Thread: Breaking up the monotony of shaving.

Many people enjoy the everyday same old routine of shaving, not myself. I get bored very quickly with the same routine over and over. The other day while bored shaving my thoughts went to why rinse the lather off the blade and use new. So I decided to reapply the lather from the blade to my face using it like a spatula. It amazed me how much more satisfying mentally that this made may shave. I had to activate my brain cells and actually think about what I was doing. The resulting shave was not any better or worse than my normal routine and I had a brush full of soap at the ready so saving lather doesn't gain anything. But rather than being half asleep, having to wake up and pay attention to what I was doing is a great start to my day. I am going to start doing this every few days to break up my routine. I suppose in a while this will become routine and then I will have to try and change it again.

Tim

I just change blades and soaps or creams and that works fine for me. With the whiskers still in the lather I think my face would be irritated and I'd have a rash. Glad your able to challenge yourself. Keep having fun!

Agree. One of the best things about shaving is trying new things. Open, DE; SE; Injector. All great new, old, in between. I also try to rotate my brushes, soap, and AS daily. Vive la difference!

When I saw the title I thought this would be about someone doing something like ballroom dancing while he shaved or juggling or changing the oil in your car.

As with anything, something new will eventually become old. Obviously this is the case for you, and fair enough as you are entitiled to your opinion. I daresay that most of us just keep buying new stuff, which means that monotony doesn't really set in, but this is more of a bandaid instead of a solution. At the end of the day it is what it is, simply shaving. This probably isn't what you want to hear, but if your next venture to keep it all exciting is to straight shave while walking a tightrope across the Grande Canyon, maybe this hobby has run its course for you.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

As with anything, something new will eventually become old. Obviously this is the case for you, and fair enough as you are entitiled to your opinion. I daresay that most of us just keep buying new stuff, which means that monotony doesn't really set in, but this is more of a bandaid instead of a solution. At the end of the day it is what it is, simply shaving. This probably isn't what you want to hear, but if your next venture to keep it all exciting is to straight shave while walking a tightrope across the Grande Canyon, maybe this hobby has run its course for you.

I think that where we differ is that the act of shaving has never been a hobby for me. It is a necessary part of my daily routine. Although it has been a long time since I have had to wear one I am required to fit test for a respirator at work. If i could, I would have a beard starting tomorrow.

I would probably still have patchy forearm hair from testing how sharp my latest razor is! That part of it is a hobby to me. Creating a new set of scales and shining up an old rusty hunk of steel bringing it back to life is fun. Grinding a new blade, deciding what materials to use for the scales, and getting it all proportional. It gets the old brain cells firing and I don't have to do it, therefore it is a hobby.

Getting back to the actual act of shaving. I don't look at and admire how good of a job I did on the finish of the razor I am using. I have cheap ugly blades that do as fine of a job as any expensive one out there. I am not that much into odors but even if I was I work in a scent free environment so I wouldn't be able to use them. It is a mundane everyday task that needs to be done.

For most of history you would fit right in. Don't lose sight of the fact most of us view this thing as a hobby. That is not the norm, it's more of an aberration. You are the norm.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

You are the norm.

No one has ever said that about me!

I have had my share of RAD and HAD etc. For many reasons if I have to shave straights are the way to go. The fun things that I have found and learned along the way support but have less to do with the act of shaving itself.

The Shaving Gods must be mad at me as I nicked my jawline this morning. Took a good 15 minutes to stop so may be nick is the wrong term!

Tim

Know the flavor within the plain
See the wonder within the common... Think that my daily shave fits.

Originally Posted by Johnus

Know the flavor within the plain
See the wonder within the common... Think that my daily shave fits.

Whenever I see an idea like this it at first makes sense but then I have a nagging thought in the background that it is a tool used by the people in power to keep the common man in his place.

When looking up the source of your quote I came across one that more describes my way of thinking.

Life is but a momentary glimpse of the wonder of this astonishing universe, and it is sad to see so many dreaming it away on spiritual fantasy. [Carl Sagan]

Enough of that. Tomorrow morning I am leaving on a 5 day camping/fishing trip with a friend that is a retired barber 70+ years old. I have thought that I would leave any shaving gear behind. I am thinking about a shave on an island while camping at night and watching the Northern lights. The Coleman lantern would probably block them out! OH Well, maybe this is an opportunity to bring some Pizzazz back into my routine.

tim