The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man Read Online Free PDF Page A

only other place that I can think of is a bar, but bars are now co-ed instead of being bastions of manliness. So if you want to get your thumb on the pulse of civic life in your community, head over to the barbershop.
    Figure 1.15 Barbershops are among America’s last civic forums. If you want to get your thumb on the pulse of civic life in your community, head over to the barbershop.

    You can get a great shave. Many barbershops still give traditional single blade razor shaves. You haven’t lived until you’ve experienced the pleasures of a great shave at a barber. It’s a relaxing, luxurious experience and will give you the best shave you’ve ever gotten. Plus, allowing another man to hold a razor to your neck is a good way to remind yourself that you’re alive.
    It’s a great activity to do with your father or son. Men need traditions that can help bond them. Visiting the barbershop with your father or son is a great tradition to begin in your family. Many men have been going to the same barber all their life and have introduced their sons to the same chair and the same barber.
    You’ll feel manlier. I don’t know what it is. Perhaps it’s the combination of the smell of hair tonics and the all-man atmosphere. But more so, it’s the awareness of the tradition of barbershops. Barbershops are places of continuity; they don’t change with the shifts in culture. The places and barbers look the same as they did when your dad got his hair cut. It’s a straightforward experience with none of the foo-foo accoutrements of the modern age. There are no waxings, facials, highlights or appointments. Just great haircuts and great conversation.
    When you walk out of the barbershop with a sharp haircut, you can’t help but feel a little manly swagger creep into your step. So next time you spot that familiar red-and-white striped pole, stop in. You’ll be glad you did.
    Shave Like Your Grandpa
    Proper shaving has become a lost art. Today’s average male is completely in the dark about the fine art of the traditional wet shave their grandfathers and some of their fathers used to enjoy. Instead, they’re only accustomed to the cheap, disposable, mass-marketed shaving products that line the shelves of today’s drugstores. I’m not sure when or why it happened, but the tradition of passing down the secrets of a clean shave faded away. Thankfully this glorious male ritual is making a comeback.
    Benefits of the Classic Wet Shave
    Reduced costs. An eight-pack of your typical four-blade cartridge razors can set you back over twenty dollars. Twenty dollars! That’s $2.50 per cartridge. The cost of a double-edged safety razor is no more than twenty-five cents, so you can save some serious money by switching over. Additionally you can save some dough by using traditional shaving creams and soaps. Not only will a can of the chemically packed gel goop that most drugstores sell cost you up to five dollars a can, it doesn’t last long nor give you a quality shave. On the other hand, traditional shave creams and soaps are made from natural ingredients. While their initial cost may be a bit more than shaving gels, you’ll need less product to get a proper lather. Thus, you end up saving in the long run.
    Reduced environmental impact. Traditional wet shaving with a double-edged safety razor produces less waste than shaving with cartridge razors. The only waste is a single metal razor blade and lather down the sink. Unlike today’s razor cartridges, a double-edged blade can easily be recycled. The tubes and bowls that most traditional shave creams and soaps are sold in produce less waste than those clunky nonbiodegradable aerosol canisters that gels come in.
    Better, more consistent shaves. Most men today walk around not knowing they have horrible shaves. Electric razors and the latest five-blade super-duper nanobot contraptions irritate the skin more than necessary, leaving razor burn, ingrown hairs and redness. Shaving with a safety