Thread: Sharp Practice: The real man's guide to shaving

Based on a review over at B&B, I ordered a copy of the book titled, Sharp Practice: The real man's guide to shaving by Anders Larsen, 2006, Bantam Press.

The book is a mixture of honest to goodness instruction on shaving mixed with tons of shaving history and stories from the author's life. Luckily, he's a well traveled man and his stories are far better than mine.He spends a good deal of time explaining how shaving came to be what it is, his experiences with shaving and his reasoning for writing the book. At times it has a 'Around the world with...' nostalgic feel and at other times, a total modern outlook. He notes that he screwed up his blade once and went panicking to a web forum for help on how to get it back into shape (hmm.... I wonder if it was SRP?).

It's a fast and informative read. You could easily finish it on a 2-3 hour flight, and it's pretty funny as well. I highly recommend it.

It cost me $23 shipped from the UK. In fact, it is only available on Amazon UK. I'll recycle it if anyone is interested. $20 shipped within the US.

- thx John

John:

Anders and Lynn announced the book a little while ago on SRP. I got a copy of it and really enjoyed most of it. I think it's a good addition to anyone's library. Do a search on SRP for some members' comments/reviews.

Basically, I think you gave a great summary of it

Must... remember.... to..... search... before .... I post.....(staggered in true Cap'n Kirk fashion).

Originally Posted by Namdnas

Must... remember.... to..... search... before .... I post.....(staggered in true Cap'n Kirk fashion).

Indeed, Captain. Not searching first is most illogical however typically human it might be

Sharp Practice was the reason I got into straight razor shaving. Last year I had decided I'd had enough of plastic foam from a tin and told my wife a good Christmas present would be a proper shaving brush, bowl and soap. (I was still uneducated enough to use the Muck 3 though..... ugh. ) At the same time, close friends of ours decided to buy me Anders' book to go with it, partly for a laugh.

Well, I really enjoyed the read and it got me onto better things. It has a permanent place on the bathroom shelf where I keep my wet shaving gear (my friends call it my Shaving Shrine ).

Last time they came to stay, my friend Bruce accidentally knocked the book into the full bath. He came downstairs nervous as hell to confess, after ordering another copy for me online. In a way it's nice to have friends understand what a pleasure straight razor shaving is to me, even if they do think it's slightly nuts.

Originally Posted by majurey

(my friends call it my Shaving Shrine ).

Ah yes, the shaving shrine. It is a form of worship that has existed for thousands of years. Shrines were often passed down in a family over generations, from father to son. Shaving shrines have been found in many of the various lost cultures, ancient Rome, Greece, Britain, and even Egypt all have evidence of shaving worship.

As the years progress, we see changes in the shrines with updated cutting devices, soaps, brushes, and aftershave ointments, but the purpose of the shrine remains the same. To worship the shaving pantheon. I could go into detail about the various gods and goddesses, but it would take entirely too long to recant the many myths and legends.

Sadly, the practice of the shaving shrine was nearly lost when Gillette introduced their disposable razors, which made shaving a chore and not something to take joy or pride in. Luckily, there remained men who understood the truth of shaving, and made it their solemn and somewhat holy goal to preserve the shaving shrine and other various acts of shaving worship. Men such as Lynn Abrams, who has one of the most extensive and developed shaving shrines in current existence.

I my self have a shaving shrine that is threatening to take over the bathroom. If not for the cursed room mate, it would be expanding all over the house! But I digress.

The shaving shrine has been rekindled and now, though small, there is a world community of shave worshipers who bow daily at their shrines to worship the shaving gods.

This is Matt Munsey, for the History Channel.