What are Your Favorite Parts of our Shaving Hobby?

[Lane101]

In a post I made just a few minutes ago (just above this one), I said shaving was a task and blah, blah, blah. But calling it a ritual is a far better way to describe it than I did. It's not a hobby for me, it's a "manly ritual". Well said, friend.

I really like the idea of shaving as a ritual. That is consistent with what so many have posted in this thread as so many of us enjoy this aspect of DE or SE shaving where for a short while we tune out our everyday concerns while performing our ritual.

Regarding the use of the term hobby, that is up to each of us personally to determine if what we do here counts as one of our hobbies. It's not necessarily determined by the number of shaving hardware of software items we own.

 

[lloydw]

some time out for me - the spa aspect as some have mentioned. I like the uniqueness of the hobby too, something not everyone is familiar with.
as a SR user - enjoy honing and playing with the rocks - trying new progressions, mixing stones and rubbing stones and getting satisfaction of of the final product when it works.

 

[Drew]

The ritualized and time-consuming nature of both wet shaving and pipe smoking are what keeps the attraction for me. This thread reminds me of one of my very favorite threads from a while back (2008):

Thoughts on the untimely death and quiet resurgence of manly rituals by "drandal"

​

I partake in a pipe on occasion as well, in many respects as a nod to the past, just like wetshaving. Cigars are too easy (and I don’t care for the smell). With a pipe, I feel like I’m connecting with the past.

 

[gpjoe]

I really enjoy finding an old razor in an antique shop, but as far as the actual shave: I love the scents of the soaps, creams, and aftershaves.

 

[JCarr]

Two favorite things...the satisfaction received after shaving of an excellent end result and also, the excited feeling I get when I purchase a new razor.

 

[VerbaVolant]

What are Your Favorite Parts of our Shaving Hobby?

 

[Ckmaui]

As others all of it for its own unique thing

also working to find the ultimate top things I love and have minimal gear that works the best and no desire to use things for fun that are not the top

most likely 1-2 things of each that I hope kinda tie on top and more just to have a spare ready or spread the love

also as others hated it for ever now look forward to it

 

[SlimChicken]

The scents. And menthol and alcohol “burns.”

 

[Major Overkill]

Definitely the women. Can't keep them away from my beautifully shaved face. Yes we all know how tiresome this can be but I persevere.

I tells ya, when it comes t'modesty, this guy's the BEST!

 

[Major Overkill]

For me, as nice as modern razors are- and I have a few of them- I love the fact that I can obtain, at shockingly reasonable prices, antiques that I can use! For instance, take my Gillette Old Type- although you'll need to pry it from my cold dead hands. I love the fact that I can use a razor that was literally sold before one of my great grandparents even got to the USA (Samuel Shipon, 1920). I collecting these masterpieces of 20th century industrial design that have truly stood the test of time. Better yet, every single one of them I have was so well-made- and all of my vintage razors were made in the USA- that they still give excellent shaves to this very day.

-Z

 

[ksblazer]

The experience of it all.

Using different DE razors and blade combos.

How many shave’s that I get before feel the need to change the blade out.

Different shaving soap and creams. How they perform. The different scents of soaps and creams.

Same with using aftershaves. Performance and scent.

Using these products to get an enjoyable shave and post shave feel that lasts a while. Makes me feel good.

I could probably mention a few more things I like about wet shaving. But I don’t want to ramble on too much.

 

[95strat]

At first it was collecting razors and just trying to figure out what works best. I'm not sure that really goes away. But I did slow my roll on purchasing razors. Now I just enjoy a good shave after a couple of days or growth. I used to use the modern multi razor stuff, but I've found double edge razors are a much better option for my skin. And there's just something about shaving the old way (for those of us that didn't grow up with wet shaving) that's satisfying. It's hare to put in to words.

 

[Oldernwiser]

The variety and choices we have compared to years ago

 

[SharpieB]

B&B. Lovely bunch of gentlemen here that constantly recommend shaving gear that I don’t need but end up buying anyways. This place may yet break me but who needs to eat.

Besides that, I am getting great shaves and I enjoy spending 15-20 minutes taking my time to make my face look all purdy.

 

[jagwire64]

I, of course, enjoy the whole shebang. However, the two most pleasurable parts are the tools and the scents. My wife is always saying that I don't need another razor, AS, etc. If she spent more time in the garage she would probably complain about my drawer full of ratchets too.

Using a different razor, brush, soap, AS, every morning just makes the whole thing an exciting new experience instead of a daily drudgery.

 

[RobW]

Building up a few days of stubble and knocking it all back down. Very satisfying.

 

[Ravenonrock]

Shaving.

 

[La Malice]

not hating this 10 to 20 minutes a few times a week in my life .... after all this is not so bad to enjoy a solid hour of fun a every week ...

 

[RookieGuy]

I like the quality of shave. Almost every time I get a great shave. It's smooth and comfortable usually. And I get as close a shave as I want. BBS? No problem. DFS is good enough though.

And I'm doing it on razors bought for an embarrassingly low prices at antique stores. After my 2026 Muhl, my second newest razor is a SuperSpeed from 1976. Everything else is much older. I haven't paid more than $30 for any of them. This is by far the cheapest hobby I have.

 

[Dave himself]

The moment I walk into the bathroom and close the door behind me and all the cares and worries of this world slowly disappear.