Thread: Blindfolded shave...have you?

Personally I think it's a bad idea. Inviting such videos is one thing but incentivizing with a prize could bring out way too much stupidity.

Having a prize at the end won't make the people who are doing the shaving any more or less stupid....

No, but it could make the stupid take a risk that they might not otherwise take without the incentive of a prize.

Originally Posted by Utopian

No, but it could make the stupid take a risk that they might not otherwise take without the incentive of a prize.

I agree entirely Ron. As I said previously I think the contest wasn't a good idea.

Joking around about such a contest is one thing but seriously entertaining running it is something else again. Personally, something far less than a good idea.

Bob

Originally Posted by Ernie1980

Originally Posted by Guidry

I would honestly look to rinse the blade.....j/s

I was actually more worried about this then the actual shave! I am pretty confident that the shave would be ok, but I would be afraid of hitting my razor on the faucet of sink trying to rinse the lather off the blade.

Even blindfolded, this part doesn't worry me. I use one of those "bone" sponges for washing cars to wipe the lather onto in a stropping motion. Being 3" thick, it has enough room for error, as long as the blade is more parallel to the counter than perpendicular. Also, shaving becomes mostly muscle memory after a very short time, ESPECIALLY if you only have one shaver like myself. And my sponge is always sat in the same place on the counter (not wet, to reduce the risk of rust), so finding it is a sinch.

I bet that most of us shave mostly by feel, anyway. We just aren't aware of this. Sure, you line up the stroke visually before it starts (especially by the ears/sideburns). But if ya think back on it, I bet you can't remember a recent shave where you actually watched tthe blade during all the strokes made. Once you start your stroke, muscle memory takes over, amd the brain switches processing power from visual sensory input, to tactile feedback. Basically, your eyes glaze over. (Like when the wife says "Let's have some us time. Just me & you!" And then puts on The Real Housewives...)

More on point now. I am willing to give this a whirl. I would have to look to strop... and I might peek to see if I loaded my brush well enough. Other than that, I think I'm good to go.

Although I don't think the contest is a good idea because you can't really control for stupid... I have shaved with a straight razor without a mirror many, many times. I was in the army and either in the field training or deployed at the time so I didn't have any facial hair at all. It would be harder now since I sport a goatee these days - and I agree with others that the management of the razor, cleaning the blade of soap, picking it up and putting it down etc would be the tougher part if I were completely blindfolded.

Back then I only did one WTG pass as well so it wasn't as tricky. A straight and a barber hone in the field was the way to go back then. Didn't have to stock up on plastic. Lots of my friends would shave with a DE in the field for the same reason. We use to kid each other about how much MRE TP you used on your shave that morning. I don't know why but most of us, including me, went back to the plastic razors when we got back to garrison. Go figure. Back then it was just expedient - now, as a friend of mine says, "it's a thing".

Adam

That is one of the main reasons I want to learn to shave "blind" ..I don't have a mirror when I go to the field and I want to start bringing a straight with me instead of disposables....

Originally Posted by Guidry

That is one of the main reasons I want to learn to shave "blind" ..I don't have a mirror when I go to the field and I want to start bringing a straight with me instead of disposables....

i would have to try it again to remember the techniques for placing the edge on your skin - if I remember, that was the biggest issue especially at the side burn. I think I did a bit of an up-stroke like stropping against the skin to feel the edge on stretched skin and then moved the edge back down to cut. I really don't remember and muscle memory is probably completely gone by now. I remember under the nose was my trouble spot with the straight and I use to rest the blade against the underside of my nose to know where it was before slowly touching the skin under my nose.

I also used DE razors in the field and those are really no problem at all blind and you don't need a strop. Today's blades will probably last a week on one but carrying a pack of 10 with a slot in the bottom for used blades would probably be my preferred method these days for field use. I don't remember what we did for soap but it was probably in a can. A tube of proraso using your fingers to rub up a leather would probably work fine. I use proraso just like that on my bald head every day. I was on tanks so it was pretty easy to heat up a canteen of water on the back of a M1A1 - took about 60 seconds.

Really, given all the stuff there is today - there's no reason to use disposables in the field - your face will thank you!

Thanks for your service brother.

Adam

I mostly run an ambulance crew on a gun line... (Field Artillery) I have room to carry a few extras and I try to bring a coffee pot with me.... the privates love that shit .....hook an inverter to the battery and bam hot water XD ...though I don't drink it I do enjoy some hot water while "showering"....

I've never shaved with a DE ... it's on my to-do list