Dr.Strangeshave or how I learned to love to shave.

So yesterday I went to go get ready for work. I was looking forward to playing with my NOS 7/8 Friodur, Shavemac, and Mama Bear soap. I stropped the Texas Ebony dressed beauty, lovingly cradled my 28mm Badger as I ran some hot water to warm things up a bit, and opened up the heady aroma hiding inside the container of Mama's Lemon and Cedarwood soap.
Before I realized it I was out of the shower and ready to start the next phase of "getting ready for work."
I took the brush to soap and lathered up, the cedarwood and lemon scent transforming my shave den into a mossy, woodsy oasis, and put razor to beard.
To finish WWR, Alum bar, CWR, then some Bay Rum to close things up.
It was then I realized how much wet shaving with a straight razor had changed my outlook for the day!
Every element in my routine has been manufactured with care and precision craftsmanship. The Blade and Strop, Brush and Soap, Pre and Post shave items have all come together to transform my routine into a passionate start to my day.
Beautiful! :cry:

O.K. seriously though I had a good start to the day! :D

Cheers,
Randy

And that, gentlemen, is what it's all about.

One of the reasons I started with the straight - to keep my mind sharp and more focused on precision and attention to detail.

A tear rolled down my cheek after reading that....


I currently shave at night. Very late at night as a matter of fact, and I find that the calm & relaxation I get from The Shave is worth staying up the extra 45 minutes for.



My wife thinks I'm nuts.

There isn't anything I do not like about straight razor shaving, the prep, selection of soap or creams, next razor in rotation (I have 8 Dovo's and one limited edition TI I recently purchased from Chris) a moss scuttle and a pewter scuttle from Classis Shaving, Tony Miller strop along with an Illinois strop. Of course, all the different aftershaves/balms (I have 12 different ones to choose from). As you can see, I have a sever case of SSAD (shaving stuff......)_ I gotten to the point of only making ONE pass knowing I'll beable to shave the next morning. Three passes, then no shaving for two days. I guess this is what happens when your retired, but I love every bit of it.

Ya'll have a splended day.

LIMIT

This brings to mind some other quotes to paraphase:

" I have more razors than I need but less than I want"

" I never met a razor I did'nt like"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CloseShave

This brings to mind some other quotes to paraphase:

" I have more razors than I need but less than I want"

" I never met a razor I did'nt like"

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AMEN TO THAT, GEESH
LIMIT

I agree with all that's said on this thread. I enjoy my morning shave. If I mention this around other guys, I get some really strange looks. It's like I said I like to trim hoofs on buffalo or something. I have some very nice razors and it is a pleasure to use them. I enjoy shave soaps and creams. When I finish my save I feel like I'm at peace and things are right in my world.

I like knowing the things I handle in the morning are made by hands that once loved them just as much as I do now. All made with care and consideration for the folks on the consumption end: from the razor, to the strop, to the soap. You just don't find that sort of care embedded in the things you buy today. In a world full of cheap things that break, it's good to have something solid and lasting to hold onto.

Now all I need is a lovingly made brush. Or two. Or three.
:w

Right on! :tu That's what it's all about.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Seraphim

A tear rolled down my cheek after reading that....

I currently shave at night. Very late at night as a matter of fact, and I find that the calm & relaxation I get from The Shave is worth staying up the extra 45 minutes for.

My wife thinks I'm nuts.

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Sometimes that's the only quiet 45 minutes of the day a guy can get... :D

One of the main reasons I love to shave is that it sets me apart from my peers outside of this forum,

-and-

It also lets me have something in common with all of you people in this community.:rolleyes:

I don't yet have my first straight razor (though it is in the process of finding it's way to me) so I haven't had this pleasure.

However I think something analogous to this sense of satisfaction is the morning espresso. Sure I could flip a switch and and come back 5 minutes later for a large cup of decent black wake-up. But where's the joy?

It takes a bit longer to warm up the machine, pre-heat the cup, grind the beans, stir the grinds, tap tap tap tap tap tap the portafilter, and tamp it just so. Then sacrifice the first black liquid to the drip tray, sliding the cup under the stream with precise timing to catch the first frothy golden brown crema, and finally stopping just as the first blond circle starts to appear on the surface. The pleasure is derived as much from the ritual as it is from the superior product.

For years my non-coffee drinking wife would admit she was quite jealous of this ritual. She finally broke and now enjoys it with me.

I hoping I'll eventually be able to derive just as much satisfaction from straight razors.

And "no dear, I'll make you another espresso, but keep your hands off my razor!"