Splitting Hairs

HarveysMinnow · 03-25-11, 04:49 PM

Maybe this falls in the "tall tales" category, and if I hadn't witnessed it with my own two eyes, I doubt that I would believe it.

Most of us have heard the expression "splitting hairs" as related to something being 'picky' or making too much out of small differences. Did you ever wonder how this figure of speech came to be?

When I was just a kid (8 or 9 yrs old), my father and I used to go to this little two-chair barber shop in the small town where I grew up. The seating in this shop was up close to the barber chairs, because the whole place was probably no more than about 10' x 16'. I had already had my haircut and was sittng over by the front window waiting for my dad's trim to be finished. There were no other customers waiting, so the idle barber (the one closest to me) began to strop his straight razor. I watched him with curiousity as he swiped the blade back and forth on the leather for at least 5 minutes. Finally, to test the razor's sharpness, he pulled a thin wavy hair from the back of his neck and while holding the hair between thumb and finger, he gently brought it against the razor's edge. The hair was split by the sharp blade! The light through the front window was just right and from my seat I could see it clearly as the blade came down and parted the hair. The old barber noticed me watching him and he said, "Well, that oughta be good for a shave or two." I guess that's why they call straight razor shaves "barber close".

Have any of you readers ever seen this done ?

keithdog · 03-26-11, 10:12 AM

I've never seen it done, but thats the kind of memory a kid will keep the rest of his life.

carolina-rig-01 · 03-26-11, 12:39 PM

I haven't ever seen that before. But I love having my neck shaved with a straight razor.

bassinbob · 03-26-11, 01:45 PM

In the small town near my cabin was an old barbershop. I went in one day when I was about 13 to get a haircut. Back then a lot of barbers would shave what little hair I had on my neck. Anyway he had an older man in the chair getting a cut and shave. When he picked up the razor he played a song on the strap with the razor while tapping his foot. To a young boy back then it was just downright terrific. I couldn't wait till it was my turn in the chair to hear my tune. Can't remember the names of the tunes but can recall them in my head.

carolina-rig-01 · 03-26-11, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassinbob

In the small town near my cabin was an old barbershop. I went in one day when I was about 13 to get a haircut. Back then a lot of barbers would shave what little hair I had on my neck. Anyway he had an older man in the chair getting a cut and shave. When he picked up the razor he played a song on the strap with the razor while tapping his foot. To a young boy back then it was just downright terrific. I couldn't wait till it was my turn in the chair to hear my tune. Can't remember the names of the tunes but can recall them in my head.

That's a cool story. There aren't too many old time barber shops around anymore, and that's a shame.

bamabassman · 03-26-11, 05:23 PM

i have seen a barber split a hair with his razor, awesum EDGE man. went to one years ago when i was a kid. he had a steel comb in his hand when he would cut your hair. if oyu moved......he owuld bop oyu on the head. and it hurt too. lol. his name was "boogerman" mayfeild. don't know how he got the nickname,hehehe. but he never could cut a straight line. but he was the old barber in the town of WARRIOR, al. he had 2 sons too. one went to school with my older brother. the other was a few yrs older than us. i remember going in and getting a FLAT TOP, otherwise know as a crew cut. hated that style. but dad loved it on us.

bcklash · 03-26-11, 10:38 PM

My grandpa ( passed away in 1968 ) used to brag he could split hairs with a 22 at 30 yds

But he missed one time and made a canoe out of a guys head, he didn't die but he didn't mess with grandpa any more.

bamabassman · 03-26-11, 11:00 PM

<<<rolliong up my pants legs, BWAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

1/4 stick · 03-27-11, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcklash

My grandpa ( passed away in 1968 ) used to brag he could split hairs with a 22 at 30 yds

But he missed one time and made a canoe out of a guys head, he didn't die but he didn't mess with grandpa any more.

Where's my boots?

03-25-11, 04:49 PM	#1
HarveysMinnow BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central NC Posts: 224	Splitting Hairs Maybe this falls in the "tall tales" category, and if I hadn't witnessed it with my own two eyes, I doubt that I would believe it. Most of us have heard the expression "splitting hairs" as related to something being 'picky' or making too much out of small differences. Did you ever wonder how this figure of speech came to be? When I was just a kid (8 or 9 yrs old), my father and I used to go to this little two-chair barber shop in the small town where I grew up. The seating in this shop was up close to the barber chairs, because the whole place was probably no more than about 10' x 16'. I had already had my haircut and was sittng over by the front window waiting for my dad's trim to be finished. There were no other customers waiting, so the idle barber (the one closest to me) began to strop his straight razor. I watched him with curiousity as he swiped the blade back and forth on the leather for at least 5 minutes. Finally, to test the razor's sharpness, he pulled a thin wavy hair from the back of his neck and while holding the hair between thumb and finger, he gently brought it against the razor's edge. The hair was split by the sharp blade! The light through the front window was just right and from my seat I could see it clearly as the blade came down and parted the hair. The old barber noticed me watching him and he said, "Well, that oughta be good for a shave or two." I guess that's why they call straight razor shaves "barber close". Have any of you readers ever seen this done ?

03-26-11, 10:12 AM	#2
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	I've never seen it done, but thats the kind of memory a kid will keep the rest of his life. __________________ Just one more cast, and then some!

03-26-11, 01:45 PM	#4
bassinbob BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pitts. Pa. Posts: 3,801	In the small town near my cabin was an old barbershop. I went in one day when I was about 13 to get a haircut. Back then a lot of barbers would shave what little hair I had on my neck. Anyway he had an older man in the chair getting a cut and shave. When he picked up the razor he played a song on the strap with the razor while tapping his foot. To a young boy back then it was just downright terrific. I couldn't wait till it was my turn in the chair to hear my tune. Can't remember the names of the tunes but can recall them in my head. __________________ you can have my fishin rod when ya take it from my cold dead hands

03-26-11, 05:23 PM	#6
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	i have seen a barber split a hair with his razor, awesum EDGE man. went to one years ago when i was a kid. he had a steel comb in his hand when he would cut your hair. if oyu moved......he owuld bop oyu on the head. and it hurt too. lol. his name was "boogerman" mayfeild. don't know how he got the nickname,hehehe. but he never could cut a straight line. but he was the old barber in the town of WARRIOR, al. he had 2 sons too. one went to school with my older brother. the other was a few yrs older than us. i remember going in and getting a FLAT TOP, otherwise know as a crew cut. hated that style. but dad loved it on us. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

03-26-11, 10:38 PM	#7
bcklash BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elliston, Va. Posts: 4,372	My grandpa ( passed away in 1968 ) used to brag he could split hairs with a 22 at 30 yds But he missed one time and made a canoe out of a guys head, he didn't die but he didn't mess with grandpa any more. __________________ The soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box. keep us free:

03-26-11, 12:39 PM	#3
carolina-rig-01 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Webb City, MO Posts: 6,387	I haven't ever seen that before. But I love having my neck shaved with a straight razor.

03-26-11, 11:00 PM	#8
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	<<<rolliong up my pants legs, BWAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! __________________ so many lures, so little time.

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