Teaching the kid to shave

[Monkeydad]

Anyways, Thomas aside...

Perhaps if you get him a brand new DE razor, he'll think of it as a new razor and not old-fashioned.

Maybe a Parker like this...looks modern and "cool":

http://www.amazon.com/Parker-22R-Butterfly-Safety-Razor/dp/B0017QSZY4/ref=tag_tdp_ptcn_edpp_url

Then, you can teach him the RIGHT WAY to shave without him thinking of the razor as "an old antique piece of junk".


Another one, looks like a '70ish Gillette, but has the "new 2010 head!":
http://www.amazon.com/Parker-96R-Butterfly-Safety-Razor/dp/B002IFFSOS/ref=pd_sim_hpc_34



If he doesn't like it...you have a new razor for $27 (not bad) or someone on here would buy it. For the price of a Mach 3 and a pack of cartridges, he can have a REAL razor.

 

[wwp512]

I am glad to see this thread.

I have a 14 yr old that I wanted to teach him how to shave. I just started wetshave about 1yr ago with a M3 and can gel, now I'm getting into the DE and shaving brush stuff.

My question is, is the peach fuzz easier or harder to have with a DE, or a M3, or dare I say, a rotary?

 

[Bobtrumpet]

Alas, I taught my boys (now 18 and 15) while I was still using disposable 3-blade razors.

I was able to get them to use better quality shaving creams, and my younger son even uses a brush. He also tried a DE but wasn't happy with it, so he went back to disposables.

I may get them a Contour/Atra handle and DG carts; I bought both recently and was pleased at the shaves I have gotten with them. Better shave and cheaper than disposables.

I'm holding out for both of them coming around someday, especially when they have to pay for their stuff on their own.

 

[winkydink]

Give him a cartridge razor and a can of goo and tell him that your way is too hard for a teenager to master. Reverse psychology.

 

[rsvossen]

Give him a cartridge razor and a can of goo and tell him that your way is too hard for a teenager to master. Reverse psychology.

Perfect!

 

[wwp512]

I am glad to see this thread.

I have a 14 yr old that I wanted to teach him how to shave. I just started wetshave about 1yr ago with a M3 and can gel, now I'm getting into the DE and shaving brush stuff.

My question is, is the peach fuzz easier or harder to have with a DE, or a M3, or dare I say, a rotary?

Just tough him this afternoon, those soft peach fuzz came off pretty easy!

I was worried about his teenage acne pimples.. I guess he didn't shave any off, He is happy that we didn't have to reach for the styptic pencil!

Ahh, maybe I have bonded with my son

 

[Torcams]

Ok, here's the thing with teenage boys (from my own experience) - they really have no interest in what anyone else "wants" them to do. They are bombarded by ads of what is "cool" and likely have friends with Mach 3s and electric razors and want to fit in.

I had my heart set on a Norelco electric razor as one of my first razors. My parents got it for me as an Xmas present and I can remember my Dad was happy for me and never tried to influence my decision. When I asked him why he didn't use an electric, he told me that he really enjoyed the closeness of a "wet shave". I can still remember that discussion over 20 years ago. Well, the Norelco sucked big time. Just could not deal with the crazy hairs on my neck and never really gave a very comfortable or close shave at all. Only a few years later, I wanted a badger brush and Trac II razor set for a high school graduation present. Ever since then, I've gotten further and further into traditional wetshaving.

So my advice - be supportive. Do your own thing and let your son know why you do it. Don't overdo it with influencing his decisions. If his first razor is not a DE, it's ok. Give it time.

Most of us don't wetshave because it's cool - we got into it because we were looking for a better way to shave after years of disappointing electric or cartridge experience. Let your son make this discovery.

 

[SRock]

Anyways, Thomas aside...

Perhaps if you get him a brand new DE razor, he'll think of it as a new razor and not old-fashioned.

Maybe a Parker like this...looks modern and "cool":

http://www.amazon.com/Parker-22R-Butterfly-Safety-Razor/dp/B0017QSZY4/ref=tag_tdp_ptcn_edpp_url

Then, you can teach him the RIGHT WAY to shave without him thinking of the razor as "an old antique piece of junk".


Another one, looks like a '70ish Gillette, but has the "new 2010 head!":
http://www.amazon.com/Parker-96R-Butterfly-Safety-Razor/dp/B002IFFSOS/ref=pd_sim_hpc_34



If he doesn't like it...you have a new razor for $27 (not bad) or someone on here would buy it. For the price of a Mach 3 and a pack of cartridges, he can have a REAL razor.

I was going to say something similar. Getting him a new modern razor may help with the process since "old is bad" in his eyes. I wouldn't recommend a Parker but a Goodfella is nice and mild and Merkur sure makes plenty of "Cool looking" options.

 

[bookamatches]

I let my 12 year old pick out his own razor and can of goo at the store, mainly because they now have some pretty neat looking colors and styles (to a 12 year old boy), razors especially. He pick up a Fusion because it said MVP on the package (he is into sports), and a can of I can't even remember what brand.

I figure that since he is not shaving every day, he would not have enough face time to wield a DE. I thought a cartridge would be safest at this point.

However, he doesn't even reach for his can of goo (I think he used it once), he grabs my brush and soap/cream and goes at it. And, he is starting to eye up my DE. It almost brings a tear to my eye.

 

[netsurfr]

I keep trying to get my boy to let me teach him how to shave with a straight."But it takes so long to do" he says."It only takes 15 minutes,now come out from under there you chicken ****".My strategy hasn't worked yet.

Hey, my 36 year old son won't let me teach him how to use a straight.

 

[Bogframe]

Mt dad passed away when I was 11, so he never got the chance to teach me to shave. My teenage years were hell from acne and razor burn, so I grew a beard when I was 16 and only shaved my neck and cheeks with the DE I bought when I started sprouting hair. When the ATRAS et. al. came along, I tried them all with mixed results. I finally went back to a DE full time when I was 25 and started shaving my chin in addition to my neck and cheeks.

.
To make a long story short, my first BBS at age 48 converted me to open razors and shaving soap. After 35+ years of uncomfortable shave, shaving is finally a pleasure. Teach your sons well.

 

[wdwrx]

Just something I noticed on another post: it may help with acne and ingown hairs. Most teenager I know are horribly self-concious about even the tiniest little pimple.

I've tried to encourage my son by giving him a shave myself: I tried to play it up kinda like an old-school barber shop shave. I found it easier to shave his face than my own (go figure...) and I can always use the practice.

 

[Unknownsoldier]

It almost brings a tear to my eye.

......................at the thought of possibly losing a decent razor, nice brush and decent soaps and creams....... LOL

 

[CEFranklin]

HAHAHA That's what I got my boys! They love it and they shave when daddy shaves!

Thank for the input gang. I'm going to start putting a kit together for him today, then we'll see how it goes. I picked up a like mint gold etched tech on the bay, and think I'll get him a gold beehive Omega brush to go with it. I just need to figure out a soap/cream that won't be to old man smelling for him (he's into all the Axe stuff, blech )

I failed to mention though, that I did fully convert my 6 year old. He is intrigued with my DE's and brushes, so the wife picked him up his own kit as well. He now shaves with me most mornings before school/work.

 

[Kevin78]

That's hysterical that they have a toy set for that. When I was young, my dad was using a brush and English Leather soap and he used to put a little lather on me and/or my brother and give us his unloaded DE razor to "shave" with. Somewhere along the line he switched to disposable Bics and a can of Colgate cream (he swears by them both to this day) and when my brother (then I) got to shaving age, our parents got us Norelcos, but we both at some point switched to a regular razor and canned goo. I think the only shaving advice we got was "shave with the grain," "be careful," and "if you get cut, take some tissue and hold pressure on it." From what I've seen in this thread, that's the advice a lot of people got too. Now here I am, using a brush and cream, so my father gave me his old Engish Leather shave bowl

 

[woody77]

Just something I noticed on another post: it may help with acne and ingown hairs. Most teenager I know are horribly self-concious about even the tiniest little pimple.

I'm 32, and still have issues with pimples or in-growns (always 1-2 around somewhere). At least, up until I started wet-shaving with a DE at christmas. two ingrowns since then, and one of those I think was aggravated because I need to change the pillowcase.

Hair product + morning showers = gunky pillowcase in a hurry. Change them at least once a week and the chances go WAY down.

When I was a teen, I was really lax about changing the sheets/pillowcases when I should have. I still am, honestly. I work too much. But now it's interesting watching the causality of it and the shape of the skin on my face.

 

[Mr_Amazing]

The solution is simple. Refuse to allow canned goo and cartridge razors in the house. Also, refuse to buy them for him.

That said, I remember my high school years. Waking up at 7 in the morning was tough enough when I didn't need to shave. 15 minutes is an enormous amount of sleep time for someone in or below the college level, so advise him to shave at night. Show him all your goodies and give him advice as to what he would be best with. I doubt he would need to shave more than once a week, if even that. Show him how to do it. I wish my dad had showed me how to shave, but he isn't exactly proactive as a father, which is a true shame. That's the route I would go.

 

[dmachine]

give him a DE and the mantic videos. If he wants the electric or cartridge razors after that experiment so be it.

 

[FL shaver]

My dad was a Bic disposable/Gillette Foamy shaver, and his teaching consisted of taking a twenty from his billfold and telling me I was on my own from here on out! I hope to give my 14 year old, who has a little fuzz above his upper lip, a little more direction soon. I was painfully surprised to find how little pressure it took from the razor to eliminate those fine hairs! It also took far less of the canned shaving cream than I put in the palm of my hand and applied to my face! After finding this site tonight, I feel as though I have a lot more to learn and experience!

 

[meathosxx]

My father uses electric shaver. He had originally given me an electric razor when I started to shave. But I never liked it. Tried to keep a beard but did not like hair on my face. I then switched to shaving with modern razors. It was more like a chore than anything else. Finally when I switched to de razors, I started to enjoy shaving. I guess what I am saying is let your sons test things out and see what he likes. Give him options and support him in what ever he chooses. Share your stories and why you chose to shave the way you do. I think that will give him a good insight into you and why you like DE or straight razor shaving. Ultimately he will do what he wants to do but at least he will have a good understanding of why you made your choices.