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Brian Hurson’s formative years were spent at the elbow of his grandfather in Dublin, Ireland. He was in awe of the leather-bound shaving kit, with its collection of straight and safety razors that his granddad used every morning to shave.

His grandfather influenced more than Brian’s childhood, however; he inspired his grandson’s craft.

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“Grandad was a man of the ’40s. I liked borrowing his clothes and hats and my interest in the period grew — the dress, cars, movies, and shaving using a straight razor. It was this love of history that got me into barbering as a hobby, but I didn’t think I could make a living from it,” he says.

Like many people of his generation Brian, 38, was told to go to university then get an office job rather than a trade. He completed a business degree but realized he didn’t want to end up working in a cubicle.

“I would pal around with folks who owned a famous Dublin landmark called The Waldorf Barbershop and Shaving Saloon that has been in business since 1929. It’s a beautiful Art Deco shop that was last renovated in the ’40s. I begged a barber who had been doing the job for 50 years to show me how to use a straight razor. I started practising, decided to make a career of it, and signed on as an apprentice.”