Thread: Latest Entry

I've got a blog that I contribute to from time to time. Here's my latest entry.

It Only Takes One: The sad reality of life. Several years ago, when I lived in Texas, when the Texas Lottery passed the $30 million mark, I would buy a ticket. My co-workers would all pitch in $10-20 bucks into a pool and buy 100 or more tickets. Invariably I would win between $3-10 dollars with my meager investment, and they would win about the same. They always wanted to know why I would only buy one ticket. Simple. It only takes one to win. Well, shaving is no different. To shave, you need one brush (and that is not a requirement), one soap or cream, and one razor. One strop, and eventually, one hone. That's all. That's it. Nothing more. So, would someone please explain to me why I have over a dozen brushes, a basket full of DE razors, over 300 DE blades, about 20 straight razors, 4 hanging strops and one paddle strop? Oh, did I mention that I have enough shaving creams and soaps to now go 2 months without a using the same item twice? In a day when most men hate shaving, a day when men seldom, if ever get a shave at the barbershop with their haircut, in a day when the most revolutionized (is that a word?) shaving implements are available, I still shave like I live in the 30's. Was I born at the wrong time? Am I a carmudgeon? NO! It seems that some things just can't be improved on. Remember your grandmother's apple pie? Can you buy one as good? Well, even though I subscribe to "old school" shaving, even within those confined parameters, I'm still looking for improvement. No, improvement is not the right word. I'm looking for variety. Shaving is something I enjoy. Let's compare it to breakfast. I like eggs. Scrambled, fried, poached, as an omelette. The same thing, just prepared differently. The same with shaving. Maybe today I want to smell like a barbershop. No problem. Taylor of Old Bond Street Shaving Shop cream, Pinaud After Shave, Clubman Talc...I'm there. Or I want to relax. Taylor's Lavender Shaving Soap, Azzaro Pure Lavender EDT. I'm there. Want to shave cheap? I'll break out my Surrey Boar brush, Williams Shaving Soap or Surrey Shaving Soap. I've got 4 brushes that were over $100 each! Analyze this. I got into DE shaving to save money. I believe I could have purchased a liftime of Atra cartridges with the money I've spent in the past year. YEAR! But now there is one difference. Now I enjoy shaving. Sometimes with a straight. Sometimes with a DE. But I enjoy it. So...what's in YOUR shave den?

Just a few thoughts.

RT

Spot on Randy,
I know how you feel, just purchased yet another hone from Tony. Don't need it, but can't wait until it arrives so I can try it out. Creams and soaps...you're way ahead of me, but not from lack of trying. If folks keep waving great deals under my nose I'm sure I'll continue buying. Save money...hardly, but that's no longer the point. All told, this may be one of my least expensive hobbies, especially if you factor in all of the time spent as a benefit. Probably much cheaper than high blood pressure medicine too. Shaving is the one part of my day that I can count on as being completely relaxing.

I just am grateful that I've never been bitten by the DE bug. Have never shaved with one, never had the desire to.

Just another data point,
Ed

Nice piece of writing Randy. A certain blabbermouth on SRP keeps mentioning the main pull-factor: As men, we have to shave daily anyways. We turned a part of our daily lives into an enjoyable hobby.

I tried shaving with a DE, but it's not nearly as satisfying as going straight. Today is going to be torture. I'll have to shave with the DE, so I wouldn't waste one of the blades that Ed gave me and to free up space in my clay bowl for shaving cremes, but I just honed 4 of my blades last night and I REALLY want to try 3 of them:
1) Satinedge (I didn't hone it properly last time, so it was out of commission for a while. I miss it)
2) Butler (the scales broke, it has temporary replacement scales, so I took it to the hone after waiting for over a week)
3) M&Y (a real challenge. giving it another chance to join my shaving rotation)

The Taylor's Eye witness is a constant performer and I only shaved with the Bismarck once; I know they will shave well, therefore I am not too curious about them lol.

You know I didn't get into it to save money, although that is an excuse for my wife. I just like the shave better I also feel like I have a skill now that others don't. (I say this with the hope that I don't now chop my face apart). I can honestly tell you I too have spent more on shaving stuff then I would ever have spent on mach III blades and colgate shave cream. Oh well

Originally Posted by RichZ

(I say this with the hope that I don't now chop my face apart). l

What, you don't care about other body parts?

Nenad

Originally Posted by superfly

What, you don't care about other body parts?

Nenad

Those take care of themselves.. Actually anytime I start bragging about my shaving I seem to slice my face up so now it is mums the word.

Originally Posted by RichZ

Those take care of themselves.. .

I don't know... Going Commando is a tough call

Nenad

Commando - the only way to shave....

There is a saying for the tee shirts..

Let's see...

2 DE's and 7 straight's.

Creams - Taylor's Lavender, Trumpers Violet and Palmolive lather

Soap - Tabac, TGQ Orange Patchouli, SCS Savory Rose, SCS New Spice
SCS Ginger Lime, Proraso and William's.

After Shave - Pinaud's - Bay Rum, Citrus Musk, Lime Sec, Clubman
Vanilla and Lilac Vegetal. Michelsen's Bay Rum and Old Spice.

One hanging strop from Tony and a pasted paddle strop from Tony
as well.

2 brushes - Vulfix 374 silvertip and a Burma Shave

This would have bought a lot of cartridges for my Mach3, but so what.
Shaving was never really a drag for me, never really minded it at all.
But now it's a lot more fun using a straight. I only use the DE for travel.


Terry

You know, at times I long for the days of my first love, or my first kiss. There are days, I try to remember how my first paycheck felt, the first time I shot a gun, or got in the ring, or competed in a sport..why...because that was pure. The reason I remember my first love was because it was completely innocent and pure with no acquired "emotional baggage" and everything was new...even the pain...especially the happiness.

Now, life has changed...I think about those days with nostalgia and sometimes even have the feelin of darkness. Now I enjoy life...but almost nothing feels pure with the attached innocence to me anymore....but there is one thing that always feels pure and perfectly right in every way, and that is straight razor shaving. I can shave with the same razor I have shaved with dozens of times, or a new razor, but when I am getting ready to shave, shaving, or finishing up a shave....I feel pure, reborn, and innocent.

I don't know why I feel this way, shaving with a disposable doesnt do it, a DE doesnt do it, but a straight razor gives me that feeling everytime without fail.

For a feeling like that...money tends to take a backseat...no the wife doesnt understand, but then again, neither do I...