The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-03-02
Shaving as an Art.


There are two superstitiOns yet fGand
among BARRIERS. Years ago BARRIERS were
among the most superstitious of workmen.
Ii he cut man on Monday, the barber
was sure he would cut seven men before
Sunday. If the first customer in the
morning eomplimented him, he would get
lit,le bat grumbles and curses for the rest
OF the day. If he didn't receive at least
one 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 raEors, though,
that still give rise to general superstitions,
and probably always viii. 1t is noticed
that after long continuous use it is difficult
to give razor an edge. The knowing
hand will quietly lay it away with the
remark that the razor is stirred and needs
rest. After letting it sleep 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 razor
consists Of series Of microscopic teeth.
Long continuous use wears these down,
despite strOppings, and il needs the oxlda-
ton which time only can provide to bring
out again the microscopic roughness.
Another peculiarity of the razor is that,
thosgh in splendid condition when hast
used, il sometimes positively refuses to take
an edge when put on the hone in the morn
ipg. A few hours later it will take an
edge beautifully. This is due to the same
principle Of oxidation BARRIERS will some
times say a razor is ''balky," By which they
mean that it refuses to take an edge, al
though not made stree" by long previous
work. Some raEors, because of peculiari-
ties in the grades OF steel, are more apt to
be Hbalky' than Others.
do BARRIERS allow saperstitions 10 affect
their method Of shaying?' was asked Of a
broadway veteran
There Is only one method of shaving,
said the barber; ''there never has been but
one, and there never viii be more. The
barber rubs the lather into your stab until
it cliBgs to the face itself To accomplish
this he has first sponged your face with
water to remove skin seeretions. When
6rst put on the lather sticks on top of the
stub and does not touch the skin much.
Rubbing brings it into the skin. 1t
also softeus the beard, and a barber
always lathers you before he slrops his
razor, 50 as to give the lather time 10 get
in lis work. Then when he shaves YOU it
is always with the grain. That Is, every
distinct portion of your face is shaved in
the direction the hair grows. IL this rule
were not followed the toughest skin would,
an hour later, show abrasions, and eruptions
would come. After the face is once shaved,
the barber shayes il again for eloseness,
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, 100, whose skin is so
tender that they can only be shaved one
way The barber can never know positive
" from the appearance or touch of 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 shayes a stranger, unless be is
sure he has tough skin, the barber asks,
after the first shave, if the man desires 1t
close. The razor is placed nearly fiat 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 1t tight.
Practically, though, every barber the world
over shaves the same way.
"He has no room, therefore, to bring in
superstitions, so bound is he by the recog-
nized 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 the chin, and
other things OF that kind. Every barber
has some little maxims of his own about
these unimportant items, and some believe
that bad luck attends the man who doesn
shave every face in precisely the same
manner regarding these little details.
"How do men learn to be barbers?"
was asked of barber who shaves lawyers
and bankers in Wall street.
you've got to pay for it, said the bar
ber "Here and there you will find a
barber who keeps sort of school, and
charges round price to give lessons.
They allow learners to practice when they
gain little deftness on the ehins of unsus-
pecting chance customers. Generally,
though, a boy who wants to be barber is
bound out to a regular barber for two years.
The barber exacts S25 or more year and
and the boys entire service. In return he
boards and lodges him, and makes him a
good barber My own experience is fair
sample case. | was IA when / was bound
to barber not in this city. | paid S25
cash down, and got half bed and poor
board. They put me on lathering first.
Lathering looks easy, and is easy, too; but
you've no idea how awkwardly new man
will 20 about it. So, when there were no
customers around my boss would have one
of the workmen lie down in a chair and set
me to lathering his face, There isa knack
in getting over soapy face deity and
quickly Sometimes you use your fingers,
other times the palm. An even pressure
is required that isn't easy to get. If you