Prompted by the great thread "Stropping is King", (which has grown to 227 postings as I begin this post), I'd like to throw out a thought for discussion that I think is a significant part of what's stirring that thread. For sure, it is at the heart of why I find SR shaving compelling. My thought is that straight razor shaving is a "craft" much like the crafts of the 18th century furniture makers. The dictionary definition of craft closest to what I'm talking about is "an art, trade, or occupation requiring special skill, esp. manual skill: the craft of a mason."

Crafts of this kind are greatly diminished or altogether gone today. A craftsman needs to know much about the tools and tecniques of his craft and unite that knowledge with experience and skill to be successful. While the cabinet maker's craft was a business and the SR craft is routine hygiene, there are many parallels. The one most intriguing to me and most related to the stropping discussion is that some of the skills demonstrated by the historical fact of a craft defy "common sense". In the case of the stropping thread, Scott (honedright) claims a skill that is inconsistent with the presuppositions and experience of some of the discussion participants. They challenge it to be proven "scientifically". I think their science in this case is an attempt to define a procedure that can be readily repeated to achieve the same results. That's where I think a craft parts ways with science. To be sure, science can dig deep enough to explain much about the outcome of a craft, but that doesn't mean one armed with that science can repeat the craft mechanically or procedurally or easily.

The point I'd like to invite discussion on here is that the procedures of a craft are only the skeleton of that craft while experience is its meat and flesh. The reason furniture makers of the past started with a 7-year apprenticship was not as much because the procedures couldn't be sufficiently written down to learn on their own, but that no amount of procedure can replace the intangibles gained only through experience. This same kind of intangible craftiness is what compells me to want to shave with a straight razor, the fact that you can't just buy, read, try and do. There are no "10 easy steps to master straights in a weekend".

Why does this matter? Selfishly, it matters to me because I like things like that...things not easily obtained, things not everyone can do, things based on the time-honored lessons of the past more than current technologies (FWIW, I earn my living in a high-tech profession so I'm not anti-tech). Another reason I toss this out for discussuion is that I think until someone understands this craft view, they will be frustrated by the experiences of SR shaving. Whether honing, stropping, prepping, shaving, or whatever, there are many experiences to develop by doing that can be augmented by the wealth of SRP information, but only completely enjoyed by much doing. Many experienced-based intangibles are described throughout many threads by the senior members including knowing what a sharp razor is (that's why the oft repeated admonishment to start with one from a honemeister), knowing what it sounds like on the strop, knowing what the edge on face is supposed to feel like, etc. That's why some in SRP describe the by-gone days when father would teach son of this craft, passing on what side-by-side experience does best.

I have many more thoughts on this, but have gone on long enough. I would like to hear what others think; especially those of you who are masters of this craft of shaving, those with many years os successful SR shaving to your credit.

- Dale