Thread: How I got started and the return

A little better than a half century ago as I was watching my great uncle shave, I asked, "Uncle Tony, why do you use that barber kind of razor instead of one like Dad uses?

He responded, "Shaving with a straight razor is a useful skill for a man to have. When you are old enough, I'll teach you. Besides, someday, when you are married you will understand."

About 10 years later, Uncle Tony was good to his word and he set me up with a razor and taught me to use it. It was cool and awed my friends. But after a couple of years, I wound up in the Army and life in the barracks meant a return to safety razors.

Not many years after, I got married and was living off-post. One morning, running late, I picked up the clogged, dull, matted mess that was my razor, and my great uncle's words came back to me. "Yes I was married and understood."

That evening the 4/8 Henckels he gave me when I turned 16 came out of the closet, the strop went into the bathroom. So except for hanging onto a good DE Gillette for those times I had to live in the billets, and these days a for traveling on the airlines. I have been gratefully using my meager collection of razors for about 45 years now and have passed on Uncle Tony's wisdom to my sons and nephews.

fantastic story.

Welcome to the forum.

That is a lovely story. Have your sons & nephews continued with straights, or do they consider you to be a barmy old bugger, as many of our family members do?

You should immediately be promoted to senior member status.

Thanks for the story.

Originally Posted by ben.mid

That is a lovely story. Have your sons & nephews continued with straights, or do they consider you to be a barmy old bugger, as many of our family members do?

I suppose they think I am eccentric Luddite. The oldest boy uses a Norelco. The youngest is a bum and at 34 still lives with his razor clogging mother. One nephew did learn to use a straight, but does so only rarely. Mostly he uses a 50 year old Gillette Super Speed and the remaining nephew goes between a beard and using whatever disposable is on sale. Except for the oldest son they are all unmarried so perhaps they have not experienced razor problems the same way my uncle Tony and I had?

Welcome my friend, that’s an interesting story… and so true.

Brings to mind one of the difference between men and women… whatever the razor, most fathers will teach there sons to properly clean and dry the tool after use… this is something most mothers and daughters find unnecessary.

Welcome to SRP and thanks for sharing your story. I have fallen in love with Straight razor shaving, I just wish I had someone like you to show me how when I started (I am very glad I found this site and all its great members they helped me get on my way to learning this skill). Hopefully everyone in your family you have taught to shave the proper way will some day be great full and thank you for what you have taught them.

Great story, and thanks for sharing it. I wish that I had been taught to shave, but I am relearning now and trying to teach my son (as much as a 20 year old wants to learn anything from their old man).