The record-union., 1897-02-17
HOW TO SHAVE YOURSELF.
A Barber Tells How the Art May be
Learned.

The man in the chair next to the one
in which l was sitting in the BARRIERS 5
shop was just stating in a conclusive
way that there was no use in talking
he couldn't shave himself. He tried it
once and that was enough. He had
found that it was an impossibiity.
The barber was al that moment pass
ing his razor lightly along just above
my Adams apple, and L didn't dare to
speak, but he interpreted the inquiring
look in my eyes correctly and went
on:
The average man seems to think
that the ability to shave is God-given
gift, and that out of Difference to
Providence it is his duty to try once
or twice to see if he has been endowed
with the talent and if he does not make
a ghttering success ON the first, or at
least the third, attempt, he gives it up,
and states in a superior way that his
face is peculiar and his beard unlike
any other that he ever heard of, and
shaving himself is out of the question.
1t doesn't seem to me that it's much of
a compliment to us BARRIERS who spend
months and months to acquire our
skill. A man might as well sit down
once or twice at a piano and try to
play, and failing, state positively that
he didn't seem to have the gift
DO you mean to say" l managed to
gasp. as the barber prepared to apply
the warm towel to my chin, do you
mean to say that you believe that any
man can learn to shave himself?"
Certainly" he replied IF he goes at
it right. 1t isn't such a very hard thing
to learn-Well enough for all ordinary
occasions, AT least 1t only takes a
little patient practice. l learned to
shave myself when l was a clerk in a
retail store at a salary of SS a week. 1t
was just after | was married. l learn
ed to shave myself for two reasons.
One was because | saved from 30 to go
cents a week by doing so, and the other
because l saved lot of time that way
to spend at home. instead of in bar
ber's shop, waiting for my turn. Did
you ever stop to think how much time
the average man wastes around bar
ber's shops waiting for his turn, that
he could devote to some other occupa-
ton or spend at home? It's tough
thing to be a slave to the BARRIERS hab-
it."
But how is a man to go to work to
shave himSelf?' | asked.
We'll, III the first place, a man wants
two first-class razors, the best soap, g
good lather brush and an Al strop. II
is usually best to let a barber hone
your raZors for you. as that is a sepa-
rate trade all by itself, and requires
considerable time and skill, and with
care your raZors won't need honina
very often, If I were learning over
again ia select for the first trial SOM;
| time when I had an hour or so Oi
| leisure, if necessary. ia make up q
good thick, creamy lather, and spread
| it over my face, and then rub it wei
| In. | used to take a book or paper
| and read while / alternately applied
| the lather and rubbed it we'll into my
| face That's the main trouble with
| amateur shavers; they don't soften the
beard UP enough. / read some where
| that Gambetta had an awfully tough
| beard and that while the lather was
| softening it up enough for his valet
to shave him he used to take his exer-
else on the trapeze. The beginner
| ought to keep this softening process uI
quite Il W iillS. IL iiia ACo liiC III - II Ia
| much easier.
The razor should be held almost fiat
against the face, with the edge just
/ touching the face, and the back only
| about the thickness of a leadpenci
| away-an angle for the blade of about
ten degrees. The flatter the blade is
against the face the less the danger OF
a cut. Study the growth of the beard
so as always to shave with it.
TT is better to learn to hold the
| razor in either hand, but it is possible
| to go all over the face and only use
one hand breaking in the other by de-
| grces. Another great point for the
amateur is not to be very particular
| the first time over, and then to lathel
up again and go over the face second
| time man can shave himself a good
| deal easier the second time over, and
| the places that troubled and were lefl
ragged the first time over are easily
| cleaned up the second time.
| The great point for the learner
| though, is long and careful lathering
! A man should not consider himself his
| own master, thoroughly his own mas
| ter, unless he can shave himself
| consider 1t one of the accomplish
ments New York Times.