Collwgw kid

I have a bit od a dilemma, so I thought I would ask some advice. One of my friends has a son in University. Over the weekend he expressed his desire to acquire a Straight Razor. When I asked if he wanted to start shaving with it, he said he didn't, that he just thought they looked cool and wanted to have one. So here is my dilemma . . .

I have a razor which "looks good", but would need an expert to put an edge on it. It is fine as a showpiece, and I am willing to just let him have it, if that is all he wants it for. but, I suspect he wants to try it when no one is around to see, and I do not wish to discourage him. The alternative is to give him one of my blades that has a solid edge to it and see if he comes back looking for pointers. My fear with doing that is that some unsuspecting dolt might slice themselves pretty good with it.

I know all the "he's an adult" arguments, but they all go out the window when blood starts to flow.

Thoughts?

Render the nice-ish one safe, ie blunt for him to practice shaving lather if he's curious at the dorm. Bet he comes back for the real deal.
Giving him one with a real edge, or so so edge if he's just out to goof around wouldn't be a good idea.. At least IMO.
Ask him again if he's sure he doesn't want shave ready, then oblige either way.

I gave a shave ready strarter to a contractor at work the other week actually.
Been expressing interest in the art and the blades.
Was a Genco Easy cutter, I believe. Nice round nose starter model.

Good luck with the dilemma.
:tu

I would try to talk to him a bit more. No point in giving him anything nice if he's going to use it to open mail.

I think you need to have a conversation with the kid and find his true intentions. If for shaving then you can teach, if for looking cool, I'd pass. He can but one of those from Amazon, eBay, or a knife store.

I would recommend just giving him the dull razor and explaining that it is dull and will not give him a good shave. Give him your cell phone# and tell him that if he wants to learn to shave properly that you would mentor him. I'm 27 and I wish when I had started 4 years ago that someone had offered me what you have the chance to offer him. If he doesn't take you up on it, its on him.

I have a nephew in the university that I work at and he likes to wet shave. He is slowly learning the straight, but uses a DE in the dorm. I offered him a straight and strop, but he said that he didn't think it was a good idea to have a straight in the dorm room because someone would play with it and mess the blade up. (Yes he was worried more about the blade being hurt than someone hurting themselves :) )

I think he makes a valid point, a dorm room is a dangerous place for a straight razor to be at - or any sharp object for that matter.

Don't trust kids, he wants one because they look cool?
Sounds iffy... Sorry for the negative but realistic response :)

nothing like learning about SR shaving by getting kissed by the edge. Doesn't always happen in dramatic ways. Don't be afraid to let him learn, but don't be afraid to tell him to watch some of Lynns shaving videos first. :)

Personally i would give him neither if he just wants an accessory. He can buy one with his own cash cheap enough from ebay. I would save what you have for someone with a real interest