# Traditional barbers--do they typically use the straightrazor on the back of your neck? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 13, 2010, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126 "2010-08-13T05:36:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/21 "2010-08-13T18:40:15Z")
> [@missred](#): > > My dad goes to a small town barber every couple of weeks (he used to get my mom or one of us kids to cut his hair with the clippers). He usually gets the whole treatment: face shave, head shave, ear, nose and eyebrow trim. His barber uses a straight razor on his face and head. Using the razor on the face would be a _sine qua non_. I doubt that any barbers use safety razors in administering shaves. > [@](#): > > As a woman, I go to a salon where my hairdresser is a both a licensed cosmetologist and barber. The barbershop I go to is evidently run by a older man and woman who I assume are husband and wife, but they are both licensed barbers. The woman cut my hair the first time, and sure enough she got out the razor at the end. This isn’t one of those really old places like you might find downtown on the street level of a fine old office building. The overall impression on entering the shop is rather bland except for the bright blue smocks they put on you. When all the chairs are full, the row of blue smocks makes for an interesting visual effect. All in all it’s a pleasant experience going there. Incidentally, as I was leaving the shop yesterday I noticed graffiti from the year 1943 in the sidewalk outside. That’s the second-oldest I’ve seen yet. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/22 "2010-08-13T18:47:40Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > > [@yojimbo](#): > > > > So a barber that just stands there and cuts and talks when there is actually something to talk about is great but the whole “Are you going on holiday this year?” and the like just bug me silly. > > I feel the same way, but even that’s way better than going to SuperCuts and listening to some 19-year-old 6 months out of cosmetology school talk about her boyfriend for 20 minutes. The barbers where I go don’t speak English too well, so inane chatter isn’t much of a problem. I just close my eyes and listen to the TV, which, so far on my visits, has been tuned to either the news or a baseball game. On the other hand, I did once have a male hairstylist years ago who was always interesting to talk to, inasmuch as he was well informed and articulate. There was always something interesting that he and his family were up to. Come to think of it, he was a licensed barber also, but he never did use the razor on me. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/23 "2010-08-13T19:13:10Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > So for you men who go to barbers, is the straight razor treatment at the end typical in your experience? I suppose I could have made this a poll, but it’s really not that important to me to have numbers. Yep. But I’ve literally been going to the same Filipino barber for 30 years and he wasn’t a spring chicken when I started. I cut my hair on a very long schedule, no regular trims ( I go from short to long and back to short ) and I’m always pleasantly surprised he’s still around every time I see him these days. In addition to a straight razor ( even out side burns and shaving the back of the neck ), he finishes with the electric shoulder massage. But no hot towels. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/24 "2010-08-13T19:19:55Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > > [@missred](#): > > > > My dad goes to a small town barber every couple of weeks (he used to get my mom or one of us kids to cut his hair with the clippers). He usually gets the whole treatment: face shave, head shave, ear, nose and eyebrow trim. His barber uses a straight razor on his face and head. > > Straight razor on the nose hair is pretty hardcore. You don’t know my dad. 😃 Straight razor: neck, head, face Trimmer: nose, ears ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/25 "2010-08-16T11:05:21Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > The barbers I go to dates from 1912 and is very traditional. Hot towels, straightrazors etc. You get a great cut and the guys in there aren’t too chatty if you don’t want it which I really like. Is that the one in the basement on O’Connell Street? I love that one. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/26 "2010-08-16T13:21:35Z")
I’ve been using the same traditional-type barber for 12-ish years. Their shop isn’t explicitly old timey, more just typical workin’ class from the 70s. He always does sideburns and neck with a straight razor. Once I asked about a complete face shave. He said he hadn’t done one in so many years that me getting cut was a certainty. So we both passed on that idea. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/27 "2010-08-16T13:41:04Z")
Yes, part of the standard package for a traditional barber. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/28 "2010-08-16T13:51:19Z")
My barbers use a straight razor on my neck and side burns. That, and trimming eyebrows are part of the standard package. ---
**Author:** ![UncleNito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7cd45c/32.png) [@UncleNito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleNito)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/29 "2010-08-17T00:30:48Z")
My barber goes all the way around the back from temple to temple with hot lather and a straight blade. It’s a little nails-on-a-chalkboard over my ears, but totally worth it. One of these days I’ll spring for a full shave. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/30 "2010-08-17T00:40:02Z")
Strops are a functionally specific type of straps (though as verbs, “stropping” is totally different than “strapping”), and [etymologically](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=strop&searchmode=none) they are basically the same word. ---
**Author:** ![CWN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc79bd/32.png) [@CWN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CWN)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/31 "2010-08-17T00:49:46Z")
Always, To me anyway it’s not a haircut with out hot shaving cream and a straight razor to the back of the neck and sideburns ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/32 "2010-08-17T02:13:30Z")
I’ve been going to a traditional barber now for 15 years - I’m a guy and I agree with the OP’s premise - I just get a better haircut with a barber. In that time 2 different people have cut my hair and both finish by shaving my neck with a straight razor and hot towel. I love it - and the more I talk to people the more I realize this isn’t an uncommon event. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126/33 "2010-08-18T15:15:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Is that the one in the basement on O’Connell Street? I love that one. Dorans in Rathmines. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-barbers-do-they-typically-use-the-straightrazor-on-the-back-of-your-neck/550126.md?page=1)