Best reaction from a non-str8 shaver?

Most people who I've told (or have been told) almost always almost give an anti-reaction - which is to say, they say "hmm", and carry on with the rest of the converstation. My feeling is that people are so self-absorbed, that ulitimately, they could care less about your grooming habits (which, if we were talking about lesser arts/products might make sense - no one gets all interested in street discussions about deordorant...).

Most of the people I know are convenience type people and probably can't imagine why you would waste so much time learning something that a turnip can accomplish in 30 seconds a with disposable. For me, it's been a monastic endeavor - few people beside my wife and kids have seen me actually do it, but I am pleased that my family thinks it's wonderful and my brother will be learning the art from me this Christmas. I welcome the chance to "showboat" some, but I will wait until there is an "organic" opportunity. In the meantime, it's just me once a day, in the bathroom, thinking about doing a good job and learning as much as I can.

Julian

It is easy to tell someone you are shaving with a straight razor. The reactions are understandable. OK so far. Their followup question, "Why?", is a little harder to answer. And, their reaction to the "Why?" is pretty universal. Incomprehension.

Most people just say 'why', my mates honestly couldn't give a damn either way. My gf likes to watch.

I often shave at the gym. 9/10 reactions are "I haven't seen one of those since my father/grandfather when I was a kid!"

The other 1/10 reaction was aguy who said: "I haven't seen one of those since the 60's when some guy pulled one on me and asked me for my wallet!"

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Originally Posted by smokelaw1

He found out I shaved with a straight and said to his wife, almost sheepishly, something along the lines of "Wow...see, now he's a REAL man."

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yeah, until he found out you had fifty of them and a bunch of them have real pretty abalone scales. :)

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Originally Posted by Seraphim

I often shave at the gym. 9/10 reactions are "I haven't seen one of those since my father/grandfather when I was a kid!"

!"

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That's what they say when they see a gilette superspeed. For straights, you're talking great grandfathers in my experience. My dad said he remembered HIS grandfather using one.

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Originally Posted by loueedacat

That's what they say when they see a gilette superspeed. For straights, you're talking great grandfathers in my experience. My dad said he remembered HIS grandfather using one.

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Most of the guys at the gym making the comments are 60/70+ years old. The younger guys try to pretend they don't see me shaving with a straight.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by loueedacat

yeah, until he found out you had fifty of them and a bunch of them have real pretty abalone scales. :)

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Nah....only showed him the 8/8 Chandler damascus.
My wife was the one said something de-masculating (can't remember what....it's in one of my old posts) about that time. Could it have to do with Rose soap?

Ahaa!! Here it is!!! my recollection was suprisingly accurate (for me).

http://straightrazorpalace.com/331929-post4.html

Father: "You know those are illegal in this State"

-He was referring to Barbers having to use disposables in his own deliberately misleading way for effect.

Friend: "No, DE's are better."

My mother volunteered my grandfather's old shave supply. A big ol boar brush, an English Leather shaving mug, and a wooden soap puck dish that she's used for elastic hair ties as long as I can remember which I never realized the true purpose of. She couldn't find any razors, most likely as he switched to an electric probably 30 years ago or so.

Had my father tell me that I must have been brought up feral for using one :)