Here are some tips and locations where you can spend a bundle on having a shave and a haircut.
I’ve been shaved by a barber and I shaved myself with a straight razor for several years. The closer shave many claim the straight razor gives isn’t a function of the razor, it’s in the amount of preparation given the beard pre-shave. Basically, nobody who uses a straight razor ever just staggers into the bathroom, splashes a little water on his face, smears on on some shaving foam, and scrapes it back off as is typical for guys using safety razors. Any bladed razor will give you a close shave if you go through the whole ritual with hot, wet towels and proper shaving soap from a mug applied with a brush.
My grandfather always shaved with a straight razor. His beard was too tough for disposables, so he used a straight razor, stopping in the middle of the shave to strop it.
I’m so glad I didn’t inherit that particular trait.
On a more modern bent- one of my exes started shaving with a straight razor while we were dating, just for the badassedness of it. It didn’t take long for him to become quite proficient.
I wonder if a fully licensed barber is obligated to perform a shave if the customer wants to pay for one.
I haven’t had one yet but would like to try it for the experience. I suppose they do shave you very close because it comes from the time when you didn’t shave at home and only went every few days or so to have a barber do it.
Go to a Japanese barber, who give the best straight razor shaves in the world, with the face-meltingly hot towels, the old-style foam and everything. Ah, bliss. I used to go without a shave for a couple of days sometimes for the sheer indulgent luxury of stopping in to be shaved before work.
There may actually be health regulations against it, depending on where you live: here in NZ there was a neo-retro-barbershop which opened up, offereing the full cutthroat shaves. They were doing great business until those helpful folks from the Health Department stepped in and advised them that if they wanted to do this, they’d need an autoclave to sterilise each razor after every face: this obviously wasn’t practical, and so the shaves stopped.
Upon moving to a new town, and not knowing barbers, I asked some older local gents about older, skilled, barbers. They suggested some still doing razor shaves. One of which I’ve been going to steadily.
Oddly, he always knows when I’m hung over. He says it makes it tougher for him to do a good job. Something about the hair being tougher.
I thought maybe I just shook more.
I’ve never had a straight razor shave from a barber, but I imagine it must be very nice. I did go to a barbershop back in Gainesville, Florida, where they shaved the back of my neck with a straight razor and hot foam after regular haircuts, and that felt great. Made me feel like a big shot gangster or something, yeah, see?
Gosh, never knew it was so dangerous. A few years ago I got a straight razor shave and a haircut by a guy on the roadside in Dehra Dun, India. The complementary head rub afterwards was a surprise. All together a rather pleasant experience with no later complications.
I’ve had my neck shaved with a straight razor and it feels pretty ordinary. I always thought it had to be unsanitary but I convinced myself the barber sterilized the blades during slow hours or something.
Is it difficult to do a straight-razor shave on oneself? Would I likely mangle my face? In the interest of full disclosure, I’m a bit of a klutz, a really lazy shaver and have a pitiful beard but I’m curious anyway. I like a close shave.
It takes a bit of practice to get used to wielding the larger blade. The shaving skill isn’t as hard as picking up the skill of patience. We str8 users seem to agree that you can get a remarkably close, smooth, painless shave, but you have to take the time to get your beard warmed and moist. As someone else commented, that’s the real trick.
The big benefit of a str8, IMHO, is that it’s not wasteful. And if, like me, you hate the marketing sleaze of modern culture, a str8 helps you escape the hype and competition that has now produced razor cartridges with 5 blades.
Thanks. I was thinking I’d be up for that for the odd night out but I’d probably end up getting stitched at the hospital instead. I’m curious to try it but I’m seeing a lot of potential for disaster, maybe I’m wrong.
I’m totally with you there but Gilette gets my money for convenience only.
Every time “str8” is mentioned in this thread, I can’t help but think about porn.
My barber of many years retired last year after a heart attack.
I haven’t had a proper barbering (w/ hot towel, shave, and vibrating massage) since then, and I’m a bit raw about it. I’m sure there’s another old schooly barber in this town, but I keep finding duds.
I hope I find the real deal again soon – closest thing a guy can get to a spa day. 
Why can’t guys have spa days too? 
I like the idea of going and getting shaved, but I don’t want to pay 40 dollars for it, like in that link above. I also hate to pay someone to do something that I can do myself.