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Tuesday, February 17, 2009

post-apocalypse barber

POST-APOCALYPSE BARBER
Before we begin today, an addition to yesterday's article on corn. I should have added that whole grain corn is much easier to get used to than whole wheat flour. Just buying a bag of chips or a package of corn tortillas will start you on it. While most folks might turn their nose up at whole wheat, they've already been eating whole corn. So it might be more of a natural grain to stock ( just get enough wheat for sprouts, at least ). Okay, today let's talk about yet another possible post-apocalypse career. Barber. I covered straight razors eons ago, pre-blog days. I ordered a package of stainless steel straight razors and tried to shave with one with little effect. A loyal minion sent me a carbon steel one but I chickened out using it. By that time I had decided I would just stockpile a bunch of disposables and the razor sharpener from Lehman's. I can get a disposable to last at a minimum of two months using one of those sharpeners and shaving three times a week. So with my hoard of cheaply bought disposables I'm good for the rest of my life on shaving ( or close enough, and I still have that good straight razor ).
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If you buy a bunch of stainless steel razors for barter, you can pay as little as two or three bucks each. If you want a professional straight razor, one that does a decent job ( you might have better luck with the stainless than I did so I could be wrong here and stainless will work just fine for you with a bit more attention to getting an edge ), you need to buy a carbon steel version. And they are far more than three bucks. Try more like thirty on up. But, you are buying an investment. This should be your primary concern. A guy can go awhile without a haircut. And do a half ass job chopping it off. But if they want a shave, they are going to have to go see a professional. Disposable razors will wear our quickly after the stores close. Beards will out of necessity make a come back, but enough men might want to do without one that you'll have a business.
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Plenty of Web sites out there will give you all the information you want on straight razors. Next up are going to be hair scissors. Something a little better than a pair from the dollar store. Like the razors, you are going to have to decide on a compromise between the cost and the number of back up pairs you can stockpile. Then, it is a simple matter of buying a ten dollar book on cutting hair. If you don't already know how. But this seems like a pretty easy profession to get ready for. A few pieces of equipment, a little practice. I know I've thrown some pretty bizarre possible professions your way, such as honey wagon driver. This is just a reminder that there are easy, cheap ways to get ready for a post-oil life. It isn't the matter so much of skill. Anyone can hack up an animal carcass and soon learn butchering. Candle making isn't rocket science. It is more the matter of having the fore site to stock up on the proper equipment before hand. How many folks will have a manual sharpening stone wheel and files to sharpen axes or saws? Anyway, something to think about.
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Original: http://bisonsurvivalblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/post-apocalypse-barber.html

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