Any one remember their first shave?

I was around 14 when my dad shaved me for the first time. He used disposable Bic razors. He just wet a bar of regular soap, then rubbed it on my face. I had bumps, razor burn, and ingrown hairs after that. Surprisingly enough, this man handed me down my grandfathers straight razors. He never shaved himself with a straight razor. They were all dull, and at the time there was no internet to find folks who could restore razors. Since then I have had my Grandfather razors professionally honed, as well as purchased razors (shave ready). I've learned how to shave from videos from the internet. As I have learned over the past year or so, fathers used to teach their sons how to shave properly. This was not the case for me unfortunately. I would love to hear your story on how you were taught.

I was 15 years old, The fluff was starting to get a bit thick.

I purchased a Wilkinson Sword 'Sticky" DE, (Which I still have), a Culmark Spartan brush (which is long gone). I can't honestly remember what soap or cream I used.

No one showed me, but I guess it was pretty obvious, as I don't recall having a bad experience.

Nice idea, unfortunately I can't remember my first shave and how it started generally. However, I do well remember the beginning of my straight razor era some 20 years ago. I wrote about that in my "hello" thread.

I stole one of my sisters despicables... I mean disposables she had for her legs and borrowed Dad's Barbasol....
No one ever Showed me.

First Shave! Hell, I barely remember my last shave! :rofl2: But seriously, I seem to remember doing a lot of unnecessary shaving in hopes that my peach fuzz would turn into whiskers pretty soon. I used to so envy the whisker film my old man could leave in the sink every single day. I used to think how cool it would be to HAVE something to shave every day. Seems like I started with Gillette or Schick Injectors, never had any real instruction. Soon like most, Atras, then plastic crap became the norm.

Was over 50 yrs ago,I shaved a couple days back.I think, but do not remember what I used:(

I remember asking my dad how to shave. He handed me a disposable bic, gave me a can of barbisol, and told me to just cut all the hair off. I distinctly remember the feeling of disappointment I had, almost as if I was missing out on some important rite of passage.

Fast forward to this past weekend. I'm now 45 yo, my dad is 73. He and I were talking and he mentioned how pissed off he was at the cost of razors. I encouraged him to try one of my DE's. I loaned him one of my Webers (very mild) and hooked him up with a brush, bowl, soap, and a link to some good shaving videos. Apparently, my grandfather never taught him how to shave, either. Anyway, that's one lesson I'm definitely going to pass on to my sons. I'd bust out a few straights, but I don't want to scare him off too soon!

One day I made for the bathroom, grabbed my fathers razor and had at it. No cream. Just cold water...don't know what came over me. Second shave was much more pleasant, mind.

When I was in junior high & high school, just to have facial hair was like a status thing. To shave off our whiskers was unthinkable. I watched a few lads get kicked outta R.O.T.C. for refusing to shave off their peach fuzz and 5 or 6 actual hairs. I guess they thought it was like cutting away their manhood. These same guys always tried to make their voices really deep, it was hilarious even then. I know this doesn't fit in the thread, but this just brought back a lot of funny memories.

Sure I remember.....I still have the scars from it:rofl2:

Started with Dad's Gilette DE. No dramas IIRC till much later when I bought a straight. ;)

Started with my dad's Gillette DE when I was 13, then dad went to the injector blades and to an electric.

We parted shaving preferences as I couldn't stand using an electric!

I've always hated shaving until about 3-4 years ago when I had my Uncle's Genco Grant Pro honed and started down a whole new world of shaving with a straight!

Goo in a can with a Wilkinson Sword cartridge razor, cant remember the model but it had wires in front of the blades to stop you cutting yourself.

15 years and various cartridge razors later i finally saw the light and bought some straights.

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Originally Posted by cudarunner

Started with my dad's Gillette DE when I was 13, then dad went to the injector blades and to an electric. ...

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Now that You talk about it.... My father always used to shave electric. Thinking about it, I never even tried electric (except trimmers).
Started with a DE in a red, jewelry like, box that was a leftover from my grandfather. Still have it.
Then switched to a metal Gillette two blade (still have that too).
Then got affected by straight razors and learned to love them (still have them all)

My father gave me his old Sunbeam Shavemaster Electric razor and I used that until I bought myself a Norelco. I used electrics for many, many years. Actually the Sunbeam was really an electric DE. All it was for all it's size and weight was a single edge razor blade held in a housing and it vibrated.

Sure do....probably 9 years old (clearly nothing to shave yet!), Gillette foamy and a disposable safety razor....I forgot to take the cap off the razor!

Yep and there is a picture http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...rst-shave.html

I don't remember my first shave but I do remember that I didn't need to shave until my late teens. I just kept stealing disposables from other members of the family. I tried my Dad's electric once and hated it. Ingrown hairs and bumps everywhere. Until about a year and a half ago I just used a disposable with hot water. Rarely did I use shaving cream.

Then I discovered this place and boy has my life changed! :)

This is a long time ago, kinda like 1964. Nothing that could be called a beard. A DE, but I don't remember the brand. And canned foam, probably Foamy. This is the first time in all these 45 or so years I try to remember. Probably the blades were Shick, tht's what my dad used.

I was 14 and my mustache at the time was 7 hairs and a pimple but the chin was starting to fill in. The ol' man gave me his Gillette Adjustable with a can o goo and I had at it. I remember my face burning like crazy, but I was too proud to say anything. My Dad got a pretty big kick out of it and I remember him telling me to hold off as much as I could because the more I shaved, the thicker my beard would get. Say it ain't so. In any case I ended up with a beard that grows from the bottom of my eyes to the bottom of my neck line in any case. Great memory. Actually, it was my Dad's Dad who got me hooked on straight razors a few years later.

Have fun.

About 7 year ago. Could not stomach the 3 bladers, nor electrics as ingrown hairs were an issue. I was just using clippers to keep it at bay, Fancied myself as a Don Johnson! Straights were introduced to me by Lynn's video. I am still a Norton guy and still hone in a pyramid, pretty much! Makin them sharp is where it's at! Lynn's video is still makin the rounds! :tu

My Dad was an Electric Shaver man. Tried it once and hated it. {tried a few times over the next couple of years and the salesman always had this line about "training your beard" }.
Anyhoo.. true story... next shave was my Solingen Bowie Knife.... after that one i saw "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and they had a cool stag handled straight razor. Best i could find was a Gotta at the Tobacconist. By today's standards definitely not shave ready, but it worked for the next few years with a stick of Palmolive shave soap and various bumps and burns....
Ah - the good ol' days. 30 years later, we have a wealth of ready information and help and shaving is pleasant.
Adam

I can't recall my first shave, but my first shave with a straight razor would have been hilarious to watch. I pulled my kit out of the mail, ran home & rushed into the bathroom. Once I got some kind of half hearted lather worked up, I slapped it on my face and readied the blade. I didn't shake, but I felt like I could. After a few tentative strokes, I put it down and finished off with a disposable. That side of my face had NEVER felt so sore. Luckily, it's become much better with practice!

Schick (spelling...help me someone...too lazy to Google) Injector. I started "shaving" with the empty razor when I was like 5 and then when the mustache came in for real, I put a blade in there and just did what I saw my father do every day. I was about 14 or 15 I guess. By 17 it was full on shave every day!