Thread: Take Resposiblity

Extremely timely and to the point post Dllandry

All of previous posters had very valuable points to be made. I cannot speak for all newbies out there, for when I started out str8 shaving a few months back, I did extensive research about this topic before jumping in (probably for a good 3-4 months...even reading this and other forum threads).

However, no matter how much you read about a topic, it's only theoretical knowledge unless you put what you learn into practice. I knew that I had to bring all the said advice to bear fruit on my face (so to speak ). Of course, among the excuses were; blade was not sharp enough, skin was irritated after each shave, the creme is not good enough, etc, etc...But, I knew that based on what I read (experts and newbies), it will take some time for MY technique to come to a point where all variables click together. I knew if wasn't the razor...it was either prep, lather, angle, pressure...you name it. And the buck stops at MY feet (the user). At the end of the day, I had to pull that knowledge and work it into perfecting the technique. No one (not Lynn, Dylan, Jimmy or others) but ME.

Most newbies probably take this for granted and that, IMO, is why the razor, the honemeister, or someone else gets blamed for it. Time will teach all newbies (who stick around long enough) the art of humility. We learn that there's NO SUBSTITUTE for "in the field" experience....and the best way to learn is to make mistakes.

I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Lynn and all other senior and junior members (too many to name here) for your support during my steep learning (still in it) phase and who have made this journey a valuable and enjoyable experience for me. Thank you

I'm a pretty experienced shaver and even I find the process challenging, still.

Well, I think that SRP does a fantastic service in reducing the learning curve. At the same time, it appears that many of us (you know who you are) came to SRP with their own history of trials and errors. What newer members receive here is often the result of a shared unspoken acceptance of that individual mastery. When there is talk of the great shave, or a great shaver, or (help us) a great hone, there is a tendency to believe the attributes reside in the object. (This is nothing new, it's mentioned frequently in the hone forums...) But I would add that if one has no experience of personal skill mastery, if everything else in one's life has (at least consciously) been merely a transaction, then only the rules of commerce and consumption apply.
In my own case, if I had remained faithful to my DE (my first and only razor for a decade) and not spent years experimenting with everything else on the market, I would probably never have taken up straights. The promises of industry shaving implements never materialized for me, leaving me receptive to alternatives.
The difference is that my grandfather's razors didn't come with a promise. As others have said, it was all my fault.
SRP has made all of this much easier, but I didn't start with an expectation, only a goal. I think that if someone spends a good deal of money on a tool, they expect that tool to deliver. If they are not familiar with tools, but only commodities, then they may be tempted to find redress for lousy performance. Unfortunate, but, in this case, perhaps a consequence of SRP's members successes. I find the archives to be exceptional reading in regards to this issue.
A carpenter and his tools...

regards,
Torolf

It's just a sign of the times. People have little patience for things. When they want something they want it now. The idea of having to actually learn something that takes considerable time and effort is alien to most in this world.

So the blame game is just a part of this. So the razor I got which should work from day one just ain't giving me the result I want. Dumb razor.

Eventually people either wise up or go back to whatever method they were using.

That's why, I guess we're all different than the mainstream.

I think it's just different people have different approach, and the ones that are least inclined to look at the variable they can control (themselves) are going to pay the price, or just give up.
The razors most certainly can be the problem, I've seen plenty of razors that people were attempting to shave with, with dull and serrated edges. Often they have been honed proclaimed 'shave-ready' and 'excellent shavers' by a big mouthed 'experts' with negligible honing practice. But even in that case big part of the problem is the new shaver not doing their homework, and not taking advantage of the resources we provide.
So, all we can do is continue to provide good information and help, and new people will be just as successful as they are smart to make use of them.

I agree that we can be too quick to blame everything but ourselves. But you have to remember that it is a natural thing to do so. What seems a no-brainer for the more experienced person can be a real roadblock for new people.

Often the best way to take responsibility is to be completely honest about what you have or have not done, and ask for help. That is why we are here.

James.

Thanks Dllandry, I was considering a post similar to yours but have postponed it because I didn't want to sound insensitive. SRP is filled with some of the most patient and helpful folks here and we, well I, walk a fine line between having to post a dozen 'it's not the razor, it's your technique' posts every month. So many times, I've really wanted to post one of those...'I JUST answered that question two days ago, scroll down a page or two or heck, use the search to figure that one out' sorts of responses. However, let's be honest, when Lynn sent my first Dovo, I felt the same way...this isn't sharp! Instead of posting, I gave it a couple more shaves and the blade magically got better. Now, I don't profess to know everything about shaving with a straight...shoot, lot's of guys here like Gugi, Lynn, and Pirate4 will forget more than I will likely ever know on the subject and I'm sure that they get sick of me posting on my various different honing situations that I run across.

My solution is to get rid of the 'welcome' sticky and let the new guys find the 'member introductions' section to introduce themselves and replace it with a 'before posting about the sharpness of your blade' type of sticky. I don't think this will dissuade folks from posting their sharpness concerns, but it would be filled with information easily linkable so we don't have to keep typing the obligatory, 'it's either your technique or prep' responses.

I would rather answer questions all day than to get rid of the"welcome". all those stickies to go through, the next step would be to make them "press one for Engrish."! I am not trying to knock your idea, trust me, I feel the frustration, but my primary concern is welcoming the novice to our world with a cyber handshake and a hello rather than telling them to "go look it up for yourself." type of response.

I agree with the OP, but at the same time there are plenty of people who buy crappy razors, or even good razors that need sharpening, and when they have a hard time with shaving the equipment is going to be a large part of the problem, compounded by their lack of skill of course.

Now if someone gets a razor honed by a reputable source and is having problems, then yeah, they need to check their technique. I do think its absurd when someone gets a razor honed by Lynn, has their first shave which turns out to be less than perfect, and then start blaming Lynn.

I'd also like to add that in the cases I've seen, Lynn has been an absolute gentlemen about it and has offered to rehone for free. This has given me even more respect for the man and his business.

Good thread!
My very first straight shave is still very fresh in my mind... fresh enough to make me feel a little embarrassed because I did exactly that: blamed the razor. A month spent with a Kai SE, and my first vintage honed by a pro.. completely different beasts, I really did not think that my straight was sharp. I didn't blame anything, though, I asked if it could be... and of course, like every n00b, I learned that it really was sharp. Doesn't make me a dummy, nor show that I'm no good with tools (Lord knows that ain't true) but it does have it's own learning curve, just like every tool you've never used before.

My thought is that a little humility goes a long ways; ask before accusing.