Thread: Shaving, 'Shaving' and the paradox (or burden) of choice

So I recently stumbled upon a wet shaving channel on that well known internet video site which has got me thinking about my own approach to shaving and the cultural changes which have happened around this task. Now the channel in question has a lot of videos, years of content. The thing that stood out to me immediately after watching a recent video was that the shaver in question seemed to my eyes to obviously lack confidence wielding the blade over his face, something you wouldn't expect after shaving for so long a time. This was juxtaposed with the gear in the videos, customs made straights, artisan soaps, etc. Now this isn't a rant against those who enjoy the hobby aspect of shaving, one can do as one wishes with their hard earned money, and I am not questioning the sincerity of the person in the videos. I just get this sense that this person enjoys the 'idea' of 'shaving', the accoutrements, the routine, the novelty of choice of soap, brush and razor but something essential is missing.

What good is a slick, cushiony artisan soap, a custom straight taken to wicked sharp heights by the latest 'honemeister', a luxurious, dense, super duper badger brush if you can't get the whiskers of your face in a confident way. As much as this is not a diatribe against the hobby, it is not one against shavers who lack confidence. I remember my first months straight shaving with my now trusty old Dovo Best Quality and the Van Der Hagen brush, bowl and soap set. I had fear. My shaves were not great. I felt like I'd gone over my face with a cheese grater more often than not. However I think I was lucky enough to be naive to the explosion in the hobby aspect of shaving because I could actually concentrate on the task of getting the hair off my face, and through that dedicated effort I continually improved my technique.

I wonder if a consumerist mentality has pervaded the space, not necessarily a consumerism of showing off but one of confusion. Where the online space, along with the products sold there have distracted some from the task at hand to where they will lack a development of skill that product, no matter how good, cannot compensate for.

When I left school I worked in industry for a time, many of the old timers were really men of a different time, where life had a simplicity that is lacking today, you worked the same job all your life, you bought the same shaving soap, drank the same beer, always had roast beef for a Sunday lunch. Now I never saw any of these men shave, but I saw them work and there was an effortless quality to the way they went about their tasks and I just wonder if it was the same for them when performing what to them was the menial task of shaving. I cannot help but feel the same is true.

They were shaving, not 'shaving'.

Would be interested on others thoughts about how things have changed as far as this kind of thing goes.

If you can't get a super shave using a razor, Palmolive shave cream and a boar brush the problem is staring at you from the mirror. No amount of money thrown at any sport/hobby for "better" gear will cure a lack of skill. Once you have the skill to get a super shave with basic gear you can try other products for the shear pleasure of doing so or not. Beware the man who only owns one rifle, he probably knows how to use it well. That applies to many things including shaving.

Bob

Back then we had no internet, nobody was looking, so who cares. But today....everyone wants to be a star.

Money....drives us all. Get enough hits on your site =$$

Yes, I could easily stick with modern, Williams mug soap, and a dollop of creamo, along with Skin bracer aftershave. But there is better, out there.

What I laugh at, is guys will post vids of themselves shaving/ hacking their face to shreds. Why.!? It shows us how much of an idiot they really are, and that they have no clue as to what their doing, or how it should be done. Therefore, others follow ( monkey see's, monkey do. )

yes, this is a big pet peeve of mine as well. There are too many shaving videos and channels now, run by people who don't actually know how to shave.

My background is music, I've been a professional musician for about 25 years now. I've owned one double bass all my life. The concept of the "weekend warrior" is similar, I think - the guys who have all the expensive gear, a huge collection of instruments, all the latest gadgets, but don't know how to play music.

I can't really comment on the mentality of all this with any authority, I wish I could. At its root, I suspect it's a product of anxiety and low self-confidence, exacerbated by our culture of consumerism. Just a guess.

Check out this thread. https://sharprazorpalace.com/shaving...-50-shave.html

Also some Youtubers get good money for advertising products. Just a thought.

"Beware of the man who only has one gun-he probably knows how to use it"-whoever said that. You may be on to something here. I've been "shaving" as opposed to shaving for 11 years now. I have dozens of razors, some probably worth hundreds, and some restored $5 beaters. Some of my best shaves have come from no-name razors over the years (though I still love my fancy ones too!). You can't buy good technique in any endeavor. Witness the new "guitar player" whose Mom buys him a $3k Taylor. Some of the best players I've ever seen played on mass-market off-brand guitars, probably because they had to buy their own.

And I concur on the shaving videos-I have never been able to sit through one for more than a minute. Some asshole shaving-who cares? Now honing videos, on the other hand, I can watch for hours when trying to learn a new stone.

Many years ago folks led simpler lives. Though the wealthy always had luxuries to spend their money on the average joe's concerns were getting to work in the morning and keeping his job and buying the necessities. They didn't have all the distractions we have today. I'm old enough to remember when my folks bought their first TV, a little 10 inch device. Most found their pleasures in the little time they had with their families and had concerns about their kid's futures and saving for a family vacation, and having a single, family car.

That was about it. Shaving was just a chore you did every day cause you had to. Whether you still used a straight or a DE or one of those new fangled electrics didn't matter.

But then again as you go back in time things get simpler and simpler. Maybe you just worried about surviving to a ripe old age of 50 and being able to put a roof over your head and food on the table.

Originally Posted by thp001

So I recently stumbled upon a wet shaving channel on that well known internet video site which has got me thinking about my own approach to shaving and the cultural changes which have happened around this task. Now the channel in question has a lot of videos, years of content. The thing that stood out to me immediately after watching a recent video was that the shaver in question seemed to my eyes to obviously lack confidence wielding the blade over his face, something you wouldn't expect after shaving for so long a time. This was juxtaposed with the gear in the videos, customs made straights, artisan soaps, etc. Now this isn't a rant against those who enjoy the hobby aspect of shaving, one can do as one wishes with their hard earned money, and I am not questioning the sincerity of the person in the videos. I just get this sense that this person enjoys the 'idea' of 'shaving', the accoutrements, the routine, the novelty of choice of soap, brush and razor but something essential is missing.

What good is a slick, cushiony artisan soap, a custom straight taken to wicked sharp heights by the latest 'honemeister', a luxurious, dense, super duper badger brush if you can't get the whiskers of your face in a confident way. As much as this is not a diatribe against the hobby, it is not one against shavers who lack confidence. I remember my first months straight shaving with my now trusty old Dovo Best Quality and the Van Der Hagen brush, bowl and soap set. I had fear. My shaves were not great. I felt like I'd gone over my face with a cheese grater more often than not. However I think I was lucky enough to be naive to the explosion in the hobby aspect of shaving because I could actually concentrate on the task of getting the hair off my face, and through that dedicated effort I continually improved my technique.

I wonder if a consumerist mentality has pervaded the space, not necessarily a consumerism of showing off but one of confusion. Where the online space, along with the products sold there have distracted some from the task at hand to where they will lack a development of skill that product, no matter how good, cannot compensate for.

When I left school I worked in industry for a time, many of the old timers were really men of a different time, where life had a simplicity that is lacking today, you worked the same job all your life, you bought the same shaving soap, drank the same beer, always had roast beef for a Sunday lunch. Now I never saw any of these men shave, but I saw them work and there was an effortless quality to the way they went about their tasks and I just wonder if it was the same for them when performing what to them was the menial task of shaving. I cannot help but feel the same is true.

They were shaving, not 'shaving'.

Would be interested on others thoughts about how things have changed as far as this kind of thing goes.

Don't know how many shaves you have under your belt, but it is a good idea to respect the blade.
I have seen a few vids where the OP didn't look confident with a straight, but that comes with experience.
OTOH I have seen masters of the craft whip that stubble into shape in minutes.
There are plenty of posers out there, you have to find what works for you.

What I have noticed is that shave channels are little to do with shaving and the scent of this week's shave cream but more to do with the presenter and what's going on in his life, ppl take interest in personaltys .
I must admit I find those channels hard to watch, honing videos too, I only watch one shave channel regularly.
Having said that, I have a shave channel, however I don't give a lot away concerning my personal life and hence my channel is quite boring but I show interesting razors every week
https://youtu.be/yervDkmTomo

There are a lot of shaving forums on social media that seem to focus on acquisitions:
- who has the most stuff in their shave den.
- who has the most expensive/attractive artisan shaving brush
- who has the most artisan shaving soaps, after shaves and eau de parfums
- who has the most recent DE, shavette, or custom straight razor.

I’m so glad for the most part that SRP members focus on stuff that really matters and not so much on the fluff.