Make Shift Humidor

We have all been there. You just spent 10 buck-a-roos on a fine cigar you plan to smoke that night and all a sudden plans change. Why? I do not know maybe there was a sale at Nordstrom’s were anything you can fit in your arms is completely free! But point here is that your not going to be able to smoke your cigar when your assumed you were going to. Since your working on building wealth and a cigar collection but at this point in life you still only have enough in your bank to cover your bills and some food, and you buy a cigar one at a time (no humidor). OK maybe your finically comfortable and don’t ever want a cigar collection, so you don’t have a humidor. Well my friend I have been there (broke scenario, no humidor). No humidor but you have to preserve your cigar someway? You don’t want to waste a potentially good cigar because you have to wait a few days. What to do?

No worries my friend! I have ruined enough cigars by having to wait that I have found something a friends little brother thought might work. Make a way the moisture stays with the cigar( love little bros). At this point I would say ALWAYS, ALWAYS GET A BAG WITH YOU PURCHASE OR ELSE THIS WONT HELP! There I was two cigars and changed plans. Lucky I got a bag. Follow these steps to preserve your cigar(s) for a few days. This is only a make shift alternative.



1st make sure your cigars are wrapped if not they don’t rest on anything wet.

2nd get a paper towel and fold it very neatly so it looks like the picture.

3rd Run warm or hot water depending on where you live and time of year to result in the desirable amount of moisture. DON’T SOAK IT JUST MOISTEN Example I reside in Utah and the day I did this it was warm and dry so I used hot water to help create moisture.

4th Place the moist paper cloth inside the bag with the cigar(s). Not touching. Just inside along with.

5th Put contents in a cool even temperature place. Not to dark or direct sunlight

Important to note: Temp should be around 70 degrees moisture should be about 70% avoid too hot will evaporate water and dry cigar(s) or too moist fungus and mildew can happen.

Hope this will help you prolong the life of your cigar due to changed plans or whatever else is preventing you from smoking your cigar sooner.

It you think this is not correct then make a comment or else.

Who knew. 50 yr old Barber Shop would have a connection to the babysitter of my wife?

Someone once told me you have to choose, you cant have everything (or I once heard in a Leona Lewis song Happy via Pandora as I write this) regardless I beg to differ. Here I was Tuesday May 4th I was in bad need of a cut. Like usual I was on Twitter via TweetDeck and I see this: “I'm at Ray's Barber Shop in Salt Lake City, UT” by dcharrison in the #slc column I have set up on TweetDeck. My thoughts instantly was this must be a prank, just someone who works at Rays Barber Shop mentioning their work to attract customer from all over the valley? No. Come to find out it is a long time customer of Rays I think I saw a recent tweet by dcharrison something like 15 years.

So what else to do once making my decision where to visit next, google where it is. After finding out that Rays is one of the target barber shops I have on a growing list of “Barber Shop hits” I remember I drove past this place near my home tucked away in Millcreek on 2100 East and about 1300 South. What a lucky thing for me because I had a business dinner that I had to attend later that night. So being close to my home I quickly ducked out from work being it was approved by my manager of course and visited this very special barber shop.

I must admit I had no appointment, I forgot my camera and pulling up quickly remembered both of these. Lucky for me the neon NO WAIT sign was lit and I had to rely on my handy dandy Iphone (better pictures of Rays bottom of post). Literally as soon as I got out the car my phone rang, my coworker from my other job seeing if I had time for a conference call regarding our dinner that night. What was I suppose to do say no? (he is married to the boss!) Truly. But then again we are all best friends. So I make the call connect all the parties letting them know I am about to get a hair cut at my next barber shop, they know all about my barber shop enthusiasm. I am doing the thing I hate the most being somewhere I am suppose to be off the phone and being on the phone. People inside Ray's must have thought I was weird walking back and forth finally opening the door to only see my phone stuck to my ear and walking back and fourth in their shop. Why am I mentioning this here? Because with being on a conference call there was times when I was not directly needing to listen you know when other parties are speaking with each other and your just kinda there. Well in these few moments I was able to get an outsiders listen and vibe judging on our Ray's Barber Shop. I can truly say this place is legit barber aura. There were people laughing hard not just those sympathy public laughs but like a friends would laugh with each other. There was a smell that only a classic barber shop can obtain. Finally! “Good bye I will see you all this evening.” Call was over.

Up next though I felt like a trespasser not quite new customer after all I was parading back and fourth in the entrance of the shop, and not as much a repeat customer. I was in the grey zone. I had no idea what I was suppose to do next. So I waited.....nothing. How can one barber shop veteran be so confused in a barber shop? Well I will tell you smarties. Its split in two!!! YES. Two different areas. Once you walk in to your right is a well decorated (barber shop lingo: older, vintage and well equipped) area and straight ahead is another. Different feel to them both. What happened next really clued me in, another patron came in and grabbed a number. Now I have written my name down on a sheet in plenty of barber shops, and played the game “uh he was here first”, but yet to pull a number. Thats why I was so confused it was not my norm but for them it is. Here is how its broken up. The area to your right when you walk in is VIP “appointments only” and the area straight ahead if common folk “walk ins” however after speaking with my barber Bonnie she informed me the “other side” will take walk ins if they are slow or have no appointments, and you can request an appointment with any barber even on the walk in side. Bonnie runs her Bonnie's Haircuts (check review found online by clicking Bonnie) out off Ray's she only does appointments on Mondays. Good to know, now!

After all this damn confusion caused by only me is figured out I walk back over the the walk in side and Bonnie my barber comes and greets me. Bonnie is her name. I was hesitant at first I did not admit that to her, but after finding out the “other side” is all appointments and the side I am on is walk ins makes me second guess not making a appointment. So I let Bonnie know I might take some pictures I am working on a blog that focuses on barber shops in SLC, she was cool with it and starts educating me about Ray's.

She said the shop has been around for some 50 years in SLC. It was owned by different people back when and she started working there a few years back. She was telling me how she just picked up a few hours before moving to Israel! Now I hardly meet people who move to Israel..wait that was my first. We started talking about why she went to Israel about all the history and everything. I was saying most people in UT who leave for a few years go on a LDS mission, and was curious if this might be why she went. She informed me that was not why she personally went. Oh okay. I starting telling her how I attend a non-domination christian church in Draper. No sooner had I said the name that Bonnie said she attended one in Salt Lake. At that moment I played to ol' to great game “do you know”. Well happens to be that the person I asked her if she knew married her sister! I was like really? That means she was THE BONNIE! NO I do not know any secrets about her BUT I do know she baby sat my wife when she was a teenage. My wife told me all about her. How cool she was and she had some pet birds or maybe someone in the family did when my lovely wife was just a young girl.

WOW now the barber I am getting to know is BONNIE. What a small world I thought. Makes for a great blog story also including telling her bro-in-law my good friend. Well it got smaller her husband is good friends with the people I was on the conference call with and we just laughed.

Now Ray's is owned by someone else, who has barbering in their blood. I have heard the owner's uncle owns 9 to 9 barber shop in Draper (the shop that got me wide-eyed over barber shops). Ray's shop is set up nicely. One unique thing they had at Ray's was a real shoe shine chair. Yes you can wear your shoes in and have them shined. Ray's has a wonderful story and history. I feel like I should not include all that story here now, because I can tell you OR you can find out for yourself by visting Ray's.

As the barber cuts your hair they position you toward 1 of the flat screens that had ESPN on. Nice touch! The cut was $13 but I saw a sign for straight razor shave and I have been getting request to refer people to places but I have not had any I would recommend. I said I would be back to try it and then if I liked it I would refer there. So if anyone knows of any barber shops that do a superb job with straight razor face shaves please let me know. BEST OF ALL they end their hair cuts the good ol' fashioned way! Classic shoulder massage! My hair looks professional and clean. Great job and very special barber shop experience for the barber shop connoisseur.

This is my story and I might stick by it. Hope you enjoyed. I would love to hear your barber shop experience and if you have received a face shave via straight razor from a professional where and who?

Found some professional pictures taken of inside of Ray's by Chris Detrick of the Salt Lake Tribune. Check them out. Click to view

A NEW ROUTE

Well folks I have done some thinking (rare) about this blog and I have come to somewhat of a conclusion. I have no horizon I have limited myself vertically. WHAT? I am limited to a post only ever so often only about barbering. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy this but this is very limiting, how do I solve this problem: (thinking) “hey I like Robb Report, GQ, and things manly.” What if I include things, which are categorized as manly? Perfect I thought. So here it is my updated thought, I blog about things that I enjoy and other people might enjoy as well that might be categorized as “things manly”. This new update is NOT going to about posh, uber expensive, unattainable for common people things. I will blog about items men and women can afford. Yes ladies you too can enjoy “manly” things example whiskey, cigars etc and if you don’t enjoy these things this will be perfect place to learn more about men and what your man might enjoy (gift ideas that are original and make sense). Has anyone else noticed certain “men’s magazines” that feature stuff that most regular people dream about or when they get rich will buy. I know that is part of the purpose called “entertainment” and help sells them, but REALLY? I feel they have no real purpose to real people. BAM. My new blog offers a solution.

First thing cigars and whiskey! Note: I purchased cigars for a friend’s birthday and he already had some of Utah’s best whiskey (drinking it now). These two are perfect for this renovated blog. The cigars were purchased from Tinderbox. This place has some of the best selection in Utah. They also have flasks, shaving sets, real badger hair shave brushes, exquisite selection of pipe tobacco and much more. I went with an Ashton; they really complement whiskeys, cognac, and other sipping drinks.

First up an Aston 8-9-8 this was around $9. The burn was somewhat fast. Very little effort was needed for the draw and decent amount of smoke. The flavor was mild a java mix really complemented the whiskey. I had a real enjoyable time smoking this. The burn was even throughout. Would definitely try this again maybe in a torpedo. One thing was the cigar was more mild the first half and became more rough second half. I got a little light headed from the second half of this stogie. Probably a 30-45 min cigar.

Second up was the Aston Aged Maduro #40. Now I didn’t get the pleasure of enjoying this that was my friends job. Nick was able to get it to burn very even. He said it was strong and bold. This stogie took quite some time compared to my cigar. I would suggest a 45 – 1 hr to smoke this bad boy. I think I picked this up for around 10 or so.

Some people reading this might think “YUCK!” (mostly my wife) but the enjoyment out of a cigar is that you take your time. Your smoking not necessarily for effect but the flavors that makes each and every stogie unique. Get a chance to make memories with friends. So many times I smoke a cigar people tell me of stories the last time they enjoyed or didn’t enjoy a cigar.

While Nick and I spent our time sipping High West he mentioned how even though it was windy and poor weather he felt like he was on a beach. Mostly because he connected with the last time he spent time drinking delicious smooth spirits and a cigar was time well spent with his Dad on the beach in Hawaii. I could only imagine (boo whish I had an experience like that). We did talk about things the both of us will only know. These memories that are impressed in our mind is what smoking a cigar makes special. We still as a family talk about how my brother-in-law got ill from inhaling his first cigar at my bachelor party, ha, memories.

Moving on to the High West Rendezvous Rye Whiskey. Brilliant! I am not one who is huge on what other people rate things. What I want to do is to see for myself and with that said I can understand how this is getting raving reviews. This rye whiskey got a 95 rating from Malt Advocate magazine. From what I have read they take two different whiskeys to make this one. A rough 6-year (95% rye, 5% barley malt) and a smooth 16 year old (80% rye, 10% corn, 10% barley malt). This is a very high rye percentage for any rye whiskey; usually I am not a fan of rye whiskey, however this is fantastic!! You have to give this whiskey a shot (figure of speech, I prefer to sip). They do not chill filter this whiskey, which they say, allow the natural oils to be retained adding flavor and texture and “a lingering finish we really enjoy in a sipping whiskey.”

A little on rye whiskey: Rye whiskey use to be very popular before prohibition. Drink such as Whiskey Sour, Manhattans, Old Fashioned were originally formed with rye whiskey but were later switched by the bar tenders to bourbon whiskey. Some other popular brands, which you may be familiar with, are Jim Bean, Wild Turkey, and Old Overholt. Rye whiskey must be made of higher than 51% rye, can include corn or barley malt as well. This is just the tip, I encourage to educate yourself.

This is my story and I might stick to it. Hope you enjoyed. I would love to hear your first memories of either cigars or sipping whiskey. Please share with me. Be safe and savor responsibly.

True Professional

Wes the Barber

I put a vote on my blog: Who should I visit next? Wow I was not expecting so many people to come to the blog to vote for one specific barber. But they did. With all the votes being counted and re-counted I had a winner Wes the Barber.


The funny thing about it was the day I was calling to make an appointment a friend at work said “dude you have to check out my barber, he is legit.”

I was like “Neil you have a shag and girly hair why would I ever go to your barber?”

“Well all my friends get fades and he does the best one I have ever seen, he even cuts hair with a straight razor.” Said Neil the longhaired coworker

“Okay man I will at least look into him.” Then the longhaired fellow hands me a Wes the Barber card. I was like get out man this is who I was going to next. Already I was confident with my next SLC Barber Shop visit.

When I made the call to Wes the barber he only had appointment for a few days out. In my mind I thought, “okay this guy has plenty of customers that is good.” It is always weird when the barber is desperate like well I can get you in whenever I do not have any appointments. So once again I felt good about this SLC barber.



I set an appointment for 10 AM Saturday. That time rolls around and I am just walking in to The Hair People off of 152 South and 400 East right next to Crown Burger. Once I sat down it was a cozy comfortable waiting area, plenty of great magazines around. Old classic rock was playing over the shop.

Three little boys, I think they were brothers just got their haircuts before me. It was cute they were all matching and Wes asked them “so is today a matching day?” They were so happy he asked about that. They had little fades all lined up for Easter. They all ran over after the last one got of the chair and gave him high fives and thank you. They all liked their haircuts A LOT cause they said it multiple times.
I remember when I was young my dad would take my two brothers and I to get our haircuts for Easter on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. We felt so special like a million bucks afterward. Your little and you just think yeah I am cool after getting your haircut. You could tell this was how these little ones felt. Classic.

The layout of the shop is unique with each barber having a station with 5ft walls this makes it feels like you really are paid attention to. Wes’s station is really clean and well decorated. His great grandpa was a barber in Texas and he had tons of straight razors across the wall, a collection of his belongings that was framed, and multiple other barber items. One I my favorites was a special collection of aftershaves, lotions, and crèmes. Most of the time the barber uses his favorite, not Wes he uses his clients favorite and remembers if they don’t like a certain one or scent.



I asked for a low fade with short on top cause I like my hair messy spiky, if that is even a style? He went to work. AMAZING!! Truly I was very impressed with his talent. We talked about all short of things his great grandpa, stuff about my blog, barbering, our wives, etc etc etc. Something that you can only get from visting a barber. He is a genuine guy with some significant energy. I was asking about his website how it talked about a true “razor cut”. He taught me what is. This is where the barber takes a straight razor and comb and literally cuts the hair with it. He did my and it was awesome. He goes over the hair 3 or 4 different directions. Watching him perform his magic was very interesting. He is very good at what he does and very professional. If you have not been to Wes I recommend you go!! I am so pleased at the job he did and such a good guy. There at the shop they cut the mayors hair and the former mayor. What place can brag about that? Only at the Hair People. If not for the hair cut he is deep in the tradition of Barbering. I will be back to this place. This is yours truly SLC Barber signing out. Take care and may the shears be good to you!

So I have been hearing this question often lately, “what is the meaning of the Barber Pole?”

Let me try and explain to the best of my knowledge. Originally barbers use to do hair and surgery. It was in the time of bloodletting (draining lots of blood to cure or prevent sickness). Cant even imagine going to the barber to have this done or even having this done now days. I guess it is more like a blood transfusion.

The top of the pole is where they would keep leeches and at the bottom is where the blood would go. Great stuff huh. Going to the barber and just seeing that. I don’t think I would have this blog if that were the case today, ha. I have heard it said that it is on a pole because it symbolizes the pole one would hold when getting surgery.
WHO CARES ABOUT THAT WHAT ABOUT THE COLORS?

So what would happen is they would have a clean bandage (white) and a used bandage (red) wrapped around the patients arm, which is the twist. As you would look for the barber you would look for this sign.

Some say they would put the bandages outside and with wind blowing the white and red bandages would twist and this is where it would come from…. Then someone decided to paint it on a pole. Soon the barber started to place these outside to let people know there was a barber who could perform all types of surgery.


Now before someone types barber pole in Google Image search and comments “Mike barber poles are actually red, white, and blue…. not red and white like in your post! ZING!”
I Know let me tell you how the blue came into the picture, so just relax.

The color blue is introduced because doctors and barber started to use the same marketing technique placing these poles outside. The doctors were like we are more educated and better than you barber… and the United Barber Surgeon Company required barbers to use blue and surgeons to use red. Some reports say that the blue appeared in the USA as the countries colors, but you must make your own mind up. I say cause the color blue is awesome so it was placed there because it was the best color around at the time. Maybe there was a sale on blue at the corner market and someone placed it on the pole and like Facebook it took off before anyone ever knew what it truly was.

BAM there you have it, if you don’t believe it then research for yourself or ask your local barber….

The Dollar Shop

So it was time again for a hair cut. YES! I enjoy when this time comes. Since I have started this blog I had to be more thoughtful and aware of my process.

What I did. Whipped out the Iphone googled barber shop UT. Went to local results around my location. Since I was leaving work I was near downtown SLC. I saw a link that looked promising. Jim's Barber Shop (219 East 800 South).

How does a name look appealing to a Barber Shop specialist one might ask? Well you see some of my favorite shops have the owners name in it, or very simple like their hours example 9 to 9 barber shop (FYI).

But when I got to Jim's I saw this very sad sign


Time for plan B back to Iphone and start all over. Thats when I saw The Dollar Shop It was close to where I was so I thought I would give it a shot. Painted on the side of the building reads $5 Most Mens Hair Cuts. Did some research online and this place has been around for 50 yrs. Very impressive, great location. This place has lots of Barbers. Some seem more "friendly" than others.

The only thing about a $5 hair cut is the price. You cant really complain about it, like "Hey this thing looks like $5 buck haircut." But doesnt mean the barber should treat it as a $5 hair cut. Because overtime for the barber that adds up specially with referrals.

So I walk in and they are just closing! But they got me in anyway. RECOMMENDATION: DO NOT COME AT CLOSING which is 5:30!!!


Sat down with my barber. Didnt even get her name she was not friendly. I hope it was the fact she had to stay later. I tried to start a conversation it went no where. Thats part of going to the barber! I asked to have my hair low fade and finger length on top. She just started buzzing away....too late. I now have a high and tight! No worries. The barber did not do a horrible job but not what I was expecting. I had her change somethings about it but like I said no worries. I will try this place again thats for sure. They have lots of barbers.

The overall feel of this place is good. When you walk in you see barbers on two sides. Down the middle is the chairs for waiting. I think the owner Howard was his name sits in a chair next to the door. He is frank and to the point, but friendly. He was paying the employees out for the day and exchanging tips etc when I was there. A person walked in a few minutes after me and he told them "Cant you read, we are closed." Guy turned around and left.

A few minutes later another guy walks in and says "Are you closed". Howard says yes. The guy says "I have a very important meeting tomorrow. Cant I ask one of the stylist if they will cut it?" Howard just said sure you can try... Ha thats why I said make sure your not there at 5:30.

I think from now on I want to try and get my cut done early like first customer of the day. Everyone knows people start their leaving mindset 1/2 hour before its closing time.

This place feels like a true old school barber shop. They didnt perform a straight razor around the neck and side burns, but then again its $5.

If your looking for a quick cut or trim give this place a shot.

First Post

Welcome. There is no hidden objective here @SLCbarber. No I am not a barber but a connoisseur of them. I enjoy the conversation (most of the time), the atmosphere, smell, and the overall experience from going to a Barber Shop in beautiful Salt Lake City, Utah. Some people think the barber shop is dead nay I say to those. With places here in SLC like The Barber School, in Midvale next to Shane Co (everyone in UT knows where that is) the corner of State Street and 7200 South, ha thanks Tom Shane for that one.

How this all got started:

I started to go to 9 to 9 barber shop in middle school and HATED my hair cut! But I liked the environment. I think it was more the concept and idea of the barber shop. Guys just relaxing and getting their hair cut, shooting the breeze, getting a back massage, and a straight razor on the neck and side burns after the cut, finishing up with funny smelling aftershave. When I was younger I truly thought the barber would take to much hair off my head making it shorter than I cared for. But I really enjoyed the back massage and straight razor.

Then I started to become more professional! Yikes, I was getting my hair cut more regular and enjoying the actual cut looking for the most experienced barbers in SLC. Seeking different places, different prices, and experience.


My wife and I always joked that I would go to a new barber every hair cut, which is mostly true.
A friend of mine who is a foodie in SLC has a wonderful blog about SLC food hence the name of her twitter account SLCfoodie. We were all joking that since I like going to new barber shops all the time I should start a twitter feed SLCbarber. As time as it the blog is now rocking and rolling. I do have 2 cuts that I need to post about.

I also wanted to post more about different places here in Salt Lake, I don't want the Barber Shop to die so its up to us to continue the practice of going to the barber shop.

Please give any feed back you wish. No worries if it hurts my feelings I will just cry. But please this whole world of blogging and twitter posting is VERY new and foreign to me.