Beginners tips: Feb 2015 ; YMMV

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I'm up to bat to furnish the beginner's tip for February 2015. Looking at past tips, thinking of my years on this forum, I'm going to be philosophical rather than concrete.

There are quite a few acronyms seen in posts on SRP, but one of the most ubiquitous is YMMV. Indeed, in wet shaving, as in all facets of life 'your mileage may vary' from mine, and mine from yours.

This fact is something I thought I knew when I got here. The first instance where I realized how true this adage is was in a poll on favorite DE blades. There was no question in my mind that the Feather and the Gillette Swede were the best DE blades known to man, the Derby, and the Dorko the worst.

When I saw people post that my favorites were just so-so, if not downright poor, and the blades I thought were junk were their favorites, I was scratching my head in disbelief.

We can take this adage into any facet of straight razor shaving and maintenance. Be it razor brands, brush manufacturers, and/or bristle types. Strops of shell, horsehide, bovine, kangaroo. Then there is the second component. Some swear by linen, others cotton canvas, still others synthetics. Then there is the hanging versus paddle, and paste versus clean.

Getting into hones and honing is another poster child for YMMV. In the past six or seven years a plethora of new synthetics, as well as newly discovered naturals have surfaced. New methods of honing have come along to replace the old standbys for many of us.

An exciting time to be in the wonderful world of wet shaving. So there are many roads leading to Rome, figuratively speaking. SRP can furnish a wrench to fit every nut if the beginning shaver will read the beginner's guide, the stickies in the various forums. The thing to remember is that one man's meat truly is another man's poison, one man's trash another man's treasure.

So with tolerance and respect for our fellow members, regardless of what their preferences are, and how they may differ from our own, we realize that what is good for the goose, may not always be good for the gander .......... YMMV !

Smooth shaving,

JimmyHAD





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Can't agree more. There is no point in asking what is the "best" anything as YMMV truly applies.

Bob

BobH, fortunately there are those that don't want the wind taken from their sails when YMMV is used. I say that because to some YMMV is a closure statement. In a way, it is fortunate that we have dissent. That way all the roads to Rome can be examined and the personal path chosen. Then someone can say MMMV (my milage may vary) as I discover new ways to the goal.

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Originally Posted by Razorfeld

BobH, fortunately there are those that don't want the wind taken from their sails when YMMV is used. I say that because to some YMMV is a closure statement. In a way, it is fortunate that we have dissent. That way all the roads to Rome can be examined and the personal path chosen. Then someone can say MMMV (my milage may vary) as I discover new ways to the goal.

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Did not intend to knock the wind out of anyone's sails by saying there is no point in asking what is the "best" anything because YMMV or MMMV applies. Rather than asking the question just research what people have to say on whatever you are interested in and make a decision from there. Point being you simply have to try various things to see what works "best" for you based on an educated guess from the tons of info on here and elsewhere. There is no shortcut to the "best" that works for you. Yes all roads do lead to Rome but you have to find your own way with the help of a route guide not being simply told this is the "best" and therefore inferred only route to take.

Bob

BobH, I think we are saying the same thing. You are looking at one side of a coin and me the other side. And it really doesn't make any difference since everybody has to get there on their own road. If you want the horrible example that probably drives philosophers crazy; we are but cells in a large organism constantly moving around till we can find a place to roost.

Thanks Jimmy.
when I first started i would post questions and get an armful of different answers. I found it more beneficial to look for members who's opinion I respected regarding whatever subject it was and send them a PM. That way I didn't get a plethora of conflicting advice.

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

Thanks Jimmy.
when I first started i would post questions and get an armful of different answers. I found it more beneficial to look for members who's opinion I respected regarding whatever subject it was and send them a PM. That way I didn't get a plethora of conflicting advice.

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Yes, that is key to making sense of all the info, being able to separate the wheat from the chaff somehow. Good idea.

Bob

Excellent Jimmy and very well written!

Just had a discussion today around stropping only before a shave, or before and after the shave. I was used to stropping before and after a shave.

At the discussion today over coffee with a fellow SRP'er who is a local member in my area, he brought up the aspect of the "fin" of the edge, and letting it rest for 24 hours as has often been said. He stated, if it's true, then stropping the blade right after a shave could potentially damage or degrade the edge, while if you stick to stropping the blade strictly before a shave, the razor has had a rest and get's stropped anyhow, so nothings lost....and, you stand less of a chance of nicking your strop or rolling the edge with less stropping....interesting.

So to come home and read your fine article made me chuckle, what a better example of a discussion that comes down to YMMV and the interesting discussions to be had from it.:D

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Originally Posted by Phrank

Excellent Jimmy and very well written!

Just had a discussion today around stropping only before a shave, or before and after the shave. I was used to stropping before and after a shave.

At the discussion today over coffee with a fellow SRP'er who is a local member in my area, he brought up the aspect of the "fin" of the edge, and letting it rest for 24 hours as has often been said. He stated, if it's true, then stropping the blade right after a shave could potentially damage or degrade the edge, while if you stick to stropping the blade strictly before a shave, the razor has had a rest and get's stropped anyhow, so nothings lost....and, you stand less of a chance of nicking your strop or rolling the edge with less stropping....interesting.

So to come home and read your fine article made me chuckle, what a better example of a discussion that comes down to YMMV and the interesting discussions to be had from it.:D

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Indeed, i used to only strop post shave, but recently I have started doing 10-15 laps pre as well.

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

Indeed, i used to only strop post shave, but recently I have started doing 10-15 laps pre as well.

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There you go, I used to strop only before a shave now I do about 10 laps post shave on hard felt to make sure the bevel/edge is dry. A classic case of YMMV/MMMV.

Bob

Nice work Jimmy! I like the term, it simply means that advise has been given and whether it is for someone else or not, It works for someone! It also is not argumentative and anyone choosing to argue about it has crossed a line which was never drawn. No concrete way to do things, for certain, and this must be understood by new shavers.
YMMV, of course! :D

how to sum up wet shaving in 4 easy letters YMMV
I love it
proves there is no straight or certain path on this wet & windy road of wet shaving

YMMV is absolutely the best adage to use for every piece of advice given. I am just so glad that there is so much advice here on SRP because if you take some advice and it doesn't work for you, just find someone else later in the string that will have a different piece of advice. Somehow, I'm quite sure that eventually we can take a part of everyone's advice and put it all together to come to a satisfactory result.

I will succeed in obtaining the perfect straight razor shave someday.

Thanks to everyone!

Nice post Jimmy, I think that the best thing about this forum is all the opinions. I like experimenting with things to find what works best for me. I get bored easily unless there is new information to capture my attention and this forum delivers on what essentially is a sharp piece of metal. Who would have thought there were so many variables to its use and keeping it sharp when first starting out.

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Originally Posted by sgwalker

YMMV is absolutely the best adage to use for every piece of advice given. I am just so glad that there is so much advice here on SRP because if you take some advice and it doesn't work for you, just find someone else later in the string that will have a different piece of advice. Somehow, I'm quite sure that eventually we can take a part of everyone's advice and put it all together to come to a satisfactory result.

I will succeed in obtaining the perfect straight razor shave someday.

Thanks to everyone!

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It is worth bearing in mind that you need to give something new a decent chance. That includes the process of shaving with a straight itself, i see a reasonable amount of posts from people who are on the verge of throwing it in after a very short amount of time.
With a few self proclaimed exceptions around 100 shaves seems to be the norm to get somewhere near acceptably consistent shaves.

Edit: I am just commenting on your post generally not aiming anything at you specifically.

Jimmy: Nice thread. I've seen "YMMV" in so many posts and never knew what it meant! I even asked my daughter as late as yesterday - who is always texting, if she knew what "YMMV" meant. She hadn't a clue. Now I know. :)