"Why I love to shave" (blog excerpt / conversation start)

http://punkrockshaving.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-i-love-to-shave.html

from the post said:

Shaving is more than just a way to get the hair off my face. It's become my meditation in the morning, as essential to the day as my first cup of coffee or stretching out of my bed. I'm a better person for having discovered this - I can't honestly imagine what shaving was like before, only what... 9 months ago, when I was still using my Mach III and using horrid creams in the cans, tearing myself to shreds 3 times a week.

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I'd love YOUR input - why do YOU love shaving? Why do you love it enough that you're HERE, day after day, white-knuckled on teh BST forums and scanning the newbie areas just in case you can be of assistance? Why do you watch Mantic59's videos enough times to be able to memorize the dialog? Why do you get a visceral thrill when you see a box sitting on your doorstep addressed from ShavingEssentials?

First off, good job on the blog . I look forward to future postings... there will be more, right?

To answer your question, I have no idea. I find it satisfying to progress at something I do everyday, and to gain pleasure from it. I enjoy the noticable results and the search for the "holy grail" combo of blade, razor, soap/cream, AS and cologne. It's one of the rare things in life that both relaxes me, and prepares me for the day ahead and gives me some get-up-and-go. Plus, I dig the retro vibe and the fact that when I go out, nobody wears the kind of scents I do, or is interested in vintage or collectable grooming bits. It's group-minded and niche enough an interest for places like this to thrive, but also individual enough for no two members to feel the same about certain products/music/clothes/food etc. It's the ultimate "YMMV." And it's a lot of fun.

Also it's too cold to go fishing and it's too late to play guitar .

JDE said:

First off, good job on the blog . I look forward to future postings... there will be more, right?

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absolutely! punkrockshaving has been active for several months, and I plan on continuing to post at it. click on the link in my sig to see the entire site.


(this is not meant to self-promote too much, either. )

• Zen-like experience of doing something well
• Makes me look younger and better

That is all for now.

Trius said:

• Zen-like experience of doing something well
• Makes me look younger and better

That is all for now.

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"Before Badger & Blade, I was just scraping by." - I LOVE that line in your sig.

Is it the process of wetshaving in general that makes you feel like you look younger and better, or ANY shaving? IE - could you get that same feeling or effect with a Mach3 or Fusion instead of DE / Straights?

I enjoy shaving for several reasons. First, I have to shave everyday anyway, so to take a 'chore' and turn it into a pleasurable activity, one that I look forward to each day (sometimes twice a day), is a rare thing indeed.

Mainly, I enjoy wet-shaving because it is one of the few parts of my day where I purposefully slow down and enjoy life. Even my meals I cram down my throat as fast as I can. Wetshaving brings a time honored tradition to the present and makes me consider times past. It's an all-encompasing experience that involves sights, sounds, smells, and touch. It can be a great spiritual ritual to begin the day, or a relaxing, meditative ending to a hard day's work and worry.

-Doug

I love wetshaving because it forces me to forget all the other things I have on my brain at the time and focus on one single thing. Taking care of me. All of the smells from the soaps the creams the after shaves are totally enjoyable. Whipping up some lather from a soap, covering my face with that fragrant warm lather loaded up on a soft silvertip brush, stropping a blade and the actual shave itself translates into a ritual of self indulgence where I can exist in my own little world for 20 minutes or so. Makes the rest of the day that much more bearable.

After a few misguided attempts at DE over the years, I've finally gotten the right products and have been able to develop good technique. That in itself is very fulfilling. Being free of the cartridge marketing machine, I do spend more on products, but they are all of my own choosing now, whereas before, I was "forced' to hand my money to Gillette. The other thing that I like about it is that I can only shave once a day, so I really try to make it count.

Why do I do this? Well, there are a couple of reasons..

• First, one's mental state plays a big role in overall health and well being and finding ways to put more 'positive' in one's life, even - and perhaps especially - in the most mundane and laborious tasks, can only have a positive effect on said person.. This is not a new concept but something that has been around for a loooong time..
• Second... Establishing that 'positive' task as something you do on a daily basis can only ensure that your whole day begins in a positive frame of mind.. Sort of like compounding interest..

Shaving the old way was a chore, something I dreaded doing.. I'd go two, three days between shaves (sometimes more). Now, It's something I look forward to doing. Why? Because it gives me an almost Zen-like moment where I can slow down and reflect, focusing inward.. The scents of the soaps/creams are like an aroma therapy session. For that twenty or so minutes every morning I'm in my own world.. I'm not thinking about work or bills or whatever else I have to get done...

JDE said:

First off, good job on the blog . I look forward to future postings...

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+1 Fantastic job!

But on to your question...

I guess I love shaving for a number of reasons. It's hard to express in words really. I think it's the fact that I enjoy taking part in the quintessential masculine ritual that is shaving. Shaving is no longer a daily battle, it's a zen-like and peaceful practice that transcends everything else in my life. When I'm shaving, it's just me and the razor. No grades, stress, or anxiety. It's the perfect way to mellow out and just focus on yourself for 30-40 minutes.

I think that's why all of us surf B&B endlessly. We are wrapped up in a process that has spanned generations before us, and will continue after we are gone. We aim to share all the passion and feeling that shaving yields onto others.

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”

Give a man a razor; he will be satisfied for a day. Teach a man to shave; and you will set his mind at ease for a lifetime.
(Hmm maybe I've found a new sig line)

Just my .02!

I like it because

Mentally
- there is a learning curve
- there is always room for improvement
- good form and technique are required to do a good job
- it takes concentration, research, and preperation

Physically
- superior to electric and cartridge
- Proraso and Taylors Avocado smell so good!!!
- Proraso aftershave balm smells so good!!!
- refreshed feeling after shaving

Funny thing is I just realized that most of the things I really enjoy doing (lifting free-weights, playing video games, taking corners too-fast in my 3-series....etc) all involve the same Mental bullet points

I started DE shaving as a conection to my father who passed away in 94. Untill that time I was happy with my mass marketed multi bladed stupidly expencive Mach 3.... At that time I was using a crappy brush and worse than that soap! I thought I had the bull by the horns.

It wasn't untill I stumbled onto B & B that I was awakened..... as stated previously I spend more money now but I am much happier the shaves are better and everything about the shaving experience is custom from the blades to the soap to the process.

The tools we use are hierlooms ......

For me I guess it's the nostalgia

It is a gentle reminder that each day can bring something new and exciting.



Plus the lather is so dang cool!

I suppose I enjoy it for several reasons. I originally got into it thinking I'd save money- "Look how cheap the blades are dear! And the razor is $3 at a junk shop, the soap is less than a buck at the grocery store!" Well, of course Williams soap is just a gateway soap, leading to full fledged addictions. But hey, I can quit anytime I want...

It's a good way to get mentally started in the morning, as for me it absolutely requires focus, concentration, and patience to do good and pain/ blood free work- it forces my brain to start turning over before getting to the meat of the day. Also, having enjoyed the experience, I start the day in a better frame of mind.

Others have said it better than I can for another reason- it's a great way to slow down and savor something in a society where that NEVER happens anymore. Something that used to be a boring chore can now be enjoyed.

I've also never gotten a PERFECT shave- bbs with no irritation whatsoever. So, every morning is a contest to better the previous day's experience. Experimenting with new products and techniques, trying to improve, it's all so fascinating. I guess it's a cool way to learn about something new. Many of these reasons fuel my other hobbies, like reading and chess.

I enjoy shaving because now, for the first time, I can shave and feel as if I accomplished something. Before going to wet shaving and a DE, I would get 5 O'Clock shadow around 10 AM. Now, more than 12 hours later, I still look highly presentable.

Now I get such close shaves I can go against the grain with a credit card and no hear a rustle.

There also great products I never knew existed before that I get to use and enjoy on a daily basis. Creams like WARS, Taylor of Old Bond Street, Truefitt & Hill, Prorasso, and Frasiers to name a few. Products that add to the experience by engaging more of the senses and doing what their supposed to do - moisturize and lubricate your face for shaving.

It is a sense of accomplishment in a job well done.

There are several reasons why I love to shave, and a lot of them have been mentioned already.

For me though one of the biggest reasons I love to shave, and use the wetshaving process can be summed up by one of my favorite quotes, which is by John F. Kennedy on the definition of "happiness".

"The ancient Greek definition of happiness was the full use of your powers along the lines of excellence."

I find that this has helped me to find happiness in everyday life tremendously, and I find that using the right tools, learning as much as I can about shaving, and performing the right techniques, is a definite full use of my powers along the lines of excellence.

When I'm in the moment, and performing something that requires a lot of technique, and I get it right, I have achieved a bit of excellence, and for me there's no better way to start the day.

I've enjoyed this journey for the last year because I have found that it may be the only time of day that I can focus solely on myself. My days are chaotic and filled with countless demands. When that hot shower gets going at 5:15 a.m., I start thinking about what cream or soap I'm going to use. When I get my brush going, I make sure to take deep breaths of whatever scent I am using to clear my head. I take measured strokes to ensure the best possible shave. When I'm done, I take some thought to figure out how I am going to smell with aftershave. It's my time. I enjoy it immensely. Plus, now that I don't get a 5 o'clock shadow by noon, I know I look better every damn day and that helps to put a spring in my step, even when everything is falling to chaos around me. I look better and smell better than the average guy. It's amazing what 15 minutes of "me" time every day can do for your ego and self-esteem.

it's a time for me. As a father of two boys - 14 and 17, and a busy work life, there is not that much time for self - I have taken up running over the last year, which is an important time for me a few days a week - time to think and once you hit that sweet spot - stop thinking altogether.

Shaving with a good razor, a great cream or soap and nice aftershave is just a moment for me... I love the start to the day, with some good music, I hit the ground running each day, feeling clean, polished and well groomed. its a great feeling.

Barry

I love it for the same reason all of you guys do. I use to wake up, look in the mirror and say "Meh, I can get by without shaving today." Because I hated it! I hated shaving, I hated the nasty goop, I hated paying $13.99 for four cartridges. I hated being in pain from having my facial hair ripped out. I hated my employer for not letting me grow a beard!

Then a man who looked oddly just like John Lee Hooker, walked up to me in Walgreen's as I was buying deodorant. He said, "Good Lord boy, what you done to yo' face?" I can only imagine he was talking about my God awful razor burn. I told him I shaved today. He asked me what I shaved with. I showed him, Edge gel and a M3. He said "No, son you gotta shave right." He handed me the VDH gift set a Pinaud styptic Pencil and a bottle Pinaud Bay rum. He said "Now you find yourself a razor that uses these blades." Pointing to the DE blades, this is the man that saved me. This is my shaving angel.

So now I take me time in the morning to shave and look presentable, this has stretched to other areas of my life. Instead of wearing the corporate assigned uniform to work, I wear a dress shirt and tie. Why, because it looks better, I now hold myself to a higher standard than I used to. I owe it all to that man who told me how to shave....

It started as a rebellion against the rise of the larger cartridges, the T800's - I mean, the Mach 3.

I found B&B and an attitude adjustment: shaving as play, save money (yet to be realized!), and the incredible thrill of using a 100+ year old razor - all the invitation I needed to give it a try. Now, just over a year since my first straight razor shave, I have acquired some nice razors, an awesome Tony Miller strop, hones, the skills to care for the razors, and a great way to spend 20-30 minutes every morning. Truly, an excellent hobby/obsession/addiction. As for the money savings - every straight razor I buy is that much more money the cartridge peddlers won't see!