In The Chair With............... Farzad Salehi

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This week we are talkking to the Vancouver legend who's moves with a cut throat razor are equaled only by Zoro, farzad Salehi ....................

FARZAD BEFORE WE GO ON WITH THE OTHER QUESTIONS CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF INSIGHT IN TO THE REAL FARZAD SALEHI PLEASE.

Hi James, Thanks for having me and it is a pleasure to be here. Well, I left my home country of Iran twenty-four years ago and made my way to Canada. That journey took two and a half years and it is a story of its own.....I arrived in Vancouver on October 26, 1994 with $100 US in my pocket and didn’t speak English...

FARZAD WHAT WAS IT THAT PROMPTED YOU TO LOOK AT A CAREER WORKING AS A BARBER.

As a young teenager I used to cut my friends’ hair at home and had the interest to keep doing it. It would take me more than an hour to do a cut at that time! I had a few cousins who were in the barbering industry and while I was serving my military duty (mandatory in Iran) I was giving haircuts to anyone who needed it. When I finished my service at the age of 20 I started to work as a shampoo boy in the Barbershop of a Five-Star Hotel where one of my cousins was working and there I started from scratch. My job was to fold towels, wash the floor, open and close the shop, and during the day I had to sweep the floor and make the clients ready for the boss (shampoo the hair,

shave the neck, and sometimes make the lather if there was a shave).....That was for two years.

WITH 26 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE UNDER YOUR BELT YOU MUST SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN STYLE, WHAT IN YOUR OPINION IS YOUR FAVORITE TIME IN THE INDUSTRY AND WHY.

Actually, it will be 30 years this coming summer and it is hard to believe how fast time goes by! I started in the 80’s and back then we were doing a lot of George Michael type of haircuts, then there were the undercuts of the 90’s and.... Change is always good and it is hard to pick a favourite time in the industry. I have always loved my work and love the changes that come with it. I’ve also been fortunate to have worked (and still do) beside some very talented barbers over all these years, and I believe it’s important to never stop observing and trying to learn from other great barbers. As an “older” barber now, I really admire some of the young talents out there who are passionate about the trade and about their work. They keep me on my toes!

FARZAD I HAVE TO SAY YOUR ABILITY TO GLIDE AN OPEN RAZOR OVER A PERSONS (I WAS GOING TO SAY VICTIM BUT THEY ALL SEEM PRETTY HAPPY WHEN THEY LEAVE) FACE IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST I THINK I HAVE SEEN

YOU ACTUALLY REMIND ME SOME WHAT OF A SWAN IN AS MUCH AS ON THE SURFACE EVERYTHING LOOKS SO GRACEFUL BUT UNDERNEATH THAT LATHER YOUR BLADE IS PROPELLING ITS SELF ACROSS THE SKIN LIKE THE SWANS FEET UNDER THE WATER.

FARZAD CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR TECHNIQUE THAT ELEVATES YOU TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF TONSORIAL ARTISTRY PLEASE.

I don't think I am even near the best but I would love to be one of them some day...thanks for the kind words. Shaving is all about the skill and little about the product, but of course a good product helps. I have developed a shaving style on my own by picking up little pieces of skills from some fantastic different barbers that I was lucky enough to work with over the years and if you look at some of my moves they are not by the book. I realize it now when I compare myself to the masters and the book.

FARZAD I KNOW SOME OF THE MEMBERS ON BARBER BANTER ARE LIKE MAGPIES IN AS MUCH AS THEY (LIKE ME) LOVE SHINY THINGS, CAN YOU GIVE US THE LOW DOWN ON YOUR BLADE OF CHOICE PLEASE AND WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH TO CHOOSE THE ONE YOU DID.

I use Feather blades and handle. As a barber or any craftsman you will be always looking for the best tools if you love your work, and trying to get it done the best way possible. I did the same and after years of trying different blades I was introduced to Feather by Noriko who is working in our shop and she is one of the best shavers (and barbers) you could meet. The blade is just so sharp and if it is used in the right way it is an amazing blade.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY MANY DIFFERENT PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET AND ITS OPENLY APPARENT FROM WATCHING YOUR VIDEOS THAT YOU HAVE THIS SHAVING GAME DOWN TO A FINE ART SO WE ASK YOU THIS,........ IN YOUR OPINION WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE SHAVING BRANDS AND WHY.

To be honest with you there are many good shaving products in the market, as you know, and for me to pick a few it’s a hard thing to do but I will tell you this: After using many brands of shaving product I have come to love Crown Shaving Co. from Toronto, Canada, which I use for all my shaves and I also sell in my shop. The shave cream, particularly, is the best I have ever come across in my 30 years of barbering. Of course there are names like Geo F. Trumper and Truefitt & Hill which have been around for a long time and are also great quality products, but I am really hooked on Crown!

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES PEOPLE (WHEN I SAY PEOPLE I MEAN US BARBERS) MAKE WHEN CARRYING OUT A TRADITIONAL SHAVE.

Oh that is a tricky one, I don't like to be critical of what people do but one of the most common mistakes I see is the way some hold their blade. If the blade is not held properly it will give you a wrong or less desirable angle and then it is not moving smoothly and there will be irritation on the client’s face.

OK, OVER IN THE UK THERE IS SOME CONTROVERSY OVER STATE REGISTRATION FOR WORKING AS A BARBER AT PRESENT THERE IS NO LAW STOPPING ANYONE FROM OPENING AND WORKING AS A BARBER, IS THERE ANY REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OVER IN VANCOUVER THAT YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT AND IF YOU DON'T MIND CAN YOU GIVE US YOUR OPINION ON BECOMING A STATE REGISTERED BARBER.

There used to be a Barber Association in the old days in Vancouver that unfortunately doesn't exist any more, and we used to get registered and get a new license every year and I think that was good. They had inspectors who would go around to the barbershops and ask the barbers for their license and that made sure that people who are putting a blade on a client’s face are qualified to do so.

OK WE’RE DRAWING TO AN END NOW BUT BEFORE WE FINISH CAN YOU TELL US WHERE YOU DRAW YOUR MOTIVATION FROM PLEASE.

I love life and I have always believed that when you leave in the morning to go to work a day of life starts, not just a day of work! If you love your work, life is good and easy but if you make it complicated life could be difficult. There is nothing wrong with a small good little life, it doesn't have to be a huge good life (if that makes sense)! I have been fortunate to have this great, busy shop for the past 10 years in the beautiful city of Vancouver working everyday alongside my wife, Shelley, and the best barber, Noriko. I never dreamed of more chairs or more locations, and why would I? I’m living my dream!

WE ALWAYS FINISH WITH WHAT I CALL THE JERRY SPRINGER FINAL THOUGHT QUESTION WHICH IS WHAT DO YOU SEE THE NEXT FIVE YEARS HOLDING FOR YOU, IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE INDUSTRY.

If I could keep it the way it is life is great already! When I was 15 or so years old I wanted to have an amazing motorcycle, then I become a barber and I always wanted to have a great barbershop with two chairs in it, and then there was the love life and my dream woman.....Well, now I have more than I ever wanted or imagined was possible.

There is a Persian expression that says: The bigger roof you have The more snow you get.

Thank you so much for having me here.

FARZAD THE PLEASURE IS MINE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE BEST INTERVIEWS IVE HAD THE PLEASURE CONDUCTING.