Barber Shops, Old Phones & Stuff

[Greg G.]

(This topic was split from this original topic:
         http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=3129.0 )

I got in to see my barber a couple weeks ago and installed the dial center/card.  Thank you Harry for the swap, even if it was a little complicated (we both mailed our swaps in insufficient first-class envelopes.  His got returned, mine arrived postage due).

Traded my barber for a haircut and collected on that today.  I remembered to bring my camera and got a shot of it.  I gave him a choice of various AE repro cards I got from OPW, this is the one he chose.

Funny thing is, as I was getting a haircut, I was talking to one of the other customers, and mentioned antique phones.  Another guy waiting piped up and said "Did you say antique phones?"  "Yes" said I.  Turns out is was David who volunteers at the Telecommunications Museum in Seattle, where we found the 49-500.  I thought he looked familiar when he came in, but couldn't quite place him.  Naturally the conversation then turned to old phones.  

[HarrySmith]

Looks great! Guess it was worth the effort
I put the chrome one on my metal 302, I will get a pic up tonight.

[McHeath]

Very nice, and it's great that it's still in service in a barber shop. 

[Greg G.]

Very nice, and it's great that it's still in service in a barber shop. 

Sunset Hill Barber Shop is one of the last of the old-fashioned, men-only barber shops.  Gene, the barber, is a real character who drives a Harley to work and is in his early 70s.  He learned to cut hair in the Navy.  The only thing not there that I miss is the straight-razor, back of the neck shave, and that's only because it's outlawed now.

http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/Brinybay/Sunset%20Hill%20Barber/

[KeithB]

There's an old-school barber shop I go to here that still shaves the back of your neck with a straight razor, but it's not the original thing.  These use replaceable injector-style blades.   At least they have hot shave cream machines and hot towels to go with it.

[HarrySmith]

Is there a red & white pole out front?

[Greg G.]

Is there a red & white pole out front?

Of mine?  Yes, the traditional spinning type mounted on the outside of the building, like this one (only his is noticeably worn):

[bingster]

Straight razors are outlawed there?  Wow.

Funnily enough, my old barber learned to cut hair in the navy, too.  As soon as he got home from WWII, he opened a barbershop.  He gave me my first haircut, and nobody else cut my hair for the first 25 years of my life.  When he retired I was totally lost.

[Greg G.]

Straight razors are outlawed there?  Wow.

Funnily enough, my old barber learned to cut hair in the navy, too.  As soon as he got home from WWII, he opened a barbershop.  He gave me my first haircut, and nobody else cut my hair for the first 25 years of my life.  When he retired I was totally lost.

Outlawed to the extent they make it a real hassle to do it, so Gene doesn't do it.  
He was saying they even gave him grief for using the little brush that they use to brush away hair from your face.  Keep in mind this is in the most anal city (Seattle) in the most anal county (King County) in one of the most anal states (Washington).

There is a (modern) shop that does them, for a hefty price.  I peaked in and looked around one time, not the type of place I want to go, and I wouldn't pay those prices anyway.

Gene does an excellent job of cutting my hair an old-fashioned short style, the way I like it, w/o it looking like somebody put a bowl on my head.  I too, will be lost when he retires.  There is another barber there who works on weekends, a gal, but I let her cut my hair once and didn't like the results.  

[HarrySmith]

Yes, that would be the one
It is not a Barber Shop without one

[Dennis Markham]

Great barber shop, Greg.  Thanks for sharing it with us.

[McHeath]

My dad was a regular barber shop guy.  There was a sign above the door which read "Stay well groomed with a weekly visit" which he did for years and years.  I went along until I moved out on my own.  Nowadays the esposita cuts my hair, and quite well, and I've even been known to cut it myself when the urge strikes!  When I get it cut that is, I get lazy about it because I don't want to take up time getting it cut so it often goes 3-5 months between cuts. 

[Dennis Markham]

I know you're going to find this difficult to believe but the guy that cuts my hair has been cutting it since 1974.  He is just a couple years older than I am and was fresh out of barber school when I started going to the shop where he worked.  The barber he worked for sold his shop about ten years ago and now works in the shop owned by my barber.  That guy actually cut my hair when I was still in high school back in 1972.

I schedule my appointments a year in advance.  He calls himself a stylist now and not just a barber.  I have to adjust an appointment now and then but pretty much I'm penciled in a year at a time.  He only cuts by appointment but his partner does walk-in business.  He has a lot less hair to cut on my head these days.  There was a time in the 70's that he trimmed my beard too and my hair was much longer.

I've been trying to talk him into putting a rotary phone in the shop but so far  no dice.

Heath, it's interesting that your father went once a week.  I'll bet he always looked good.  I couldn't afford to go every week at today's prices.

[HarrySmith]

As promised here is a pic of the chrome dial ring on my 302

[Kenny C]

i have 302s with finger stops like that what causes that? BTW your dial ring looks great