Beginners' Tips: September 2015

TIME

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About 3 months ago an acquaintance of mine expressed an interest in straight razor shaving. Always keen to encourage new people into the sport, I offered to loan him a razor (suitably honed of course) and a strop with which to learn. I gave him a demonstration of how to shave and strop, a few tips and a hearty "good luck!", and left him to carry on.

The next time I saw him I asked how it was going. He told me that
it wasn't working out too well. It seems he had built up the habit of shaving
quickly over the years with his disposable razors, and applying that
same principle to the straight razor had lead, while perhaps not to complete disaster, certainly to a few cuts and abrasions. He needed more time to shave with a straight razor.

It is a fairly common beginner's question on this site: how long does it take you to shave with a straight razor? The answer of course depends on many
things. People who've been at it for a while will generally answer "as
long as it takes"; intermediate shavers will often give an actual
time; the pedantic among us (and I include myself in this category on occasion) will want to know how whether you mean a single-or multiple-pass shave.

However, in my opinion straight razor shaving is not about minutes and
seconds. But it is about TIME.

Time to yourself. Time to think. Time to relax. Time to learn a new
skill. Allowing yourself time. Forgetting the clock, work, your phone,
ipad, computer, email, Facebook, your
worries and cares for some small part of the day. It's a very
liberating experience and in my opinion a much-needed respite from the
frenetic pace of the modern world.

So when you are starting out and learning the skills needed to not
Edward Scissor-hands yourself, try not to worry too much about the
time it takes if you can help it. (If you are a busy person, perhaps in
the initial stages try to learn on the weekends.) The time you are
taking now is in fact training your skills in more than the physical
action of shaving with a straight razor - it's also training you to
relax and take some well-deserved time for yourself.

Shave long and prosper.

James.

So very true, well said.

Yes, the sport of shaving with a SR is not for the impatient. A SR will show you who is boss every time you rush and loose focus.

Bob

I wish my wife would shave with a str8 just one time, I'm sure I'd never again hear "Are you done in there yet?!" or "Well, it's about time!"

One of the things I truly love about traditional shaving. Taking time out for myself.
Thank you for making me feel less guilty.

I don't worry about the time when I straight razor shave or DE shave. Its my time to enjoy the sport.
Were all in a hurry this day and age. Were all in a hurry to be nowhere for no reason. The cell phone and text can wait or can it.?

Do it for yourself don't worry about time we wast more on unimportant stuff. A great shave is important. A great SR shave takes me 45-60 min. I am a newby.

Great write up Jimbo :chapeau
I definitely agree, it is not a chore to be rushed, but a ritual to be learnt & enjoyed,
so try to relax and take the time to learn & experience the time to yourself in our ever increasingly rush of modern life

Definitely something new straight shavers need to keep in mind.
I'm gradually using my straight razor more often, but I don't use it if I want a quick shave.

Remember "The Tortoise and the Hare"? Slow and steady wins the race (and gives you time to concentrate on yourself)!

Dido....I have to rush all the time in almost everything I do. My shave is a few precious moments of relaxation and therapy! My purpose is always enjoyment now...and who knows how long that takes. Thanks for a good read.

I never paid attention to the time it took to shave. Recently my girlfriend commented on how much quicker I've been coming out of the bathroom in the past few months. My shaves haven't suffered in quality or enjoyment so I must be getting better.

Great write up something a beginner needs to read. Great things take time. They didn't build the pyramids in a week, the Great Wall of China didn't go up in a year etc. etc.

Thanks for sharing

Well-done, Jimbo. Great subject and thoughts for new shavers! :chapeau