I got my first straight razor shave from Chuck at Windy City Barber Shop in Las Vegas, NV last year. I thought I would give it a review.
Pre-Shave 5/5
Worked in some warm lather on face and neck.
Covered face with a hot towel for 2-3 minutes.
Removed towel and covered face with another hot towel for 2-3 minutes.
Removed towel, wiped off cream and applied pre-shave oil. The oil had a good but not over powering scent.
The pre-shave was perfect in my opinion.
Shave 3.5/5
He used a straight razor with disposable blades which I was dissapointed by. I guess i wanted the "real deal." Not really sure about pass count. He went over an area and reapplied warm lather as needed until smooth which I was fine with. I expected the best shave I have ever had and especially better than I could give myself with my safety razor. What I got was an ok shave that was great in some places but not so great in others. I am not sure if my expectations were too high, but it was still a great experience and Chuck was very professional.
Post-Shave 5/5
Another warm towel followed by a great non alcohol based AS.
He then put a bit of powder on my face which I was not expecting but enjoyed.
He then trimmed up my neck line and wet my hair a bit.
The post shave was great.
Cost 3.5/5
$35 which included tip. It seems like it was pretty comparable to other places but it does still seem to be a bit steep. It may be something I do once a year.
Overall, it gets a 17/20 which is a solid four stars out of five. I may return but would like to have my next shave done with a "true" straight razor but I hear that the disposables are mainly used for sanitation issues. Chuck was a nice guy and wanted to make my first shave a great experience and it was. I enjoyed our chat and the shave.