By Sue Tiffin

Minden’s new barber Cody Nasby was only 13 years old when he wasinspired by western movies to learn how to use a straight razor.

“Watching westerns with my father I saw the shoot-outs and all that stuff likethat the barber would be standing there with his razor and he would bethe only one alive in the room” laughed Nasby from his new shop located on Minden’s main street. “I kind of went I want to be that guy!”
With encouragement from his dad Nasby is now that guy.

“My dad kind of said that’s a barber he’s straight razor shaving so Iasked for a straight razor” Nasby said. “He reluctantly got me one andmade me shave balloons for weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks monthsand months until I was able to shave 10 balloons in a row and as soonas I was able to shave 10 balloons in a row without popping one my dadstarted letting me shave him. That’s literally what got me intobarbering.”
When Nasby went to high school he said the passion forhaircutting came with him and he became the “friend in the group thatgave haircuts” offering him more opportunity for practice.
Though he became a ticketed ironworker he said he became a barber for his daughter.
“I would have been away a lot if I kept being an ironworker and so Idecided it would be the best choice if I became a barber. It wasactually an easy choice.”

Nasby went to a traditional men’s barberschool in Edmonton to further learn the trade before moving toHaliburton to be near his daughter’s extended family. He began workingin Nov. 2017 as a local barber first at the Hair Lounge with the support of Mark Christiano and then at his own Haliburton-based shop. He waslooking for a perfect main street spot for his shop when Paul Roy andMike McKeon from Up River Trading Co. told him about space available at116 Bobcaygeon Road. On Nov. 4 Nasby opened Traditional Barber on mainstreet and said he has had “non-stop drop-ins” since doing so.

“Coming to Minden there was no barber here so it just kind of worked outfantastic” he said. “Minden’s been extremely welcoming I’ve had somany business owners come in and say welcome I’ve had people message me on line and say welcome to Minden I’ve had people just stopping in tosay hello to meet me and it’s been fantastic.”
Nasby is excitedabout the new opportunity and having the space he has been looking forto welcome clientele – many who followed him from Haliburton.
“Everything in this shop is exactly what I love doing” he said. “It’s not a jobfor me it’s exactly what I love doing and I take a lot of pride inevery haircut I do.”
Though his clients are generally men he will see women who have shaved hair or design work.
“The difference between stylists and barbering is definitely the way we cut hair and what we get trained on” he said. “We get extensively trained in straight razor shaving health and infection prevention so we gettaught how to clean and everything and men’s shorter hair styles.”

Nasby is also good at working with children.
“I’ve adapted to cutting kids’ hair they can move and thrash” he said.“That being said if a kid comes in very upset and crying and doesn’twant it done I don’t do that. At the same time I’ve never not beenable to cut a kid’s hair. I’ll sit there for the 10 or 15 minuteswhatever it may be to ease him in to get to know me so he allows me tocut his hair.”

Nasby loves specialized work like fading and still has quite the passion for straight razor shades.
“It’s pretty much like a spa for men” he said. “You come in you get acouple of hot towels on your face I mix up fresh warm foam for everyclient I make a new mixture for every client so it’s nice and freshand warm. You sit back it usually takes half an hour from beginning toend.”
It’s something his clients seem to love too – Nasby estimates most of them fall asleep in the chair during the experience.
“I would say about 70 per cent of my clients fall asleep when I’m shavingthem because they’re getting a mixture of me putting nice oils on their faces with some warm foam with two hot towels and I have them laidback nicely on my chair” he said.
“There’s gentlemen that come inthat want to [converse] and then there’s gentlemen that want to come in and just relax and turn their brain off while I’m cutting their hair or shaving their face” he said. “Whatever they prefer is what I go with.I’m great at conversation I love talking. At the same time I’m verymuch OK with sitting back and giving you your half an hour of your timeon your lunch break while I give you a shave and you have a nap.”

Alongside Nasby Sydney Feir has been preparing the shop a few months in to training next to him.
“I like working with my hands I’m a certified welder” she said. “That’swhat I went to college for but to be a welder I’d have to leave thistown and I love it here. I didn’t want to leave. I like using my hands I love customer service so barber is the perfect mix of both.”
Feir said she has always loved cutting her dad and brother’s hair so learning how to barber was a natural fit.
“I get to at the end see a finished product” she said. “I’ve changedsomeone and I’ve been able to be social [converse] make friends soit’s the best of both worlds for me.”
Nasby said Feir will have a station set up in the shop as well.
“I’m going to be the one doing the shaving but she is just as much a part of the shop as I am” he said.

Traditional Barber located at 116 Bobcaygeon Road in Minden is open six days aweek: Monday 10 a.m.  till 4:30 p.m. Tuesday 10 a.m.  till 5:45 p.m. Wednesday 10 a.m. till 5:45 p.m. Thursday 10 a.m. till 430 p.m. Friday 10 a.m.  till 5:45p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. till 1 p.m. The shop is closed on Sunday.

The shop is walk-in though Nasby will welcome appointmentsmade between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. For more information call 705-457-7222or visit Traditional Barber on Facebook and Instagram.