Is a BarberShop shave a good birthday present?

If the barber knows what he is doing and does them regularly, they are great. I used to have a good barber that could still shave people. but when he reached 85 and his hands strted getting shakey he retired. I haven’t had a good barber shop shave since.

Unfortunately the good barbers are so few and far between now that most folks will get a better shave at home. If you can find a barber that is willing to shave people, test drive him before you submit your brother to him or her.

I go to a barber shop and a couple times a year I treat myself to a shave, shampoo, and a haircut.
and a complimentary shoulder massage. Its great

I don’t need to shave but I think it would be a cool gift, especially if he hasn’t had the experience before.

Sounds like a great idea. But as @WestRiverrat said, don’t just pick one at random!

It completely depends upon what type of fellow your brother is. My S/O would be horrified by such an idea, for several reasons: he is a bit of a germophobe and would not want a total stranger using equipment that is not his own (even though it is probably perfectly clean and sterile) being used on him. Also, he would never want to be in such a vulnerable position with a potentially dangerous tool being used upon him. It’s one thing to have to go to the doctor and have dangerous tools poking, prodding and scraping you, but my S/O would never choose to have a procedure like this done on him. He would also not ever want to have such an intimate (shaving is intimate, like brushing your teeth) procedure done to him in a public setting, as he is a little on the shy side.

I am like the female equivalent of my S/O in the sense that I would never want to go to a spa and get a manicure or a pedicure. Oh, the horror! For a massage, maybe, but not for a procedure where public equipment would need to be used.

That being said, if your brother doesn’t have this type of personality, he might love the idea. It is kind of cool, it’s just not for everyone.

If you do decide to do it, make sure you do a bit of research about the barber, including how long he’s been doing the procedure, how his tools are cleaned, whether the shave is done in “public” like right out in the middle of a traditional barber shop, or whether it can be done in a private room without onlookers. If you find an experienced barber in a reputable shop, it should be fine, but make sure your brother would actually enjoy this type of gift.