Thread: Blasphemy

My thoughts in opening this thread wasn't to say that we shouldn't be helpful to beginners or that buying luxury shave items is bad or that giving the same advice over and over again is bad. Certainly, as long as we welcome beginners we will always be rehashing what is obvious to some of us over and over again and thats ok. Consider it a worthy price we pay to keep this art going and expanding. Its also OK in my book to buy top of the line items. Personally, I'm afraid I'm guilty of that myself.

My point here is that buying these top end products should not be the magic key for a beginner to think he will get a great shave just by having all that stuff. Rather its like a wine conoseur who buys pricey wine because he has learned how to enjoy and discriminate differing wine qualities. Thusly, "we" shave experts have mastered the basics and can now better enjoy the perceived quality to be enjoyed from this better quality paraphanelia whether the benefits are pschological or real.

Afterall we all know that a just washed and waxed car runs no better than a dirty one, or does it? Hmmm

If your technique is good, it is practically impossible to over-strop on a plain strop. Like the old Ford slogan, "Quality is job 1." Just go to the basics: strop is taught; strokes are slow, deliberate and using only enough pressure to keep the edge in contact with the strop. Sometimes a little extra pressure is warranted, but too little is better than too much. 20-30 round trips and you're good to go.

When I was younger I was an extremist about most things. Go big or go home.

After many lessons learned from mistakes I try to always play devil's advocate with myself and try and prove myself wrong, a kind of continual negative check. It has lead me to believe that there is always more than two sides to any story. This is likely the same situation.

Centuries ago men were raised into a culture of straight shaving where most of the questions the n00b poses had been answered by the time they were actually shaving. We're dealing with men who are relearning how to shave. It can be frustrating not knowing exactly which combination of a dozen or so factors are not working for you out of the gate.

Sure water works, but new shavers will definitely benefit from having as many factors working in their favour as possible, including a better blade, good creams etc. Think about the olympic athlete who's success is dependant upon those two tenths of a second. Skill IS the first thing, but those wind cutting suits and ultra light weight waxed equipment sure do help them out.

X

Very true X

Originally Posted by xman

When I was younger I was an extremist about most things. Go big or go home.

After many lessons learned from mistakes I try to always play devil's advocate with myself and try and prove myself wrong, a kind of continual negative check. It has lead me to believe that there is always more than two sides to any story. This is likely the same situation.

Centuries ago men were raised into a culture of straight shaving where most of the questions the n00b poses had been answered by the time they were actually shaving. We're dealing with men who are relearning how to shave. It can be frustrating not knowing exactly which combination of a dozen or so factors are not working for you out of the gate.

Sure water works, but new shavers will definitely benefit from having as many factors working in their favour as possible, including a better blade, good creams etc. Think about the olympic athlete who's success is dependant upon those two tenths of a second. Skill IS the first thing, but those wind cutting suits and ultra light weight waxed equipment sure do help them out.

X

Now its obvious I am a very new shaver, but I have to to chime in here. This is more about the "go big or go home statement" made by X.

My life has been about "go big or go home, bigger is better, if its more expensive it must be better. I used to be a competetion powerlifter, everything about my life was big eating big lifting. Then I was a competetive fighter and my life was about the ring. Then I got into private security and until they got to heavy or bulky, my guns were the biggest I could buy. I had unfortunately taught myself to be obsessive about the one thing I am most interested at the time. Had I gotten into shaving a few years ago before I realized that the only reason I focused on only one thing at a time was because I had nothing in my life worth focusing on (i.e. love, family, pets, career, etc) I would already have been honing the 20 razors I would have purchased by now.

But my life has changed, I am no longer in the shape I was used to be in. I can no longer lift weights that rival a pickup truck load limit, and I have learned through injuries that I am very mortal, and perhaps even genetically flawed. I no longer chase random women and no longer view sex as a sport, and I am a more balance person through my many travels and experiences.

Thas being said, I still fall back on my old faithfull view that bigger and more is better at times. When I started straight shaving I just HAD to have a 6/8 blade, and that was because I couldnt afford a 7/8 . I wanted to know what the best of the best was, I didnt buy it, but I wanted to obsess over it for a while, and that is the fun of a hobby. The difference is that this hobby can take me away from the stress of the rest of my life and give me something to be proud of. It also allows me to talk to a group of guys which is nice for someone like me who is always traveling and doesnt get a chance to create bonds with many people. So yes I ask lots of questions and yes I like to be part of the group and YES I want the best of the best! But it seems to me that everyone on the board is here because they are slightly obsessive like I am, and because they have passion like I do. I just dont see anyone that wants to take the easy road...there is just no pride or reward in that.

Ok now that I have vented, I am going to go post another question about my latest shave.

Great thread!

Richz, where can I get one of those "pecker" strops you mentioned.

Thebigspendur, a just washed and waxed car does run better. Scientific fact!

JL, thanks for sharing.

Emil

Originally Posted by mmm_shavingcream

... where can I get one of those "pecker" strops you mentioned.

DON'T !!! Don't even think about it. Please, my sphincter is clamping shut just imagining ...
NO That's enough. Changing topic now. How 'bout them Canadiens?

X

Originally Posted by mmm_shavingcream

Great thread!

Richz, where can I get one of those "pecker" strops you mentioned.


Emil

Now that is a real man talking!!
No even I can't go there

What about us Canadians? *angry face* *honing my axe*

I bought my razors off ebay. I cleaned them. I sharpened them using a 4000/8000 wet stone. I stropped them and I cut the piss out of myself for a few weeks. Them I read an article that said you should not restore razors. I then found you guys and things have gotten better. Every body has to start some where. It may be the best equipment and all the accoutrements at first, or it may be the way I did it. With a good very old razor and hard work. Either way this site is the best thing going and I would just like to say thank you to all you old farts for being there for folks like me and the rest of the guys who did not know whether to wind our butts or scratch our watches.