Thread: Teaching a boy to use a straight?

Originally Posted by instantcrow

I've begun thinking about teaching my sons to shave. I learned on a merkur safety razor. However, I'm thinking about teaching them to use a straight. After all, they like my razors. Anyone teach a new shaver to use a straight and skip the safety razor phase? Common sense is to learn with a safety razor. Would hate to let my sons scar up their faces.

I highly suggest you have your son read the Wiki on SR shaving first. Getting the shaving DVD from Straight Razor Designs and you two sit down watch it together is also a good idea.

Originally Posted by Havachat45

I just this week showed my (newly turned) 17yo how to shave with a cut-throat.
We haven't seen each other for a couple of years (don't get me started) and he has always used an electric.
Even with the few pimples that he has he did extremely well and got a smooth shave, with no blood, on his cheeks and jawline.
I hope this will be the start of something we can share over the distance between us.
If he wants I will do one up for him, however at this stage, he'll have to put up with the electric he has at home.
I miss him.

I feel your pain, I am getting ready to move soon, and I will not have the access to my children that I have now. I know what you mean about "don't get me started" (I lived in Casorate Primo, Pavia, Italy - not too far from Milano for a while, I know the games a little too well; going to be going through them again in a little while).

I cannot wait to show my son, he will be taking an interest soon (he is a mini-me .... well I am 5'8" and he is 5'10"). If he takes to this I will get him better quality stuff than I am having delivered.

Seems like to teach the straight first will make him an expert quickly. Like learning a new language, some things are best learned young. I imagine he will be out-shaving you within a year and then teaching you proper technique.

I taught my 21 year old to use a straight a few months ago. Like me, he likes 'old' things and has used the straight I gave him (an Emil Kronenberg Sen) from then on. I told him about this forum but he hasn't checked it out yet, so he's only had the one lesson from me, and he seems to do just fine. As I said in another thread, I just need to get him to buy a bloody strop (he uses his belt)!

I felt very 'fatherly' teaching him this skill, and I often give him creams when they're almost finished for him to try. I also taught him to hone.