300 To 400 Strokes And That "Beard" Is Off !

Chronicle (Levin), 13 August 1949, Page 4

300 To 400 Strokes And That "Beard" Is Off !

Have you ever'been on the subject end while a recruit to the hairdressing trade is carrying out an experimental shave? Your newsman has fortunately not yet had the experience, but discussing the matter with an old hand at the trade he at least learned that should he find himself in such a position he would not have much to worry about. The learner would never cut you, was the heartening rejoinder. It was the young apprentice who thought he had reached the stage of complete mastery of the blade who was the most lik'ely to slip up. From then on there was nothing to fear, as barbers be"came most proficient and light of hand. The probability of a scratched chin was usually narrowed down to the number of unexpected facial contortions indulged in by the person in the chair.

Most barbers used between * 300 and 400 strokes when shaving, the number depending on whether short or long strokes were employed most often. The time used varied, of course, on the type of "growth" and skin surface, not forgetting the natures of those under operation. . As with hairdressing, some customers «- liked to combine the proce'dure with a debate on the latest achievements in the sporting, political or local field, while others Were not willing to tarry longer than necessary. The average barber quickly summed up each custonier and conversed if conversatioii was called for. One of the barbers in Levin who has been longest in the trade is Mr. W. Wilkinson, who on June 31 celebrated his 51st . year at the business. He said the minimum time taken in shaving.was between four and five minutes/ He also added that to cut a whole head of hair without the use of a machine todk ' between 500 and 600 clips of the scissors. In these days of haircutting .machines, scissors were -em-

ployed for only certain parts of the operation and about 250 clips of the scissors were required. Mr. Wilkinson said that when he first started out as a barber he was taught to use the blade razor on a dummy consisting of an inflated balloon, mounted in a frame and marked out to represent a face. On this he learnt the various strokes used, and a'so gained eonfidence and a light touch. One of the arts in shaving with a blade razor was to keep the first finger and thumb dry. There were very few -recruits coming forward today willing to learn the trade as" apprentxces. Mr. Wilkinson first started out in England and he told of the days When he was paid the magnificent sum of ls a week for the first year of his apprenticeship, 2s a week for his second year, 3s a week for his thibd year and 4s a week for his fourth year. Ip. those days they worked 10£' hours a day for four days of the week, 8 a.m. till 11 a.m. oh a Saturday and 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on a Wednesday.