Thread: Do you think this is Bad Ass?!

I don't think straight razor shaving is bad ass at all - that implies some sort of toughness - all of our grandfathers and those before them used straights, so we're only doing what even the weakest coward used to do. I think the hockey term "pansification" applies to all of us now - we've grown soft, and somehow think that doing anything without a safety guard is "bad ass."

Just my $0.02.

Mark

Originally Posted by Milton Man

I don't think straight razor shaving is bad ass at all - that implies some sort of toughness - all of our grandfathers and those before them used straights, so we're only doing what even the weakest coward used to do. I think the hockey term "pansification" applies to all of us now - we've grown soft, and somehow think that doing anything without a safety guard is "bad ass."

Just my $0.02.

Mark

I choose straights for many reasons and I have to admit that the "macho factor" is kinda attractive for me, too. It is the existence of safe alternatives for dummies that make it bad ass today IMO.

I dislike it when people try to attach labels to me and I genuinely feel sorry for people that seem in need to attach labels to themselves.

I'm not a native English speaker, so I don't really grasp the meaning of the word "bad-ass". I had to look it up.

bad·ass
Vulgar Slang A mean-tempered or belligerent person.

Then I had to look up "belligerent"

bel·lig·er·ent
adj. 1. Inclined or eager to fight; hostile or aggressive.
2. Of, pertaining to, or engaged in warfare.

Sounds like an insult to be called a bad-ass, to me.
and pretty immature to wish for that predicate.

I happen to enjoy straight razor shaving. Do I need more reason?

I can understand why younger guys that struggle with their male identity would want to pick up the straight razor. But I have noticed on a couple of occasions that such a dubious reasoning offers little motivation for making it through the rather steep learning curve.

Bart.

Originally Posted by Bart

I dislike it when people try to attach labels to me and I genuinely feel sorry for people that seem in need to attach labels to themselves.

I'm not a native English speaker, so I don't really grasp the meaning of the word "bad-ass". I had to look it up.

bad·ass
Vulgar Slang A mean-tempered or belligerent person.

Then I had to look up "belligerent"

bel·lig·er·ent
adj. 1. Inclined or eager to fight; hostile or aggressive.
2. Of, pertaining to, or engaged in warfare.

Sounds like an insult to be called a bad-ass, to me.
and pretty immature to wish for that predicate.

I happen to enjoy straight razor shaving. Do I need more reason?

I can understand why younger guys that struggle with their male identity would want to pick up the straight razor. But I have noticed on a couple of occasions that such a dubious reasoning offers little motivation for making it through the rather steep learning curve.

Bart.

Thanks for that! That is the way I think too.

Joed: I see what you mean concerning what you might interpret as my definition of "gentleman". I didn't mean THAT! To me a gentleman is somethin other than knickerbocker trousers, golfing and strolling around in coutryside moors. It's more that that... it's deportment, it's elegance and self control. if you do that playing golf and sipping tea or hearding cows on the back of a mustang... I don't really care. A gentleman is a gentleman... and you can spot one miles away. And you can even do that in a internet forum!

Well, I don't know. If anyone has referred to their straight shaving as "bad-ass," I've always kind of taken it in a jocular sense--I haven't assumed that anyone really thinks they are tougher, meaner, or more ready for a fight than the average guy, just because they use a straight. I guess basically, for me, it's not an issue.

Could be a generational thing too, of course. My generation would be more apt to say, for example, "Forsooth, man, thou art heart-sinew'd as the ravening dire-wolf," or "Now come to me who will, varlets, and taste of my cudgel!"

I do like the whole old-school thing, as I've mentioned before. And I like the idea of getting away from disposable stuff. And yeah, there's a certain amount of manly dash and élan about it. (Not that I've made much progress yet.)

~Rich

I voted for tea and scones because I love tea and scones!
But I guess it's bad ass too.

Reminds me of a poll I listed once.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/gener...masculine.html


X

Yes, I remember that poll.

It degenerated really fast and was a lot of fun.

~Rich

I voted for tea and scones as well. Now I'm not only stuck at work, but hungry as well.

I didn't vote, but I'm going to make some tea for my last 15 minutes of work.

Actually I would rather it be tea and crumpets.