaving.

http://minnesotaschoolofbarbering.com/

I wonder if you can "audit" a "shaving" class at a local barber school?

Just a thought.

 

[wecrosscreek]

I think some states don't let you use a strait razor any more. I got a shave in Oregon and they used some sort of "regular" name brand razor.

I remember my Dad doing them when I was young. Seems like in the mid to late 80's Health regs changed and they had to go to disposable razors. Mostly though they would use them on the back of the neck if asked. Only the older guys got the shaves and hot towels.

Come to think of it... I think they could use injector blades, but after you disposed of the blade it had to soak a bit in barbicide. That may have been why they used disposables.

He did use Straight razors for "Razor Cuts" on hair. Seems like he told me they didn't use balloons in Barber college, they would practice on each other, their arms and the school paid walk ins. Wasn't always pretty.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[Bourbon Guy]

Uh ... if you are serious about doing it right, and the way it used to be, you should start by contacting your local barber's union.

Sorry, folks, but I am old school. No one mixes my drinks unless they learned via an apprenticeship in the bartender's union, and no one touches my head unless they went to barber college and are union. You are more likely to get a full pour, and a good cut.

Picking up a hammer doesn't make you a carpenter. Reading a book from the hardware store doesn't make you an electrician. Buying scissors doesn't make you a barber.

 

[Jezebel_Amazon]

Hahaha, I was just curious mostly. I really want to go to barbering school but I don't know of any in Florida... or really in the US... It's not really the cuts I'm worried about... but a wet shave, I really would like to learn and quite frankly I haven't found any schools that are very traditional... they skip over that portion. Don't get me wrong I'm a licensed cosmetologist and my school went very in depth with mens cuts and 50% of the cuts I do are mens cuts. So i have no issue there. I guess a wet shave is just not legal in FL.

 

[Tomasso]

So I'm a Hairstylist but somehow my interest in classic barbering seems to be driving me nuts.

I don't know where you are in SoFla but there's a great old school barbershop on south beach called Carr's that offers a wet shave. There are also a few Art of Shaving shops located at various malls up north. You might want to contact them for info.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/carrs-barber-shoppe-miami-beach
http://www.theartofshaving.com/locations

 

[kamikat]

Jezebel, I went to cosmetology school in Virginia, so it might be different from state to state. I was told that barbering is a completely different license from cosmetology. At barber school, they learn the wet shave, but don't learn perming and color. So a barber is legal to wet shave, but not legal to color or perm and a stylist is legal to color and perm but not wet shave. I know when I signed up to take my boards, I had to specify barbering or cosmetology. Your school might have skipped that if it is like Virginia.

 

[Pompidou]

Uh ... if you are serious about doing it right, and the way it used to be, you should start by contacting your local barber's union.

Sorry, folks, but I am old school. No one mixes my drinks unless they learned via an apprenticeship in the bartender's union, and no one touches my head unless they went to barber college and are union. You are more likely to get a full pour, and a good cut.

Picking up a hammer doesn't make you a carpenter. Reading a book from the hardware store doesn't make you an electrician. Buying scissors doesn't make you a barber.

Barber college - definitely - but barber union? As far as I'm concerned unions only matter for blue collar labor and menial jobs that are ripe for exploitation otherwise. Barbers are self employed. I wouldn't recommend anyone who's self employed to pay union dues. Seems like the barber's union is a throwback to medieval guilds, and more an effort to strongarm unaffiliated competition than the sort of equalizer of the common man to his CEO that they transformed into. I think barber school is required for a license, or that's the gist I got from the one I go to.

 

[MikeBravo]

Here's a current online article I found earlier today

http://www.finchsquarterly.com/fqr-style/

Most barbers here in Australia use a modified cutthroat razor to shave the back of the neck after a cut. By this I mean it looks like a normal cutthroat but it fits a standard safety razor blade that does the actual shave

 

[OldSoul]

I've been interested in taking barbering for a few years now, but am having a hard time finding schools at a local level. Are there any traditional barbering schools left in Canada? Last I heard there was one in Ontario but I cannot find any information on it. I was told that the best school to go to would be the one that is associated with American Crew, in Chicago I believe?

Thanks,

-Graham

 

[scotrace]

Ugh. Ironically, I've just had my hair cut today by a lady barber without much experience. All my "long on top" got skivved off before I knew it. "Oh, you wanted to slick it back? oops.."

Ratsin Fratsin!

 

[dhermann1]

Off the top . . .

Meh . . . Oh well, just in time for the warm weather. Oh, wait . . . [huh]

 

[CopperNY]

it does get interesting.

in NY you can use a straight razor on face/neck/around the ears, but not on the actual scalp. [huh]

a friend from Chicago used to go in for a monthly "iced towel and straight razor" baldy head shave. stayed glossy/shiny for about a week, then just a little stubble at the next shave. now, living in NY, he's out of luck.

 

[DesertDan]

No problem here in AZ.
My barber finishes up the back of my neck and over my ears with hot shaving cream and a straight razor, fabulous!