Razor Ramblings: Cutting it Close in Rabat

The elusive Razor Ramblings 5/5 rating. It has never once been achieved in the long and storied history of the blogment.

One might ask, "What does it take to get a 5/5 rating?"

Good question. Three things must be done extremely well:

1. Pre-shave (lather, brush technique, use of hot water on cold days)
2. Shave (blade technique, understanding of skin, no missed spots, number of repititions)
3. Post-shave (choice of aftershave cream and other products, overall closeness)

Most blade wielders slip up at some point. For example, they might use a long, rough strokes (thinking your skin is that of a 82 yr old Egyptian man) or they might go with short, soft strokes. The former results in more nicks than you can count, while the latter might not get you the closeness you desire.

I recently spent three-and-a-half weeks in the Rabat medina. What you cannot help but notice is how vibrant the shaving culture is--the are barber shops all over the place. Fortunately, in some ways, I was staying in a small cement box without a shower or hot water. This made shaving rather difficult. Anyone that has ever tried doing so with ice cold water can probably relate. This is where the bladesmen come in really handy. Without further ado....

Location: Rabat Medina
# of Nicks: None
Rating: 4.8/5

I will start by saying that the shave was deceptively amazing. It left me thinking, "Is that it? Could it really be that simple?" Only after I had settled back in my cement box had I realized just how amazing it was.

It all started rather normally. Hot water was not used, but the friction caused by the brush soon had my face warm enough and the pores opening up. In fact, he spent a lot of time making sure the lather was as thick as it could possibly get.

Moving to the next stage, he prepared the blade and went to work. I can honestly say this guy had the best blade technique of anyone that has ever shaved me with a straight edge. He understood the stroke style that worked best and decreased the friction almost entirely. Maybe it was the diploma from the Institute of Barbers or, probably more likely, he took an immeasurable amount of pride in his work.

The only repetition (I am not sure my skin can handle two) went without incident. He worked with deft skill in all the tough places. I could tell that his attention to detail would be good when I say him cutting the hair of a guy when I walked in the door.

But then it was over. No aftershave, no strange rock that stops the bleeding, no searing spray. When I looked in the mirror, I realized "Wait, there are no nicks. None of that stuff is necessary." This was certainly a first.

As much as I would love to give this guy a 5/5, the post-shave stage just did not meet the minimum requirements. An aftershave gel or cream would have been nice to finish everything off.