Thread: Blind Shaving Experiment

after a discussion at the office the other day, conversation was blind vs. deaf. i know sign language so naturally i am a step ahead here. however someone mentioned that if i was blind i could no longer shave with a str8.

was this the case? had to find out. so tonight i experimented. i used a depews perfect razor because i knew i could strop it on my strop without an x pattern. as for the lather, i used a boar brush and creme. not my favorite choice, but i had to think that i could not see my lather, and soap is hit or miss if you cannot see it. put enough creme in there, you will get lather. lather bowl was $2 target bowl. creme was AOS sample. i still have like 20 of these things and they are good for like 3 shaves each.

so i stropped with lights off and eyes closed. took me about twice as long for 40 laps. much more difficult. but with time, i could get faster. showered and dried normally. then lights off, eyes closed. AOS preshave balm. no problem. squeezed creme in bowl, used fingers to guage how much was in bottom. seemed ok. started stirring and mixing. sound changed after about 30 sec. can't descibe, but seemed like not enough water, dry lather. brush under faucet, stir, much better sounding. lather on face. all over face. that was comical when i turned on the light later. then the shave.

picked up closed razor and opened. laid the spine against my cheek next to ear and rolled down to edge on face. lifted spine and made 1st stroke. by lifting the heel away from my face, i could feel where the tip was and so i got really tight next to the ear . 2nd stroke was a breeze, even then under the jawline. switched hands, yes really, and did the same to the other side. no problems so far. now need upper lip, below lip, and chin. also, this whole time as i rinsed my razor, i would use my non shaving hand to feel for the faucet, then lead spine 1st and rinse my razor.

i still thank LX Emergency's youtube video for the 'coup de maitre' for under the nose. middle and right side, the switched hands for the left side. then stuck with that hand for moving down under the lip. switched hands again and finished the chin. that was a little wierd, but i got it. WTG pass in the books .

so lather up again for the ATG pass. this one went pretty smoothly as well. the only issue i had here was on the neckline. my hair around my adam's apple goes 2 different directions. so shaving down is not always WTG, or even ATG. being able to see this would help. i ended up getting irritation right there, both sides. i could feel it as i shaved.

technically i was done with the shave. i put down razor, flicked on the light. not bad blind man. i have a horizontal cut under my nose, irritation on my neckline, and that is it for damage. and like i said before, shaving creme everywhere . i used some gillette series AS balm, followed by my Ocean Potion aloe with lidocain on the neckline. so much better now.

i cannot say that i will continue this, nor will i probably try again with a big fat wedge, but it was fun, and i know i can do it. would not advise till you are really comfortable with a str8, and even then, . but it was an experiment that was a success for me. and i have my 1st SOTD pic.

hope you all enjoyed.

vgod

I was wondering the very same thing the other day! Props to you for braving this experiment *clapshands!*

Now we know who is the toughest bad ass of SRP!!
I've been doing this for quite some time, and I don't think I would ever attempt what you did...unless I actually went blind!

IIRC there's a visually impaired member on these boards - Toddo, I think (sorry if I've got that wrong, Toddo). Perhaps he'll chime in here and give his perspective too.

James.

I'm a musician, but I would rather be deaf than blind. Although both are terribly cruel to me.

I'd choose deaf over blind because that way I could still work on razors, and see my kids.

And yes, we have a blind straight shaver member over here, though I don't know his nick.

Originally Posted by Bruno

I'd choose deaf over blind because that way I could still work on razors, and see my kids.

And yes, we have a blind straight shaver member over here, though I don't know his nick.

+1 I'm blind in one eye, and it is a pain in the neck (sometimes literally) because of the spots where my vision is limited.

not that i was lacking any to begin with, but i now have much more respect for you guys with limited or no sight.

after sleeping it over, i have to do this again. with a big wedge, and with soap. it is a must. maybe tomorrow. need to let my irritation on my neck die down.

vgod

Originally Posted by freebird

+1 I'm blind in one eye, and it is a pain in the neck (sometimes literally) because of the spots where my vision is limited.

Interesting post V. My daughter is legally blind and I have an uncle who was struck blind in a matter of three days (recently I might add - a different medical condition from my daughter's) and I have wondered about shaving straight and blind. I haven't had the guts to try it yet though! Nice job.

Originally Posted by vgod

not that i was lacking any to begin with, but i now have much more respect for you guys with limited or no sight.

after sleeping it over, i have to do this again. with a big wedge, and with soap. it is a must. maybe tomorrow. need to let my irritation on my neck die down.

vgod

Thanks, it's much appreciaated. We all do what we can with what we're given, and that's all anybody can do.

BTW I'm not the one Bruno was talking about, but I can't recall his username either.