Thread: Converting people

So how many folk have you managed to convert, i have posted about it on other forums and have managed a good three converts ok not a lot but it's good to spread the good word and they love it, there was a bit of trepidation but now the are surprised why they've never tried it before.

I have one guy at work who's very interested in straights so he could be my first one with them, fingers crossed.

Anyone else?

well frist of all it take a certain knid of nut to put a truly razor sharp blade to his own throut when much less lethal tools are at hand. being of this stripe myself, its best to look at others who are more or less as crazy as you are.ahhh my son ... yes thats the ticket. he took to it like a duck to water. my younger son well hes got his mothers good sense so no good there but he did throw away his can of goo.and maybe thats the way to go. i will meet some of my highschool buddys this summer. and have made for each of them a brush and bowl. i will add some good soap and maybe just maybe it will bloom from there.as for the great sport of straight razor shaving,its hard to explain the benefits to others. its like blowing a disk in your back, only the people who have had it happen to them will understand what you mean when you say pain.

When I tell people I am learning to use a str8 razor they say two things:

They ask WHY and then they tell me I am nuts. (I already knew the nuts part)

Hey, wanna try something new. A different way to shave. All you need is to buy a razor, a strop, a brush and some shaving soap. Oh, and besides having to put a razor sharp blade against your own throat, you probably won't get a comfortable shave for at least a month. And also, while you are learning this new way of shaving others will tell you what a great shave they got while you feel like you are shreading your face every day.

On top of all that, not only do you have to learn how to shave with a straight. You also have to learn how to make shaving lather, how to strop. And then if you want to maintain your own razor you have to learn how to hone or pay someone else to do it for you.

So when a person is contemplating trying straight razor shaving a few things must be going through their head.
-This person is crazy.
-Am I this crazy?
-Is it really worth the cost and effort just for shaving?

Originally Posted by ndw76

Hey, wanna try something new. A different way to shave. All you need is to buy a razor, a strop, a brush and some shaving soap. Oh, and besides having to put a razor sharp blade against your own throat, you probably won't get a comfortable shave for at least a month. And also, while you are learning this new way of shaving others will tell you what a great shave they got while you feel like you are shreading your face every day.

On top of all that, not only do you have to learn how to shave with a straight. You also have to learn how to make shaving lather, how to strop. And then if you want to maintain your own razor you have to learn how to hone or pay someone else to do it for you.

So when a person is contemplating trying straight razor shaving a few things must be going through their head.
-This person is crazy.
-Am I this crazy?
-Is it really worth the cost and effort just for shaving?

Great post, however it is all true and when you read you kind of say hmmmmmmmm, am I nuts?

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

Great post, however it is all true and when you read you kind of say hmmmmmmmm, am I nuts?

Maybe just dedicated and patient. Quite a few of my friends now use DEs, and it is the more viable solution for them. It took me more than a year to get sufficiently proficient with a straight to shave at 04:30am (ie before flying to work), and for most people, the cost benefit ratio simply does not justify the effort. It took me a while to learn to maintain razors (sold my Escher, will sell my Nortons, and only keep a DMT and my Coticule), but for me, shaving is more than hair removal, but a hobby.

I am not sure whether trying to convert people is a clever idea, either. A friend of mine has now started, because he finds shaving with a straight more interesting than shaving with a DE. Had he started with a straight, I am sure he would have switched back to cartidges quickly. The good thing about DE shaving is that you can learn proper preparation without the extra challenge of not chopping off your head.

Regards,
Robin