Thread: What is WRONG with You Guys????

It started when i was 8 and one day saw my uncle cleaning old rusty SR, it was lost in the memories and about a year and a half ago that memory came back ...then it all started Dovo,The Art Of Shaving,Truffit & HIll....
when shaving all world disappears its only the blade that exist,same with stropping ... follow the blade and only then it will be sharp...its a lifetime journey
or maybe it wasn't just memories maybe i just grew up and started appreciating things that have a quality ,durability,character perhaps.....
sold my GMC safari and bought 24 year YOUNG diesel Mercedes Benz,bought another one 1.5 years ago ,this time w140 s320.
2 month ago bought my first ,not the last Fountain Pen...


what is right about me

I started because I was getting disgruntled at the increasing profit margins Gillette was making out of me - I hoped to save money.

Now I've started it is seriously like an addiction. The progress from close to closer to smoother. Every now and then I catch myself wishing the next morning to come sooner. I think it's the equipment, the independence and escapism it provides from todays over-marketed, hyped and overpriced products, the array of products on offer, and, I must admit the biggest reason is the sheer generosity of everyone on this forum - truly full of the ultimate gentlemen.

I've spent my life in search of quality and questionning the value of "convenient" versus "well." I won't say that I always opt for the old-fashioned way of doing things, but I like to think that I've created a good balance taking the best of both worlds.

I also like the idea of self sufficiency - too many men work on parts of things - I like to see a job to completion.

Mark

I guess it's about time to make my first post. I've been lurking for awhile, but this thread has struck my fancy.

I have only been shaving with a Str8 for about two maybe three months now, but I have found it to be one of the most enjoyable and relaxing things for me to do at the end of a rough day at work or school. It's something I look forward to when I'm driving home, I visualize the hot towel on my face, the scent of sandalwood filling the air, and a variety of artists playing on the Ipod, finally the thought of a blistering hot shower to relax the muscles and drain away the tension before i lay down for bed.

Another reason I enjoy the str8 so much is because I am a tinkerer. I pride myself on not really needing to pay someone else for services that, with some effort and training, I can do perfectly well on my own. I've been a gearhead since i was able to drive and all work that was done on any of the cars that I owned was done by me and me alone. I felt a personal sense of accomplishment when I taught myself how to finely tune a fuel injected turbocharged 4 cylinder to make a 320 wheel horsepower daily driver on pump gas. The same has applied for me to the beauty of beer. I brew all my own beer, and there's nothing more satisfying then pouring out a homebrew and handing it to a friend and watching their expression as they look at their Bud Light in disgust.

These things tie into the pleasure of using a str8. I love the fact that I dont have to pay for mach 3 blades anymore, and that I have sharpened this blade myself and now I am going to use this blade to groom my sensitive face. Self reliance give me a very high sense of personal satisfaction.

As a young guy who can grow a full beard, I became interested in shaving with a straight as a way to make myself shave, ironically.

I had a beard for about two years only occasionally shaving it off, when I wanted a change. The issue for me was shaving with a mach 3 wasnt at all enjoyable, and had to be done once in the AM, and again in the PM to be clean shaven at night for going out. So I also used an electric for a while, just cause I felt it was easier, and then gave up and just grew a beard. But I enjoyed the idea of the process of shaving with a straight, and thought it would make shaving enjoyable enough to get myself to shave. I;ve shaved nearly every day since it has arrived! It works!

What's wrong with me? Let me start with shaving - started with cartridges as a teen, received a Norelco death trap that made my neck look like it was a hairy Colombian necktie victim. Went back to cartridges but found shaving brushes at 18 (I'm 37 now) After I got a new brush a little over a year ago I found the forums and tried DE shaving. Liked it better but still had ingrowns until I tried the Gem 1912 - loved it but realized there were still OLDER options and went for the Straights. Now that's all I use. Naturally, everybody thinks it's insane.
Other wierd factors:
Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu
Beer Brewing
Liberty Loving Individualism
I also have a knack for killing threads - look out this one's a gonner

Its the same compulsion I think that yesterday made me think

"Hmm, you know it would be kinda cool to have a real old-fashioned working pocket watch.... "

Originally Posted by sidneykidney

"Hmm, you know it would be kinda cool to have a real old-fashioned working pocket watch.... "

Second that idea, don't know what my wife would make of it though


oops

I am still pretty new to this whole thing, but there are really two things that attracted me. The first and main reason is the skill that is required. I enjoy learning new skills and always welcome a challenge. Judging by everything that I've read to this point it will be challenging, at least for a little while. The second is the simplicity. No moving parts to break, nothing to replace, just you and the steel. As long as you maintain it could potentially out last you. Sounds like with the right care it could do just as good a job on your first shave as it will on your last.

I already responded to this once, and here's another thought (and I don't even have a str8 razor yet!!), but I suppose as related to my reason for deciding I want to give it a whirl. Over the past year, I have been trying to "discipline" myself into a variety of good habits, in the pursuit of self-expansion. I think one of the best ways to do this is to practice some sort of "art" on a regular basis, not only because you can get better at doing activity x, but I think it really helps you grow overall as a person. You can appreciate finer/simpler things. For instance, every day I read portions of a selection of books. I'm a fairly right-win/conservative Christian so usually I go through a chapter or 2 from the Bible, and currently also reading "Mere Christianity" by CS Lewis (of Chronicles of Narnia fame). Then I'll round that out with some "Daily Drucker", which is usually a single paragraph relating to good management/business techniques on adding value in an organization, and when I'm in an especially inquisitive mood, I throw in some EA Poe just for good variety. Then I have a nice leather bound journal and I try to think critically about everything I read and how I can apply it to my life, and just some general thoughts I have.... using my waterman fountain pen, natch!

For whatever reason I picture that straight razor shaving is consistent with this sort of ideal. Just setting aside time to make a routine activity really the practice of an "art" or skill not just a chore to be gotten done.