Thread: Mother is terrified of my straight!

I got my straight a while ago and have been saving its maiden voyage for a special occasion. Now finally on monday I am graduating and i want to use it sunday afternoon. I mentioned it to her and he said shes actually been having bad dreams about it. I dont know what to tell her. What should i do? Im using it anyway, but i would like to say something to her to get her to realise that im a big boy now. And hell, im moving out in a few months and havent told her that yet either! i just dont knowwhat to do, any help would be great thanks.

I'm 43 and my mom still gets the eebee jeebees. Seems all the things she tried to keep me from backfired as I have just about done every one of them with gusto...

At least with straights she isn't having bad dreams that she tells me about... Now when I was active gunsmith and competitve shooter... thats all together another story....

I told my mom when I started using a straight and at first she seemed concerned, then she told me that her dad used a straight. Newer shavers were already making their appearance during his time but he stuck with his straight razor. She remembers him stropping his razor in the evening and told me that she clearly remembers him only having a leather strop and not a linen. He must of honed his razor in another part of the house since she doesn't rememeber watching him hone his razor, just stropping and shaving with it. It appears he only owned one. I had never met him and my mom says I act just like him and now favor him more since I took up straight shaving.
Ernest
Ernest

Tell her about this place. Say you've discovered lots of experienced straight razor shavers with lots of excellent information and advice on getting the best and safest truly manly shave available on earth. Let her know that you're serious and that this isn't a joke, that you're not doing it because you think it makes you cool (even though it does ) and that you have considered it carefully for a long time before taking the plunge.

If I might also suggest, make sure you actually DO have all your ducks in a row before that first shave. Make sure you have a honemeister honed blade ... very important. Lots of good beard prep is essential. Taking your time is important too. As well set your priority here for a while ... It is not your first goal to get the best shave of your life out of the gate, it is your first goal to do yourself NO HARM. If that means stepping back and re-prepping your face, then do that. If that means putting the razor down and finishing with a cartridge, then don't be too proud to do that too. You don't want to show up to get that diploma with a gash across your cheek.

X

[edit] PS Oh yeah, ultra sharp and ultra light pressure in the shave. Really ... ultra, ultra light.

Originally Posted by tjiscooler

I got my straight a while ago and have been saving its maiden voyage for a special occasion. Now finally on monday I am graduating and i want to use it sunday afternoon. I mentioned it to her and he said shes actually been having bad dreams about it. I dont know what to tell her. What should i do? Im using it anyway, but i would like to say something to her to get her to realise that im a big boy now. And hell, im moving out in a few months and havent told her that yet either! i just dont knowwhat to do, any help would be great thanks.

Straight razor shaving takes some exercise. If your first str8 shave is the day before your graduation and you cut yourself or get bad razor burn and skin redness ask them not to take pictures that day!

My mother encouraged me when I told her! She actually said,"So, you're gonna shave like a man now, huh?" and then she directed me towards her next door neighbor who was an 80 year old barber.
What can I say? My mother is of the world war II generation (the Japanese side) she learned to use a Naginata around age 12 in case her and her schoolmates had to protect the shores of Japan from the roundeyed hordes! Tough stock, she is!!

Haha, my mother just laughed at me and told me I was going to slit my throat. I am a bit on the quirky side, and have other uncommon interests, so I don't think it was really that big of a surprise to her. I did get dubbed with the title "Shaving Nerd", which I have mixed feelings about.

I get one of 3 reactions from people when they find out I use a straight:

- "Are you out of your $@*!$% mind?"
- "You're a savage"
or, my personal favourite:
- "Why??"

This follows with a short discussion, by the end of which I have them asking me where to buy equipment to get started.

Thanks everyone. I'm going to shave after dinner. Il'l go really slow and be extra careful so I can come out with my head attached. If all goes well she'll see that there is no reason to worry. I'm excited to finaly break in that razor. Thanks for all the great help and information ive gotten from all you guys since i joined!

Originally Posted by tjiscooler

Thanks everyone. I'm going to shave after dinner. Il'l go really slow and be extra careful so I can come out with my head attached. If all goes well she'll see that there is no reason to worry. I'm excited to finaly break in that razor. Thanks for all the great help and information ive gotten from all you guys since i joined!

Well TJ,

How did the shave go? I hope the Artist worked well for you.