Doesn't any hobby involve a bit of overthinking?
Overthinking shaving?
- Thread starter AussieGuy
- Start date
Yes, but if you have to "overthink" something, it might as well be shaving.
I wish I had the command of the English language like several of the prior users in order to explain my feelings about "why" I over think shaving. Yes I over think it....... Isn't it wonderful!
This is just like any hobby I have ever had, all take up a ton of time and cost money.
Please. Our ancestors had plenty of ridiculous ocd-worthy hobbies that they took to extremes. They just didn't have the internet to talk about them.
Ding ding ding ding ding! We have a winner!
I'm a newb to the forum (and to wet shaving), so forgive me a rather uninformed perspective, but here it is:
I think our dads and ancestors (I'm in my forties, and my dad shaved with a DE until some time in the 1970s, but I never did until now) had one big advantage over us in being able to "just shave and forget about it"--quality products still mattered back then. Even with that, I remember my dad still wearing plenty of toilet paper on his face occasionally.
I find that the quality of everyday products has fallen incredibly far in just the last 10-15 years in favor of being cheap. In fact, the reduction in quality of Gillette Mach 3 blades is what finally drove me to look up DE shaving (on this site, especially). I could no longer get a reasonable shave with a product I'd been using for well over a decade and was at wits end on what to do about it. In our dads' and granddads' times, the average products available on the shelves at the drug store were generally of finer quality--and I bet you'd find that if you ran the math adjusted for inflation, they weren't cheap, either.
So, in a sense, those of us who want quality shaves HAVE to have discussions like this. The production of DE blades has been moving from the West to odd little corners of the world, undoubtedly for reasons of cost. I doubt the quality of the experience for us as shavers is better for it, so we have to compare notes on what's working and what isn't.
And yeah, I'm already getting a lot more fun out of it after a couple of weeks than I ever did mowing my face with a Mach 3.
As far as hobbies go, there are much worse ones to have...
I think our dads and ancestors (I'm in my forties, and my dad shaved with a DE until some time in the 1970s, but I never did until now) had one big advantage over us in being able to "just shave and forget about it"--quality products still mattered back then. Even with that, I remember my dad still wearing plenty of toilet paper on his face occasionally.
I find that the quality of everyday products has fallen incredibly far in just the last 10-15 years in favor of being cheap. In fact, the reduction in quality of Gillette Mach 3 blades is what finally drove me to look up DE shaving (on this site, especially). I could no longer get a reasonable shave with a product I'd been using for well over a decade and was at wits end on what to do about it. In our dads' and granddads' times, the average products available on the shelves at the drug store were generally of finer quality--and I bet you'd find that if you ran the math adjusted for inflation, they weren't cheap, either.
So, in a sense, those of us who want quality shaves HAVE to have discussions like this. The production of DE blades has been moving from the West to odd little corners of the world, undoubtedly for reasons of cost. I doubt the quality of the experience for us as shavers is better for it, so we have to compare notes on what's working and what isn't.
And yeah, I'm already getting a lot more fun out of it after a couple of weeks than I ever did mowing my face with a Mach 3.
As far as hobbies go, there are much worse ones to have...
Yes, to a large degree we are overthinking what should be a simple task.
But the coin has another side. Shaving as we define it also is a hobby that reaps rewards, and it serves to control the stress of modern living.
I believe all humans require such an outlet for psychological and emotional health and well being. The money spent on our appearance, health, and education is the best way to use money.
But the coin has another side. Shaving as we define it also is a hobby that reaps rewards, and it serves to control the stress of modern living.
I believe all humans require such an outlet for psychological and emotional health and well being. The money spent on our appearance, health, and education is the best way to use money.
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By most standards, we would be over-thinking, but what I have learned from the countless videos that I have watched and here on B&B has saved me a lot of time, effort and bloodshed. I have also been complimented on the smoothness of my face, so that's worth it to me
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IMO it all comes down to: Is it adversely affecting you or is it of benefit to you? It's the latter for me.
No idea on that but you can find discussion forum sites on all sorts of topics. We all choose different areas in which to focus our time, thought, energy and effort. B&B has those who choose shaving.
I'm a newb to the forum (and to wet shaving), so forgive me a rather uninformed perspective, but here it is:
I think our dads and ancestors (I'm in my forties, and my dad shaved with a DE until some time in the 1970s, but I never did until now) had one big advantage over us in being able to "just shave and forget about it"--quality products still mattered back then. Even with that, I remember my dad still wearing plenty of toilet paper on his face occasionally.
I find that the quality of everyday products has fallen incredibly far in just the last 10-15 years in favor of being cheap. In fact, the reduction in quality of Gillette Mach 3 blades is what finally drove me to look up DE shaving (on this site, especially). I could no longer get a reasonable shave with a product I'd been using for well over a decade and was at wits end on what to do about it. In our dads' and granddads' times, the average products available on the shelves at the drug store were generally of finer quality--and I bet you'd find that if you ran the math adjusted for inflation, they weren't cheap, either.
So, in a sense, those of us who want quality shaves HAVE to have discussions like this. The production of DE blades has been moving from the West to odd little corners of the world, undoubtedly for reasons of cost. I doubt the quality of the experience for us as shavers is better for it, so we have to compare notes on what's working and what isn't.
And yeah, I'm already getting a lot more fun out of it after a couple of weeks than I ever did mowing my face with a Mach 3.
As far as hobbies go, there are much worse ones to have...
This is well said. Kudos my friend!
+1 Love mine. Took a minute to get used to (from an ultra easy Merkur 34C). Actually once I allotted myself more time, so I could go a bit slower, and actually enjoy my "me" time, we get along famously now. It's a great razor, just a bit difficult to find a stand for it (but the Omega works very well). Get one......you'll like it. Just be a little slower in the beginning.
I am going through this issue as I write this. I keep changing this, adding that, never happy. I am on Amazon daily looking at what might be better, reading reviews like they're gospel, always looking for the next best thing. I do this with whatever I'm into. What I think will best behoove me is to stop shopping and focus on getting the best with the premium tools I already own. Focus on making better lather with soap. Focus on making better passes with the best angle. As I keep messing with everything, and always looking for a product that'll improve my shave, instead of my methods, and spending more time with the goods I have (which is about 5 of everything), learning to use them to the best of their ability, or mine. It literally takes me over an hour to shave, as I'm always fussing........everything has to be perfect. If the soap lather in the bowl is giving me fits, as I've not done enough practice with them, I end up being pissed off and staying over. I think I need to just practice making lather with the ten soaps I have (I'm good with the ten creams), during any down time, so when it comes to my shave time, I can really enjoy it, and remember why I switched from cartridge shaving in the first place. Just my obsession issues.
I'm a newb to the forum......
So, in a sense, those of us who want quality shaves HAVE to have discussions like this. The production of DE blades has been moving from the West to odd little corners of the world, undoubtedly for reasons of cost. I doubt the quality of the experience for us as shavers is better for it, so we have to compare notes on what's working and what isn't.
And yeah, I'm already getting a lot more fun out of it after a couple of weeks than I ever did mowing my face with a Mach 3.
As far as hobbies go, there are much worse ones to have...
I agree. There are worse hobbies than looking the best you can, and I too, Read this forum multiple times a day.
heh, in the old days we'd have been sitting there with King Gillette his'self and we'd have mapped out just how we were going to teach the scruffy dogs in the streets, sell them the things we wanted them to buy, and become bloody rich whilst we were at it.
.... my how things have changed ....
now we're like doctors going to symposia, or physicists gabbing all about our science and art at workshops - we just do it on line: like they do too, now.
.... my how things have changed ....
now we're like doctors going to symposia, or physicists gabbing all about our science and art at workshops - we just do it on line: like they do too, now.
Knowing the history of my ancestors (who had a very hard life, seen from today's luxury) I would agree with you.
Ya, I watched my dad shave with his (previously my g'fathers, later mine) Gillette DE a hundred times. One pass, WTG. No pre, no post.
Good enough for dadio - good enough for me.
Good enough for dadio - good enough for me.
After a couple of months on a couple of forums I have to say that a very large group does overthink and obsess about shaving. I think most of it is due to the ease in which information and products can be obtained today. When the only source of information was a relative, close pal (equally inexperienced) or the local barber and the local drugstore was the sole source of products things were a lot simpler; you bought a razor, blades and some goop in a tube and shaved - period.
Yep, my dad never put much thought into it back in his DE days, he never prepped and I don't either, just a splash of hot water, he used canned cream but did end with old spice AS, to this day, he uses carts and thinks my bro in law and I are back in the dark ages!
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