Notice more younger barbers skipping straight razor work entirely

I was at a barber meetup in Des Moines last week and out of 15 guys there, only 3 of us still do hot towel shaves. The younger guys told me they just don't want the liability or the extra time per customer. Has anyone else seen this shift, or is it just my area losing the old school touch?

2 comments

2 Comments

skyler_mitchell7d agoProlific Poster

You mentioned "the liability or the extra time per customer" - which one do you think is the bigger reason they're avoiding it? I've noticed the same thing in my area, and the guys I've talked to seem more scared of cutting someone than losing the 15 minutes. Even the older barbers who used to do them all day are slowing down. Are the young guys just not getting trained on straight razors in school anymore, or is it a choice they're making after they graduate?

cole_robinson6d ago

Think about the tissue under the razor. That shiny skin right behind the ear, around the Adam's apple. It's different now. More guys are on blood thinners for high blood pressure, heart stuff, even daily aspirin. You nick that tissue on a thinner, every barber has seen it bubble up. Takes forever to stop. Scars bad too. Older guys weren't dealing with the same level of medication complications when they started. That's the quiet reason nobody talks about. The skin itself is just riskier now.