No Daddy to Teach You Stuff?

[The Jackson]

Wow. Thanks a lot for posting this, Wade.

For the most part, I grew up and am still growing up without a father figure in my life. I've been apathetic to that fact until just recently. My mother is an amazing mother, and she does so much for me as a single parent, but she cannot do everything. I'm feeling the hurt of having no dad now, and I suspect I'll continue to feel that for a while to come.

Thanks again for the post, Wade.

[dwaskew]

great find! thanks!

[Dan Schultz]

That article is AMAZING! My dad always worked two jobs and was seldom around when I was a kid. He died shortly after I went into The Navy in 1964. What's most interesting to me is what I DID manage to learn in those early years without even knowing I was learning something useful. There's a load of practical information there that should be compulsory reading for every Twelve-year-old.

[iiipopes]

For the first time in over a century in my family, my son has a chance of actually growing up with a father (genetic anti-clotting deficiency -- long story). Now fortunately, I had uncles and grandparents to help me along, but I'm going to review the site also to make sure I don't forget anything, and have it in the favorites if for some reason the rat poison just doesn't work one day and the lights go out.

[jacojdm]

My dad was (and is still) always around. I always saw his Gillette Superspeed in the medicine cabinet, but he never used it, and I never asked about it. In the fifteen or so years that I've been shaving daily (when it's not beard season), I've always used a Sensor or Mach 3, but man, those cartridges are expensive.
After your post, and a visit to this site last night, today's activities included a trip to The Art of Shaving to pick up a new razor. Seems like doing it with an "old fashioned" razor and double edge single blades will be much cheaper, not to mention a closer shave. (I already do the mug and brush thing...one cake of shaving soap at less than $2 lasts for me about 4-5 times as long as a can of shaving cream does.)
A member of my estate will let you know if I bleed out after my first "safety razor" shave.

[Donn]

My first razor was some late-1970s Schick double-edged disposable thing. For awhile in the Army I tried a single-edged, double-sided safety razor (google it) that you twisted the end of the handle to open up and changed blades.

I am thinking that the straight razor that my barber uses on me now, that my father used regularly and that my grandfathers both used on a daily basis might be what I need to start using. I need more facial scars.

I went so far as to get one, but have never managed to really use it. It isn't as sharp as the disposable double edged blades, whether I sharpen it myself or even pay someone to do it, so it just pulls on the whiskers. I'm sure my ... grandfather? ... could have made it work, but really the safety razor is a step forward.

Google's help was not enough for me to unravel the paradox of the single-edged, double-sided safety razor, but I will say that of the two razors I have owned in my years the one I would recommend is the old kind, where the blade assembly is just threaded onto the end of the handle. The fancy "modern" one I received 4 decades ago, with top doors that open through some internal mechanism, will eventually fail, and while it might seem like it deserves some credit for lasting over 30 years, the old design works just as well and could easily last a lifetime - I don't know how old mine is, bought it used and I assume it outlasted the original owner's lifetime. And it allows me to satisfy the "old ways are best" creed, yet leave the straight razor in the cabinet.

[lgb&dtuba]

I use a Gillette Fusion while in the shower with shampoo as lubricant. Similar to what Bloke uses, but different blade angle geometry. I get about 3 weeks to a blade also. Good thing. They're not cheap.

I used to use a brush and soap until they quit selling (or maybe even making) the Old Spice cup soap. Sure miss that soap.

[Jeffrey Hicks]

I had the worst kind of father you could have. He was just in the other room but never cared about anything but himself. Never taught me to shave or anything else. I learned very quickly in Marine Corps bootcamp that I could dry shave without much trouble. I adjusted to just shaving in the shower with bar soap and still pretty much just do that. I buy the cheap persona tri blade razor at Wal mart. Works for about two weeks.

[Captain Sousie]

Grow a beard and you'll never worry about razor burn again.

Incidentally, great site. I'm trying my best to be a good example to my nephew who no longer has a father around but I think he needs as much help as possible. I'll direct him to this site fairly soon. Thanks for the link.

Sou

[tubatooter1940]

Lost my dad when I was 19. The Marine Corps offered me a hardship discharge so I could help out at home. Mom said tough it out and finish up because she didn't want me leaving again.
My wife and kids never knew dad but they sure heard about what he did for all of us.

[JCalkin]

I have been using a Mach III Turbo for a while but due to my (unfortunate) combination of thick, coarse facial hair and sensitive skin, I've dealt with skin irritation nearly every day, not to mention the fact that I chew up a Mach III cartridge in a week, give or take.

After reading through Art of Manliness (great site!) and doing some research on my own, I dropped the scratch for a Merkur double edge safety razor, badger hair brush and fancy shaving soap. I found the straight razors intriguing but I didn't have the cash (or the stones) to try one out.

As an aside, I saw a straight razor with scales (handle sides) made of fossilized mammoth ivory... only $1350!!!

[iiipopes]

I really, really appreciate what a finely honed and stropped straight razor can do. The best sideburn trim I ever got was a lady barber in London who used one to clean up, and she knew exactly what to do. My current barbers use a straight and hot foam to trim my neck, and but for the clotting condition, I'd consider at least having a straight razor shave once in a while, if not learn myself.

Unfortunately, I am, on both the doctor's and barber's recommendation, a 'Lectric Shave and electric razor person so that I minimize the risk of nicks, which can set the cascading clotting off and running. I have to give up the "perfect shave," but being blonde, the 5:00 shadow is not so noticable.

[TMurphy]

This thread, and some additional research, have convinced me to give up the Gilette Fusion I've been using (which *always* causes some irritation and pain) and get myself a traditional safety razor. Another item on my list of things to do in the near future.

I have once gotten a straight razor shave, right before my brother's wedding. Easily the best shave I've ever had. Maybe someday I'll learn to do it myself, but I'll start with the safety razor for now.

[k001k47]

After reading up on the razor burn article, I consider myself lucky to have never had a razor burn problem. I tend to do everything the article tells me not to do when shaving.

[Bob Kolada]

I never got into shaving, and if it were not for the Army I would never shave beyond occasionally lining it up with a beard trimmer. It's just so friggin unnatural. Also, I think I look cool in a beard.

About 3 weeks into Basic, I went to the medic and got a shaving profile as my face was getting really messed up. We had a 6 day field training thing near the end, and since they said we'd be "in the field," I didn't bring my clippers and didn't bring a razor either since the medic made a point of telling me not to use one. Turns out the "field" was a permanent campgound with electrical outlets, but since I didn't bring my clippers I actually had a beard near the end. A drill sergeant from another company (who I had met before and liked me) laughed and said I looked like I was in the special forces.

[The Jackson]

A drill sergeant from another company (who I had met before and liked me) laughed and said I looked like I was in the special forces.

Ha ha ha...

[TMurphy]

Just ordered my safety razor, blades, cream, and badger brush from Amazon...should be here next week.

[MartyNeilan]

I never got into shaving, and if it were not for the Army I would never shave beyond occasionally lining it up with a beard trimmer. It's just so friggin unnatural. Also, I think I look cool in a beard.

About 3 weeks into Basic, I went to the medic and got a shaving profile as my face was getting really messed up. We had a 6 day field training thing near the end, and since they said we'd be "in the field," I didn't bring my clippers and didn't bring a razor either since the medic made a point of telling me not to use one. Turns out the "field" was a permanent campgound with electrical outlets, but since I didn't bring my clippers I actually had a beard near the end. A drill sergeant from another company (who I had met before and liked me) laughed and said I looked like I was in the special forces.

I just have to ask how you got away with this. We had a guy in my platoon in Basic (very early 90's) who had a "profile". He could not shave with a razor and had a special shaving knife, similar skin problem. The D.S. tore up his profile and threw out the shaving knife and made him buy a regular razor. (Electrics were banned.) Also threw out his family photos. We had another recruit who slipped a disc and came back with a "profile" stating many things he could not do, including running and jumping, as he was going to be medically discharged. Two D.S. did everything they possibly could to try to make him do push-ups, since that wasn't on the list. The kid was smart enough to hold his ground since he didn't want to become paralyzed, but nearly got the crap beat out of him.

[Dean]

Just looking at the Safety Razor--saw one on Amazon and all. This is one I looked at:

http://www.amazon.com/Parker-90R-Handle ... 460&sr=8-2" target="_blank


Would anyone recommend using one of these to shave your head? I shave my head at least once a week--the advantage of the Fusion blades is you don't have to be very careful--I have no problem dragging it across the back of my head (where I cannot see, of course) with little worries of cutting my scalp (which, by the way, bleeds like CRAZY).

[Dean]

I have one more recommendation for those of you that use Gillette (either Mach 3 or Fusion or whatever) blades.... (I assume this method would work the same for safety razors as well)

I read this on the Amazon website and have been trying it for months--it extends the life of the blades by reducing the degree of corrosion in between shaves. From a review on the Amazon website entry for Fusion 8 count replacement blades:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

".....Why has my blade lasted this long, despite my pretty heavy usage? EVERY time I shave, after thoroughly rinsing the blade, I GIVE IT A QUICK SPRAY WITH SHOWER CLEANER. (Such as "Clean Shower" or any of the no-wipe cleaners that you spray after using the shower.)

Then I set the razor so it's standing with the cartridge end down.

This does two things. The shower cleaner ensures that no film of water remains to dry on the edges of the blades, leaving spots for microscopic rusty areas to form,) and standing the razor blade-side-down makes sure that gravity takes any debris or water that MIGHT be left on the blade, DOWN and AWAY from the blade edge, since the edge of the blades face UP when you have the cartridge down."