Ex-Military and Straight Razors, my theory

I was thinking today about the fairly high corelation between ex-military members and straight razor use as it is shown on the forum here, and I came up with a bit of a theory. I hope it doesn't offend anyone, it's just a thought and feel free to disagree.

Most people who were milatary became so at a young age, usually around 18-20 it seems. A time in your life when you're beginning to really find your feet as a individual. Military training, however, is in part meant to break individuality to a certain degree. To repcale it with a sense of team and so on. The milatary, as far as I've seen from anyone I know who has been involved with it is an organization that places a huge importance on heritage.

So, my thinking is that perhaps, later in life the youthful sense of individuality that was driven out by military training begins to emerge. Former military men want to do something individualist, something not everyone around them is doing as well. So, when you combine that with the importance of heritage that was driven in to them and their sense of masculinity... Something like straight razor shaving just makes sense.

What do you think?

USMC here.

Sounds reasonable.

Ex-Navy here.

ex USAF, could be

LIMIT

I was thinking the same thing the other day. Army.

US Army 81-93....could be....or it could be because it is sharp and shiny...

And I still cannot abide unpolished brass.....therapy time?

:w

...Ex U.S.Navy

Not a bad thought process. Personally, I like multi-use, self sufficient things. I am one of those guys with a screw loose who is always thinking about "Well what if this happens or that happens how can I use this." This is something the military taught me. Hell, I haven't had laces in any of my boots for ten years, I always replace them with 550 cord.

Secondly, I like to do things myself. I've done my own laundry since I was 13 years old with and without a laundry machine. My wife doesn't do my laundry and neither do the Dry Cleaners. I can mend my own clothes. Maybe I LIKE this shirt and don't want to get rid of it (recent discussion with my wife.) I can hunt, kill, clean, and cook my own food if warranted/desired. And now I am getting to the point where I don't need to run to the BX/PX every week to shell out 20 bucks for little plastic razor cartridges. Give me my blade, strop, and stone and I will be fine for years. All of the above have been described as a Military Man Thing, but it could also just be a Man Thing. I wouldn't know since I've been in the military my entire adult life. :)

Third, I do have a strong sense of tradition, and I think you are right in your statement that this is a military trait. I find myself drawn to the "Old Ways" of doing lots of things. BTW the Foxfire books are awesome, I will build my own log cabin someday:D .

Fourth, I don't know, maybe I'm just a weirdo. :roflmao

Aaron
USAF AD

P.S. Who ever said "Support your local medic: Double Tap" That is freaking hilarious. Morbid and rough, but if you haven't BTDT, you might not understand.:tu

Retired Army

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Originally Posted by Cobo

Former military men want to do something individualist, something not everyone around them is doing as well.

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Not just former, plenty of active duty here on this site. Active Army, 14 years in...

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Originally Posted by WireBeard

or it could be because it is sharp and shiny...

And I still cannot abide unpolished brass.....therapy time?

:w

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Yep, unshiny razors. What's the point, where has the pride gone?

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Originally Posted by AF Medic

P.S. Who ever said "Support your local medic: Double Tap" That is freaking hilarious. Morbid and rough, but if you haven't BTDT, you might not understand.:tu

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ROFLMAO!

I can agree . . . either that or we've all just tried to pack a 6 month supply of blades for a deployment. :hmmm:

I'm cool with unpolished brass, but having military misspelled was driving me nuts.

I'm of the belief that military/straight razor correlation doesn't exist. I think it may be that you're projecting a reason on to something purely coincidental...but that's just me.
I think, from a stereotypical point of view, most men are drawn to things sharp, shiny and tool-like. I'm sure some of us got in to the straight razor business because we know how badass it would sound to tell the guys you're having a beer with, or the guys at the office that you use a straight.
Also, as Lynn said, it's just the correct way of doing things, and the american military has habit of doing things correctly...
I mean, how many of you guys here use hammers? How many of those are in the military? See, it's bound to be quite a few!

Well, that example is a little skewed. By in large any man uses a hammer, so yes, there will be a perfect correlation there.

Also, sorry about the typo. I do much of my posting late in the night. :P

Oh, and as a third side note, I actually very rarely use a hammer, despite working carpentry. It's all air guns now, get with the program. ;) A hammer is only useful for banging things in to place, nailing things together is a job for an air gun, prying and nail removal is a job for a catspaw, fourteen inch wonder bar or three foot prybar. :P

Lol, so you're on to me about not knowing how to use tools!

I'm no military man...using a straight was basically a journalistic endeavor

Naw, I wasn't trying to give you a hard time. I was just trying to point out the irony. I want shave with a tool that went out of main stream popular usage going on a hundred years ago... But a hammer is for the most part a outdated piece of junk. :P

Oh, I disagree. A hammer can be quite useful. Not only is it good for hanging things, it fixes lawnmowers, cars, computers, crooked furniture, and surly bastards that bother you while you're doing one of the aforementioned activities:D

HM1 US NAVY (Ret)...present. GO NAVY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


There is not better job in the NAVY than taking care of my Marines as a Hospitalcorpsman....








RPR.

I was never in the armed military services compliments of the Draft Lottery.
If so many ex military men use straights, don't you suppose it is because they are competent, confident individuals?
I haven't a clue as to my excuse.
Ken.
Retired-United States Merchant Marine.

US Navy, 83-87.
Used to get dinged at inspections for my lousy shaves. :nono:

Not sure if it is a military/armed forces thing, so much as a connection with past, tradition, and honor. Respect for the way Granddad did things, if you will.
I do think the armed forces does draw people with a sense of national pride, perhaps a little more attuned with tradition and history. There is a family element, too. It isn't just that the armed forces encourages these things (and straights fall right into place nicely) as the type of person who joins typically already has those tendencies. Other jobs have similar ideals and draw the same type of people. Which is why quite a few members here are also firefighters, EMTs, police officers, attorneys(the honest kind) and teachers.
There are other groups that are drawn to the same things, just not for the same reasons necessarily. All roads leading to Rome, and all.

John P.

I'm a professional stage carpenter. I'm also one of the most old school guys in the shop where I work. I almost never use a hammer to hammer in a nail. Tap something into position, yes. Pull nails, sure. Put in a mechanical fastener (read, "staple") pneumatic all the way. Just the way it is. . . . .

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Originally Posted by rickypr

HM1 US NAVY (Ret)...present. GO NAVY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


There is not better job in the NAVY than taking care of my Marines as a Hospitalcorpsman....

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Former USMC here. I loved having you docs around, except for the newbies that were learning to draw blood. Find the vein already sheesh :D

Army Reserve, 97-04. I'll add a vote to your theory. I'll also add a corollary: the military can awaken you to how bad shaving can be. At Basic Training, those found at any time to have an unsatisfactory state of facial smoothness were handed a Bic disposable and observed as they dry-shaved on the spot. And there's nothing like trying to get a close shave with a Mach 3 in the field and "properly dispose" of cream/gel whatever. I got to the point where I just dry-shaved in the field, and lived with the misery of it all. So the Army taught me to hate shaving, and straight razors showed me how if done properly shaving can be thoroughly enjoyed.

On a slightly different note, I'll add another corollary: there seems to be a lot of "self-sufficient/self-reliant" folks around here. People who appreciate the "do it right, do it yourself" mindset. I find that marksmen, craftsmen, hackers (the real kind who solve problems creatively and effectively, not the idiot crackers who cause problems), and other types of folk who appreciate solving a problem or overcoming a challenge (in this case facial hair) in a personalized, highly effective, worthy-of-pride kind of way seem to be well-represented here. It just so happens that these are also traits that seem to be well-represented in soldiers.