Are you interested in a straight razor shave? A straight razor can be quite nerve-wracking but it will provide you with a closer and cleaner shave. You are going to experience the best way to treat your skin before and after a shave.
But how much does a straight razor shave cost? It depends on whether you get a shave from a barbershop or a do-it-yourself (DIY) at home.
Let’s find out exactly what a straight razor shave will cost you when done by an experienced barber or when you do it yourself.
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What is the Cost of a Straight Razor Shave?
We have surveyed the leading barbershops to find the best straight razor shave prices.
According to our findings, a straight razor shave can cost approximately $40 on average. But the cost may vary because of the following reasons.
Your Location
The cost of a straight razor shave differs from one city to another.
For example, the average cost of a straight razor shave in Houston is $45, in Milwaukee is $40, and in Miami, it is $45.
So, on average you should expect to spend roughly $40 to $45.
Barbering Services
The next important thing that affects the cost of a straight razor shave is the barbering techniques used by the barber. The higher the price the more services you get.
The key services you should expect during a straight razor shave at the barbershop for a price of $40 to $45 should include the following:
- Check for any skin issues or allergies
- Pre-shave preparation of the facial skin and hair
- Hot and cold towel treatment
- The facial shave procedure
- 14 shave stroke
- Once-over and close shaving
- A nape shave for cleaning the neckline
- Cleaning and disinfection
How Much Does a DIY Straight Razor Shave Cost
If you find the $40 to $45 barber price range to be too much, you could always buy your own straight razor and shave at home. You have to spend a significant amount of time learning the art of shaving with a straight razor.
The most popular shaving technique that is used by professionals is the 14 stroke shave, which includes freehand strokes, reverse freehand strokes, and backhand strokes.
The 14 shave technique requires you to approach your face from 14 different areas as indicated in the diagram.
- The freehand stroke should be used on areas 1, 3, 4, 7, 11, and 12.
- The reverse freehand stroke should be used on areas 5, 10, 13, and 14.
- The backhand stroke should be used on areas 2, 6, 8, and 9.
You also have to learn the once-over and close shaving techniques.
The once-over technique involves one pass and you can use a combination of across the grain and with the grain strokes.
You could also use the grain strokes only. Close shaving, on the other hand, requires two passes. You have to shave with the grain, apply lather one more time, and shave against the grain.
But you will need a straight razor to be able to do a straight razor shave at home and a strop for honing the razor when it gets dull.
You will need approximately $150 to $200 for a straight razor and leather razor strop. The cost may increase up to approximately $280 if you include a special home.
These figures cover the cost of the initial investment of the tools you will need for your routinely straight razor shave at home. But you also have to consider the cost of shaving products you will need like shaving cream, shaving soap, and aftershave.
Conclusion
So, is a DIY straight razor shave cheaper than a barber’s
It depends on how you look at the two investments. But a do-it-yourself straight razor shave is the more economical option. You just need to incur an initial investment of about $200 to $280 to get yourself a straight razor, a strop, and a hone. And a few extra dollars for shaving products.
But when you get a straight razor shave from a barber, you will have to incur approximately $40 to $45 each time you go to the barbershop. This means the cost of shaving will be increasing with the number of shaves you get in a single week.