Str8 shaving, an elite fraternity????

Fellas, I'm new to all this but I'm enjoying my new hobby. I think this is an art form and the fact that I'm constantly learning and trying new techniques and products makes it fun. I feel as if I'm a part of an elite fraternity. I'm glad there are men out there who enjoy this like me.

With women, this hobby brings a whole new dynamic and opinions. Just the other day on a first date, somehow the topic of shaving was broached. I, being proud of my new grooming methods, mentioned the str8 razor. I was met with an almost indignant response and a scornful look. You guys know the scornful look. To her, shaving in this manner was archaic, dangerous, and unnecessary.

Gentlemen, I tried to prove a point to her with the following argument (can JerseyLawyer help here? come on counselor!!): Isn't a bikini wax archaic? Getting the hairs "down there" ripped out, by another person I might add, is barbaric and too close for comfort, in my opinion. We, as men like the results of that particular wax just as a woman likes a well-shaved man. Do we act as indignantly towards women with their waxing, manicures, pedicures, facials, exfoliations, shoe-shopping, etc, etc, etc?

Thanks for hearing my BS. That was cathartic for me!

Let me know of some of the reactions you guys get when you tell someone that you shave with a str8 or that you collect them or refurbish them.

Happy New Year guys.

My thoughts and prayers are with Ray. I'm so glad that we had a very enjoyable half hour on the phone together. -Rob

So I'm guessing there won't be a second date?

RT

No, we had dinner and drinks at a cool SoHo restaurant and chatted for five hours, but in her words, "there wasn't enough chemistry!"

It took her five hours to figure that out.

-Rob

Well since were on the subject. LOL, never let a first date go that long again. Always walk away very early. Make her wonder why you don't like her. Your right about bikini waxing, but look at it this way, whatever she wants to do is great for her, and probably better for you too. Reactions? Most guys think I'm nuts, no matter what excuse I give them. Best shave, don't need to buy blades, coolest thing in the world. Nothing ever works. Most just look at me like I'm totally nuts. I've found the kooky things I do should be reserved for friends and second dates. . . lol.

Rob,

I figured it out after 30 seconds of reading your post! :D

Best of luck on future dates.

RT

I usually get one of two responses when someone finds out I use a str8. 1) "Really? COOL!" --> Those are the guys who may end up with us. And 2) An incredulous "Why?" --> I don't even bother trying to answer that question any more. If they feel the need to ask why, then they wouldn't get it anyway. .....Jeff

Well a fraternity yes, elite I don't know more like a group of guys that appreciate the way things were done in the past maybe and have an appreciation for tradition?

I really don't try and explain it to "regular" people, they wouldn't understand anyway. Kind of like why I carry a pocketwatch or drive a car with a manual transmission.

Either you get it or you don't.

Forget dating, save money and spend it on a another razor!:)
Lasts forever, always there when you want it and NEVER! talks back.:D

Welcome to the group,

And ....

Can be put away or resold without getting arrested for it, will take abuse longer and cannot leave you for another when you arrive with another "specimen"!

Women usually don't get past the gleaming blade (or its visualization). It tends to shock them. It might not if they thought in terms of a professional barber doing it. That's probably why the waxing is OK for them. I would save that discussion for a time when you know someone better. I don't think it's a meaningful measure of another person, but it can present an immediate stumbling block if it produces a conflict or a misunderstanding of who you are.

As for us being an elite group, that doesn't appeal to me. If we really want to promote str8 shaving we should concentrate on how every man who shaved did it at one time and how they all could do it now.

There are also non-threatening ways of presenting str8 shaving to those unfamiliar with it. One would be the artistic nature of antique razors (or even some of the modern ones). Another would be the mystique of the historical link to the past. Here you are using this device in the same intimate way that another man did a century ago. How often do you get to do that in modern life? A third way would be the lost pleasure and peacefulneess this kind of a shave brings and the ability to take care of the razor entirely on you own.

You can see I've practiced for a while.

I am with Randy on that one, get another razor. It won't talk back or piss you off:D

Oh ya. I am gonna have to side with Randy here.

My ex-gf thought my shaving habit was a little odd until I showed her how to .... oppppps. Sorry, I thought I was in a different forum.

Get into an expensive hobby like collecting 6 or 8 hundred dollar Sig Sauers, or custom made Colts at $1,600 a pop. Then, bringing home a $149.00 Henckels from Nordstorm's and that doesn't seem as bad [but NOT at the same time, mind you].

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Originally Posted by randydance062449

Forget dating, save money and spend it on a another razor!:)
Lasts forever, always there when you want it and NEVER! talks back.:D

Welcome to the group,

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Most people think I'm weirder than they first suspected if I mention the straight razor so I generally don't bother most of the time. My girl seems genuinely supportive though. Some of us got it good.

X

I suppose being married and in a relatively stable career position the topic actually rarely comes up. The reaction is as other have said "you're wierd" "Why?!" "Wow really?" etc.

One jerk off I worked with came to the brilliant conclusion that that made me some kind of in-bred redneck. I'm from Texas, live here, and love it. However, contrary to the norm I've worked most of my life not to have an accent, to reach a level of education above the norm for my background, and a few other steps towards bettering myself in general. If you're a redneck and you know it...that's ok. I've probably got more of 'em falling out of my family tree than Joe Dirt, but that's not me.

Thankfully said co-worker is no longer with our department, having gone on to bigger and better people to irritate I'm sure.

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Originally Posted by Gawker

One jerk off I worked with came to the brilliant conclusion that that made me some kind of in-bred redneck.

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It wasn't long ago that kind of roughneck impression of us came up on another shaving board from people who have been here. I became very defensive about it, but it made me think why others so interested in shaving would get that impression of us.

I'm not sure of the reason for it, but some seemed to have had a bad experience with the way they were treated here (or at the Yahoo site). I've never seen it. In fact from what I've seen there are a lot more frays on other boards than here.

I'm thinking it has to be a prejudice based on the image of str8s and so many guys here being interested in other things like motorcycles, knives and guns. As a group, I see us as diverse as any others in geographic location (maybe more) and social and political issues (which shouldn't matter anyway, unless you go off topic) and other interests. And we're at least as welcoming and friendly.

Any thoughts?

Joe, I think people are threatened by others who are non-conformists. I'm not suggesting that str8 users are rebels - that's a bit strong. In our society, if someone dares not to walk with the rest of the ducks by doing something unconventional, others' defense mechanisms kick in because they don't understand their "differences." It's kind of like the way Harley riders were viewed - they weren't understood and thus became the "undesirables" of society. That's all changed once the yuppies started riding them too. I can't believe the negativity I get from such a benign activity such as shaving. They don't get it. It's like trying to explain to someone who's never ridden a motorcycle why it is so exhilarating and enjoyable. They won't get it unless they experience it for themselves.

-Rob

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Originally Posted by robertlampo

Joe, I think people are threatened by others who are non-conformists.

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The people on the other site are also non-conformists. They're all wet shavers, mostly DE and some str8s.

There certainly is truth to what you're saying about the reaction of people to what they view as strange. It's complicated by our enthusiasm for str8 shaving and our desire to spread the good word.

Like I said there are people out there, many women among them, who never get past the gleaming blade. It's so intimidating for them that you can't discuss it with them rationally. No matter how much you would like them to understand or discuss it with them, it's not likel to happen. In those cases you might best off just not pursuing the issue.

Most replies to the fact that I str8 shave are also mixed. Mody people think it is weird and the creams, brushes and aftershaves put them over the edge. They think it is not necessary. I can explain that with time it becomes second nature etc, but they don't understand. My brother and father both seemed a bit weary. My dad just tried to use the blade the other day after I coached him for a while. As he brought the blade to his face his hand started to shake and as soon as it touched his cheek he shot his hand out in the air and said he couldn't do it. I laughed so hard I cried, and I think I earned a little respect.

My brother on the other hand shaved his face and thought it was awesome. I have an old W&B I am fixing for him. I think he will be happy....

And my girl likes it...thank god!

I dont get this at all in the UK. People I meet have a sort of quiet awe if the topic of shaving comes up and I tell them my particular method. I think the general assumption is that straight shaving is on a danger level on a par with base jumping. They just want to ask questions like "Is it closer than a mach 3?", "have you ever sliced your face off?", that kind of thing.

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Originally Posted by robertlampo

Gentlemen, I tried to prove a point to her with the following argument (can JerseyLawyer help here? come on counselor!!): Isn't a bikini wax archaic? Getting the hairs "down there" ripped out, by another person I might add, is barbaric and too close for comfort, in my opinion. We, as men like the results of that particular wax just as a woman likes a well-shaved man. Do we act as indignantly towards women with their waxing, manicures, pedicures, facials, exfoliations, shoe-shopping, etc, etc, etc?

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My SO and I went away for about a week. I think there was a competition between the two of us for who had the most "product". Sufficed to say, the common shaving bag is rapidly becoming too small (and can't fit even a paddle strop).

As far as your argument goes... I wouldn't know, I've never had a bikini wax! ;) However, I do own quite a few shoes, shaving with a brush is exfoliating, and, yes, I will admit, I once had a manicure - though a manly one! (If you haven't had one, they really are great. And they just buff your nails, not polish, in case anyone is getting any ideas.)

I have heard (Yes, this is hearsay!) that the bikini wax is intensely painful. Certainly much less painful to use a razor.

-Keith

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Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

I'm thinking it has to be a prejudice based on the image of str8s and so many guys here being interested in other things like motorcycles, knives and guns. As a group, I see us as diverse as any others in geographic location (maybe more) and social and political issues (which shouldn't matter anyway, unless you go off topic) and other interests. And we're at least as welcoming and friendly.

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Well... I tend to think of shaving with a straight razor as hearkening back to the best of our aristocratic past. :) While I realize that this forum doesn't deal as much or as often with the brushes and creams and aftershaves as some other places, there is a definate air of luxury about it.

As for other interests... I happen to be interested in guns (I'm learning to shoot skeet. Very redneck.) and in blades (Fencing. Ditto.). Oh, yeah, and I'm a lawyer, which we all know has that cool factor just like being a cowboy.

Anyway... Who really cares what everybody else thinks? The girlfriend thinks its sexy, and I enjoy it. My family is mostly tolerant of my occasional esoteric hobbies. What else really matters? :)

-Keith

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Originally Posted by JerseyLawyer

Well... I tend to think of shaving with a straight razor as hearkening back to the best of our aristocratic past.

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Hardly, the aristocrats had it done by a barber. Self shaving was what the common man did most of the time. Of course, there must have been some who had a hobby, like us.

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Anyway... Who really cares what everybody else thinks? The girlfriend thinks its sexy, and I enjoy it. My family is mostly tolerant of my occasional esoteric hobbies. What else really matters?

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I didn't say I cared. I was just trying to understand it. I've given up trying to explain it to my wife. All she sees is the sharp blade at my neck. And she always pointed out nicks and irritation when I was first starting. She couldn't understand why I wasn't using an electric (I've used one sporadically and could never get it to work, so I've always been a wet shaver).

I also don't mention str8 shaving unless I get into a dicussion with someone who's really interested in shaving. For most men it still remains an uncomfortable chore that they really aren't interested in. The M3 is all they need.

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Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

Hardly, the aristocrats had it done by a barber. Self shaving was what the common man did most of the time. Of course, there must have been some who had a hobby, like us.

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Or their valet, or whomever, perhaps, and is something I'd have to look into to really comment.

Really, though, that wasn't the point - regardless of who was doing the shaving, using perfumed shaving creams, and a fine brush, and hot water, and a finely honed blade is a distinct pleasure that, then or now, most people didn't enjoy for whatever reason, be that reason pragmatic or economic. It seems to me very refined, rather than somehow barbaric.

-Keith