Mojo Barbershop – Hawaii

There is something very sexy and appealing about the idea of a straight razor shave. Not only does it involve the use of a lethal weapon to groom one’s face, but it is a strangely meditative practice. For years now, I’ve been using a brush and bar to shave. Well, to groom what pitiful hair I can grow. The morning ritual is a chance to practice an art form, to build tradition, and to disconnect from everything while I marshal my thoughts in the morning. If you have any interest in learning how to shave with a brush and bar, we included a brief video on the topic below. More importantly than that though is the next level of shaving. Using a brush is one thing, but using a straight razor is a whole new level of bad ass. I’ve experimented with my grandfather’s vintage single blade safety razor and with my other grandfather’s vintage straight razor. Even that though leaves something to be desired. If you, like myself, long for the nostalgia of a barbershop shave then we’ve got you covered.

 

Recently, while in Hawaii, I got the chance to get my first professional straight razor shave. Mojo Barbershop is one of the last great barber shops in the nation. Not only do they excel at the traditional cut and groom they are one of the few places left in the world that offers a traditional straight razor shave. I went in and got the whole shebang. Facial scrub, lather, shave, and beer. Yes, they serve beer. It helps take the edge off while they put the edge on. Needless to say, if you are hoping to look sharp then you’ll be interested in knowing more. For the skeptics out there, I hear you. How can a single archaic tool be a better shave than your six blade Mach Turbo Rotor shaver? Well, you might be surprised. A straight razor is a perfectly honed blade that is made of high-grade material. The trade-off is that you’ll spend a lot more upfront to invest in a straight razor, but your blade will last appx 100 years longer than a Mach 3 and will actually get closer to the skin. The science behind this is due to the strop.

 

The leather strop is the belt shaped piece of canvas or leather that you use to hone the straight razor. Honing is where you drag the blade (horizontally with a slight angle) across the canvas or leather. What this does is create friction, and thus heat, exciting the molecules and causing them to realign. What we’re talking about here is a blade that is uniform on a molecular level, that is to say, sharper than Sean Connery in a tux.

Mojo Barbershop offers the chance to get a shave on this expert level from a true master of the blade. If you’re lucky, the person holding the razor might be super cute too. If you’re looking for a vintage experience that will excite the soul and help you look more like a man, this is your stop. Mojo Barbershop is located in China town in downtown Honolulu.

 

Would you dare get a straight razor shave?