Thread: A dish and rituals? a question for those in the know.

I'm new here so please forgive me if this is in the wrong area,,, I'm learning the hard way.
I’m a logical man and a deep thinker. Before I take up anything new I will spend a while thinking about it. I'm knew to the whole straight razor thing and the following occurred tome; now… it’s a bit tangential but bear with it, it will make sense in the end.
I Collect blades and I know what can happen. With a normal edge I can sharpen out kinks in minutes, with a keen edge it takes me a while, If I am putting a razors edge onto a blade it takes,,, a,,, long,,, time!
I also know that because of my disabilities if sit by a sink to shave I WILL eventually slap the blade off the sink bowl, or worse yet, plug chain.
Can you see where this is going yet?
Well I have decided that I will make my shave a ritual. It seems that to me (like some of you…probably) that shaving is already a form of “active meditation*”.
I have decided to shave at a table using a bowl and various "off grid" gear (for want of a far better term here)
I will get my razor, soap/crème, bowl, mirror, towels (S/L), post shave lotion, sponge Etc. I will sit at my table with them afore me and go through the rituals
Now I’ll cut out the boring bits and get to the crux of my post;
1) 1) Do you foresee any problems using a bowl instead of a sink to avoid damaging an edge?
2) 2) I have seen videos of Japanese and Turkish barbers cleaning their razors on a small a towel/sponge. Any problems or suggestions on this point? Will it dull a blade of supreme sharpness?
3) 3) Finally, does anyone else think about shaving as a ritual or active meditation or am I weird?
*Active meditation defined as: to clear a mind through repetitive motions such as dance, katas, exercises Etc.
Again, please forgive me if this is in the wrong area and please,,, feel free to ask ANYTHING if it will make this post any clearer.

I use a dampened sponge in a soap container next to the sink to wipe my blade off using a swiping motion like when stropping. No problems so far.

Bob

Welcome to SRP!
Well I think that despite your disabilities you will adapt and find what works for you. If you've never used a straight razor you have no set routine, so you get to develop one that works for you.
To answer the second question, I've seen pictures and description's of people on SRP using sponges to wipe the blade off, but have not done this myself. I suspect that it will help keep you out of and away from your water basin , and wouln't think that it would cause damage.
And the third question - I do look at as meditation, so your not weird.
Good luck and there are a lot of people here to answer question's, check the wiki out too...

First welcome to the forum

Now to look at your questions

1) Do you foresee any problems using a bowl instead of a sink to avoid damaging an edge?

Nope, my uncle Doyle still does not have running water and this is how he shaves on Sunday's (DE)

2) I have seen videos of Japanese and Turkish barbers cleaning their razors on a small a towel/sponge. Any problems or suggestions on this point? Will it dull a blade of supreme sharpness?

Nope, use the same motion as stropping and you are good to go.

3) Finally, does anyone else think about shaving as a ritual or active meditation or am I weird?

Two Part

A. Yes, that is one reason so many here enjoy it.

B. I think we are all a little off (Frankly the ones that don't scare me )

Welcome to SRP!!

Adding to everyone else's comments, I think you'll be fine with all of the above. In fact, many old shaving stands had a mirror, razor holder, brush holder and basin. I think if it was good enough then, it should be now. Also, many (maybe even the majority) members here use a towel/sponge to clean their razors while shaving. Just use the stropping motion (pushing the spine with the edge trailing) and you'll be fine.

I definitely consider shaving with a straight razor to be meditative... there's just something about the smells, the sounds (especially with some good tunes playing) and the many different sensations on your skin that just become totally zen while your brain checks out completely on everything but the shave. That's the crux of it being so relaxing for me anyway...

I think you're headed in the right direction... just make sure to enjoy the journey.

Is shaving a zen or meditative experience? No, I don't think so. It's just a very enjoyable experience and an acceptable way for a man to pamper himself. Of course it's different for everybody. many just think its a great way to shave and nothing more.

It looks to me like you'll be fine with your plans.

In the day barbers used a cloth or a neck tape to wipe the soap off as they shaved and used a stropping motion on a cloth to clean up after a shave before putting the razor in the barbicide.

I think of it as a ritual, which leads to a meditative mind. If that is your inclination.

Shaving- Itgs what you make of it.... Like anything else active yet relaxing sure it can be meditative... I tend to typically think of it like TBS stated above- but I have too seen the Zen of shaving, so i know where your coming from.

In the end Wet shaving is just an excellent daily, ritual type experience for sure.... Something that is non existent when shaving with cartridge and goo.

But that's what separates the men from the boys, the wolfs from the sheep and those who know and those who don't.
There's alot to be said about a man who shaves with a straight razor in this day an age, and i believe it reflects the kind of people most all of us are.... with the exception of a few of course.
If you shave with a straight razor you.........
-you Take time to enjoy things others just do
-you Have a genuine appreciation for quality work and superior craftsmanship
-you Find once you overcome risk you will obtain reward
- you are not swayed by others but rather make your own decisions
- you take the effort to question the 'norm' for a better way
- you have good taste, self respect, and care about your appearance
- you appreciate the ritual, and the meditative aspect that comes with wetshaving

These are the traits of leader my friends--- that may have been a bit off topic but it all come back to the point of the thread-----

no matter why you do it, no matter how you do it, no matter what your ritual is there is a definite amount of pleasure each of us gets out of the shaving experience. And that is ZEN; whether you want to label it or deny it, it is.

Vacancy, stillness, placidity, tastelessness, quietude, silence and non-action;-this is the Level of heaven and earth, and the perfection of the Tao and its characteristics...Resting here, they were vacant; from their vacancy came their fullness; from their fullness came the nice distinction of things. From their vacancy came their stillness; that stillness was followed by movement; their movements were successful. From their stillness came their non-action. Doing nothing, they devolved the cares of office on their employés. Doing-nothing was accompanied by the feeling of satisfaction, anxieties and troubles find no place; and the years of life are many.

The Writings of Kwang-Tzu
Translated by James Legge

I think we are doing it even if we do not realize it. In taoism there is an emphasis on the simple man as representing true virtue. He does not know but does and lives without trying. There is also an emphasis on basic everyday tasks that we master. These tasks should not separate man from the Tao but bring him closer. A straight razor does cause mindfullness but does not detract from the Tao since its movements are part of a learned set of skills that brings about a silent focus and an emptiness. From this emptiness we see the connection-10,000 things.