, 1888-05-31
ODD NOTIONS OF BARRIERS.
Shaving as an Art-How an Apprentice
Learns the Trade.

'HN"A - - ~NN "a AAaAAA I'll I. LIlt-
barber was sure he would cut seven men
before Sunday. If the first customer In
the morning complimented him, he would
get little but grumbles and curses for the
rest Of the day. II he didn't receive at
least n tip above the regular fees on
Monday. the week would be a bad one.
These beliefs are rapidly disappearing.
There are two curious facts about razors,
though, that still give rise to general su-
perstitions. and probably always will. It
is noticed that after long continuous
use it is difficult Il give a razor an
edge. The knowing hand will quietly
lay it away with the remark that the
razor is tired" and needs rest"
After letting it ''sleep" a few days
that is. simply not using it, the razor
is found to be in good condition. Few
BARRIERS attempt to explain this. But the
explanation is simple. The edge of q
razor consists of a series of microscopic
teeth. Long continuous use wears these
down. despite stroppings, and 1t needs
the oxidation which time only can pro-
vide to bring out again the microscopic
roughness. Another popularity of the
razor is that, though in splendid condi-
ton when last used, it sometimes posi-
lively refuses TO take an edge when put
on the lone in the morning. A few
hours later it will take an edge beauti-
fully. This is due to the came principle
OF oxidation. BARRIERS will sometimes
say a razor is ''balky," by which they
mean that 1t refuses to take an edge, al
though not made tired by long pre-
vious work. Some razors, because of pc
culiarities in the grades of steel, are
moro IN 10 ha .fhnIlyUB .I,n o,lo-.
"Do BARRIERS allow superstitions to af-
feet their method Of shaving2" was
asked Of a Broadway veteran.
There is only one method Of shaw
ing said the barber; there never has
been but one, and there never will be
more. The barber rubs the lather into
your stub until it clings to the face itself.
To accomplish this he has first sponged
your face with water to remove skin
se%cretions. When first put on the lather
sticks on top Of the stub and does not
puch the skin much. Rubbing brings 1t
into the skin. 1t also softens the beard,
and a barber always fathers you before
he strops his razor, SO as to give the
lather time to get in its work. Then
when he shaves you it is always with the
grain. That is, every distinct portion OF
your lapCt ID biltNeo III lnt ulTeCIlOD LDe
hair grows. If this rule were not fol
lowed the toughest skin would, an
houT later, show a~brasions, and erup-
tions would come. After the face is
once shaved, the barber shaves it
again for closeness. This second shave
may safely be against the grain. Most
faces can stand the second shave against
the grain, but there are some men with
stiff boards, too, whose skin is Sc tender
that they al only be shaved one way.
The barber can never know positively
from the appearance or touch of a skin
whether or not it can stand the second
shave. That is something the owner of
the face must discover by experience.
So when he shaves a stranger, unless he
is sure he has a tough skin, the barber
asks. after the first shave, If the man de-
sires it close. The razor is placed nearly
flat with the face. The free hand draws
every bit of skin tight before he shaves
over it. Some BARRIERS pick up the skin
between their fingers, others merely press
it tight. Practically, though, every bar
Der the world over shaves the same way.
He has no room, therefore, to bring
in superstitions, so bound is he by the
sFecognized principles of the art, except
IN such little details as beginning the
shave on the right or left side of the face,
shaving the upper lip before or after tina
chin, and other things of that kind.
Every barber has some little maxims of
his own about these u"nimportant items,
and some believe that bad luck attends
the man who doesn't shave every face in
precisely the same N regarding
these little details"
How do men learn to be barbers2''
was asked OF a barber who shaves law.
yers and bankers in Wall street.
You've got to pay for IT, said the
barber. "IIere and there you will fine
a barber who keeps a sort of school, and
charges a round price to give lessons.
They allow the learners to practice when
they gain a little dizziness on the chins OF
unsuspecting chance customers. Gener-
ally, though, a boy who wants to be a bar
her is bound out to q regular barber foT
two years. The barber exacts $25 OIL more
year and the boys entire service. In re-
turn he boards and lodges him, and makes
him a good barber. My own experience
is a fair sample case. i was only IA when ]
was bound to n barber not in this city.
| paid $25 cash down, and got half a
bed and poor board. They put me on
~lathering first Lathering looks easy, and
Is easy, too; but you've no idea how
awkwardly a new man will go about it.
SO. when there were no customers around
my boss would have n of the workmen
lie down in a chair and set me to lather-
ing his face. There is a knack In getting
over a soapy face deity and quickly.
Sometimes you use your fingers, other
times the palm. An ever pressure
is required that isn't easy to get.
II you ngess too hard you make it
uncomfortable for the man you're lather-
ing. The boss stood over me in these
lessons and taught me the points, one at
a time, Then l lathered the face Of q
customer while the boss got ready tc
shave him. For several months l had to
stand behind the boss chair while he
was shaving and watch every motion OF
his hand and wrist-for a barber only
uses the hand and wrist In shaving.
Then, after shaving an imaginary face OF
two under the eyes Of a barber to show
me the way n razor Is held and moved, ]
was put to practice on the faces of the EN-
ployes. My boss stood over me and
watched every motion. Then be made
me shave him. / trembled so that / cut
him. 1t was a long, long time before
they let me touch n customer and then