Thread: Experience counts

A value of a forum like this is that you get lots of opinions. A problem with a forum like this is that you get lots of opinions. One of my opionions is that experience counts for something; especially in areas like techniques for shaving, honing, and stropping.

I'm curious...how much have you shaved with a straight? Less than 100? Between 100 and 1000? More than 1000? For those of you who can't remember...it's more than 1000

Maybe it's just me, but when someone's been shaving this way forever, I take different stock of their suggestions for getting a great shave than someone like me who's pretty new to it all. Everyone's input matters, some just carry a bit more weight.

When it comes to favorite aftershave, best looking razor, favorite soaps,... then all men are created equal.

- Dale

At the risk of putting my head on the chopping block I thought I'd add some insight, just to be fair.

It is possible for one to do something 1000 + times poorly, while another may have done the same only 100 times, and done so well.

I dunno, what do you think?

Just food for thought...


Scott

Even though I have more than 1000 shaves under my belt(nearly every day since January 1991... with the occasional foray into safety razor shaves), I still consider myself a novice straight user. So if I offer any tips or opinions, please treat them with the "100-300" level of consideration.

Originally Posted by honedright

It is possible for one to do something 1000 + times poorly ...

Not if they're hanging around here and soaking up the wisdom.

I'd estimate in the last 18 months or so I've accomplished close to 300 shaves. I now have the level of experience an average, 'middle class' twenty year old would have had a hundred years ago.

X

Originally Posted by honedright

It is possible for one to do something 1000 + times poorly, while another may have done the same only 100 times, and done so well.


Scott

True. But in the case of taking a bare blade to your face...my assumption is that most guys would develop a fairly high level of proficiency or quit trying well before 1000. That said, I expect there is still some lattitude even among the long timers for how close/comfortable/awkward/etc. one may put up with as their standard. Still, that lattitude seems less broad then, say, playing a guitar as the consequences are greater for shaving poorly than missing a chord.

Ok, ok...head is officially on chopping block

Scott,

That was a very valuable insight. I've been shaving for 4 years but only the last three years were any good and the last year pushing on perfection. When I draw from my experience its all from the last and best year. Unless its a "what not to do" post!

At one point I shaved twice a day for a year to "practice", that helped a lot.

I would say I'm in the ballpark of one a day for 4 years, probably about 1,000. Once a week I use a DE.

Originally Posted by Scrapyard Ape

Even though I have more than 1000 shaves under my belt(nearly every day since January 1991... with the occasional foray into safety razor shaves), I still consider myself a novice straight user. So if I offer any tips or opinions, please treat them with the "100-300" level of consideration.

I appreciate that attitude (not uncommon among people with extensive experience in both high and mundane endeavors). Probably what makes me appeciate that experience all the more.

So what is it that makes you consider yourself a novice?

X-man, maybe not, you have to remember that one hundred years ago, it was harder to come by things we take for granted,say-hot water. remember you had to build a fire, get water, and those were the easy parts, first you had to have the money to buy that razor. I don't know how many sheves I have. I started SR shaving when I was stationed in Germany, (my german gilrfriends father believed it was the only way to shave). I only found out about this site in Jan. I didn't know that there was such an intrest.

My point was only this: while some of us old-timers may have a lot of shaves under our belts (I'm guestimating I have at least 8,000+), some of the young whipper-snappers here may have precocious, and/or prodigy like skills. They may be able to teach me a thing or two.

I just wanted to point that out and give credit to those guys, should they exist here.

Yours humbly,