Thread: The Starter Set Dilemma

Jeremy - wow, really? I would find someone contacting me randomly off the map kinda creepy. I will take a look at it again, then. thanks.

Gugi - thanks. I will try to find someone willing to take my messages and help me out :-).

So, here's a potentially quite stupid "compromise" idea...

New folk often feel reassured if they get very concrete suggestions. We know that there is no sane one-size-fits-all concrete suggestion that any of the experienced folk here would stand by.

But what about concrete stories about how the experienced folk here started out? There are a fair few shaving superstars around here, who all seem to have very different styles and personalities. If a newbie were to identify with the style of a particular old hand, then they might feel comfortable walking in his or her footsteps while they find their own path.

So what if folk were to start using the "About me" section of their profile pages to answer the questions "What kit did you use for your first few straight shaves? What was good and bad about it?"

Do you all think that would be a neat way to reassure the new folk, or would it just cause more confusion and trouble?

Quite aside from helping out the newbies, would folk here be interested in hearing the origin stories of our local heroes?

Originally Posted by totherme

So, here's a potentially quite stupid "compromise" idea...

New folk often feel reassured if they get very concrete suggestions. We know that there is no sane one-size-fits-all concrete suggestion that any of the experienced folk here would stand by.

But what about concrete stories about how the experienced folk here started out? There are a fair few shaving superstars around here, who all seem to have very different styles and personalities. If a newbie were to identify with the style of a particular old hand, then they might feel comfortable walking in his or her footsteps while they find their own path.

So what if folk were to start using the "About me" section of their profile pages to answer the questions "What kit did you use for your first few straight shaves? What was good and bad about it?"

Do you all think that would be a neat way to reassure the new folk, or would it just cause more confusion and trouble?

Quite aside from helping out the newbies, would folk here be interested in hearing the origin stories of our local heroes?

I like it.

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

I like it.

I will look into writing this into my page. I am thinking of putting down my evolution of straight shaving, including the mistakes and the moments of clarity. I like this idea too.

Sure, I think that would work for some people.
Although I think it's usually not so much what's on a member's profile, but in their responses to newbie threads that is the better indicator.

Originally Posted by gugi

Sure, I think that would work for some people.
Although I think it's usually not so much what's on a member's profile, but in their responses to newbie threads that is the better indicator.

I think this is also a great point, because I can count on my hand the number of times I've looked at someone's profile for something.

That said, the reason I think this would be good for me is that it would give me a chance to think through some of the difficulties I had, and try to put myself back in my own shoes when I started out. Then I could put all of those things down on paper and have them to look at from time to time (kind of like a journal I suppose). I see it as a way to leverage the useful info that can come from such an introspective (and retrospective) view, in order to be more helpful and empathetic in answering people's questions.

How about if one of the Senior Mods who reads most of the threads goes through them and looks for recurring trends, and then publishes a tip sheet each month that other senior members can add too, and help address issues each month????? This of course would be there under the tag line "Beginners tips" for everyone to find easily...

What do you guys think??? would that work???

You know besides the Forum itself, and the Wiki, and the Chat, and the one on one PM help...


http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...an-2010-a.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...eb-2010-a.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ch-2010-a.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...il-2010-a.html


I know I have only just started this 4 months ago but there is quite a bit of info in there already, and it will change as the need arises...


I am not being facetious here honestly, but there is a ton of info that is easily found on SRP, so many of the senior guys are answering more of where to find it rather then just answering one specific question... More of the "Teach an Man to fish" way of thinking...

Originally Posted by kaiyen

Jeremy - wow, really? I would find someone contacting me randomly off the map kinda creepy. I will take a look at it again, then. thanks.

Gugi - thanks. I will try to find someone willing to take my messages and help me out :-).

It really depends who you're talking to... Some people would find it creepy.. I would, personally, be flattered if somone viewed me as knowledgeable enough to mentor them...

And the majority of the guys here are nice enough that, if you ask politely, they'll at least have you over for one visit and point you in the right direction with stropping, supplies and technique... They're all great guys here