Do you really *want* to make converts? Why?

[grogals]

If asked about the topic, I would answer truthfully & explain how much I enjoy them old school ways ... however I can't honestly say that I actually care how others decide they will do the shaving thing.

Don't know if that makes me a bad person - but I just can't pretend that I really care about their grooming habits. Do let me know if you want to kick me out of the B&B club for my hyper sense of apathy.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Haven't converted anyone, haven't even tried, and won't unless someone asks for help or advice.

 

[Bart]

Personally, I couldn't care less about how someone else shaves his beard, or not.

But if I can help someone out of my own experience, I will.

Bart.

 

[workingdog]

I've discussed it with my father but only because when my parents asked me what I wanted for Christmas they were given a list of shaving stuff.

We talked about his shaving journey from Rolls to DE to electic to cart to ... the list went on.

It wasnt me evangelising around all things DE, more him wondering why I decided to ditch the M3 and all things modern.

He's giving DE another go but thats all the potential converts that I've made.

 

[Ceri]

It's come up in work because our office is shared between two departments with very different ideas about personal grooming.

On the one hand there's my department where the guys are in their thirties and forties, and dress quite smartly, and on the other side chaps in their twenties who wear the same scruffy clothes day after day, and in some cases put World of Warcraft before bothering to shower, let alone shave.

We talk about a lot of stuff but grooming comes up quite often - it helps drown out the chat about whether you need a level 90 healer and a paladin to combat the goblins in the wizard's grotto. A couple of our guys have gone back to soap and brush, and I gave a colleague my unused Merkur 23C last week.

 

[wdwrx]

I managed to convince my kids (two teenage girls and a teenage son) to use DE's, the girls both prefer Derby blades, and the boy likes Astra blades. But for me the real reward is having my son ask me to give him a straight razor shave. It's to the point now where he prefers it, and will actually ask for a straight shave. He's actually quite discerning when it comes to my honing abilities, and seems to be a pretty good judge of the blades keenness. I don't really see him using a straight though.

After an initial flush of excitement, I've learned not to bring the subject up. Shaving is a bit of an un-couth subject, so it's not like you can just slip it into the conversation without raising a few eyebrows. And really, who cares? If they are happy with the crap they use, all the power to 'em. Suckers!

 

[franstjohn]

My younger son expressed an interest in DE shaving after he saw my gear at home. He was using a Mach 3 and canned soap. I bought him a set-up and gave it to him for his birthday. Last night we were at a family function and he told me he was running out of soap and where do they sell Mama Bear soap. My older son was in the conversation and questioned his brother about it. When he found out where the gear came from, I thought I saw the little green guy. Now I'm ordering a second set-up.

Actually, I'm happy the younger boy gets so much pleasure from DE shaving and I'm hopeful his brother will too.

No, I don't seek to convert anyone to DE shaving.

 

[Crixus]

I have never tried and never will unless someone asks me and expresses a sincere interest. The truth is, cartridges, disposables, canned goo is the better choice for many, if not most folks out there. I like how I do it, but I don't feel compelled to evangalize.

 

[Proinsias]

Got my dad back into de shaving, got my friend into de shaving and he's now wanting an open razor on loan, another friend tried and enjoyed it but gave me the stuff back saying he was too lazy and couldn't be arsed.

I'm not really looking to convert people to a specific type of shaving but shaving does seem to be a pita for many men and it's worth mentioning on ocassion that I find it enjoyable.

Talking of parties, I was at one last year and wandered into a room at around 5am to find three guys arguing over the science behind the mach3. That's how wild my life is.

 

[jansob]

If it comes up. Only happened twice.

One of my friends who enjoys the vintage and the well-crafted over the new and plastic has begun using his old Superspeed after 30 years. While hunting through an antique shop, I stopped at a couple of razors and picked them up. We got to talking about razors and shaving and he decided to give it a shot. Now he's hooked, and using the razor his dad bought him in 1958! He had stopped because of convenience and comfort...but now is lurking somewhere here learning technique.

While hunting for blades at an Indian/Pakistani grocery store, a guy asked me if I were getting blades for my granddad. He was quite surprised they were for me, and I told him that with some technique it was better for the skin, and certainly cheaper (maybe he won't get any ADs) and that there were websites where he could learn. When I left he was looking at a brush and cream.

 

[canuckerr]

i'm trying to get my dad.. he's too lazy though =s

 

[wulfgar1976]

It's like trying to convert people to Linux -- it's just better, and you're so excited you want to spread the word.

That's true. Open comb razors and Linux are two of my favourite obsessions, along with heavy metal and fantasy novels.

 

[Saltchuck]

I've given my son-in-law a razor, blades, brush, and soap, and he has taken the bait. My son already had his own Merkur 34C, but I have given him blades, brush, and soap. I don't proselytize outside the family, but I would like to see wetshaving spread in order to encourage companies to keep producing DE blades, razors, shaving soaps, and so on.

 

[BlackBard]

It is interesting that most of the comments from members suggest that they are not particularly inclined toward evangelizing about traditional shaving. Given the level of enthusiasm evidenced on this board, I would have expected the opposite.

This reticence may work against our own interests in fending off the impending shavepocalypse. We need more traditional shavers, so companies that produce products we want will continue in business. I say, "Let's all get out there and pitch the wonderfulness of wet shaving the traditional way!" Maybe a march on Washington or something dramatic like that. Of course, YMMV.

 

[wdwrx]

that's a good point BlackBard. Maybe because i use a straight, and consider myself a realist in spite of that, it's not very realistic to expect much beyond a strange look when one suggests to another that they might like to use a razor that is 100 years old, and needs all kinds of care and attention, and even needs to be *gasp* sharpened and re-used, on a hundred dollar (+) sharpening stone. in my more lucid moments, I'm fully aware how far outside the mainstream that really is. Most people have a hard time listening to music that's even a little bit outside the mainstream.... Shaving? Get out!

 

[Voomie]

Well I think I have my brother at least interested when I gave him two cans of goo and he ask why I didnt need him. I told him about my new love and how I got sick of the cost and the how uncomfortable it was. I dont know if he will continue but I promised to help him out if he wanted to sample before diving in.

 

[natchez]

I started a recent "convert" poll only because I was just curious to see what others' experiences have been. 98 folks have voted. Maybe convert was not the best word to use because of the implications, perhaps sharing the interest would have been better.

So far, a couple of guys I went hunting with were interested when I shaved with a DE after a few days in the field. One because he just likes older stuff and the other because he is really very eco-conscious. The former talked to his friends who like the military reenactment scene and I got a call for some straights from those guys. After hearing from my Mom that I took up wet shaving again, my younger brother asked about it and then he took it up again- he even asked to get him a Slim, because that is what he had when we were younger. But, no I do not actively try and convince anyone. If asked about it, I answer.

 

[Crixus]

It is interesting that most of the comments from members suggest that they are not particularly inclined toward evangelizing about traditional shaving.

We need more traditional shavers, so companies that produce products we want will continue in business.

If the great DE exodus from say, 1975 up until 2005 didn't kill off the supplies, I don't know if they are in danger now. Almost all the wetshaving stuff we use comes from outside the US. There are a few lower end things, but it's mostly imports.

Take a look at the favored soap polls on here, the Simpson fetishes, the hoarded blade piles--if those companies drop their lines, I am not sure it's something we could have saved even with more wetshavers.

I know we feel wetshaving is expanding, what with some of the vintage Gillettes going for mortgage payments on ebay. And the published membership list of B&B is up over 31K. But are those 31K all still wetshaving? I wouldn't be surprised if 20K have trickled back into the cartridge and can world. It's easier, it's quicker, etc., it's convenient for them. I think we're still niche, considering the sheer number of shavers in the US, AUS, GB and Western Europe, etc. I'm not optimistic that adding some friends and family into the wetshaving world will sway the manufacturers one way or the other. We're not as numerous as we think we are. The fact that WalMart carries exactly ONE choice of DE blade should give you a realistic view.

 

[Blondie]

If the great DE exodus from say, 1975 up until 2005 didn't kill off the supplies, I don't know if they are in danger now. Almost all the wetshaving stuff we use comes from outside the US. There are a few lower end things, but it's mostly imports.

Take a look at the favored soap polls on here, the Simpson fetishes, the hoarded blade piles--if those companies drop their lines, I am not sure it's something we could have saved even with more wetshavers.

I know we feel wetshaving is expanding, what with some of the vintage Gillettes going for mortgage payments on ebay. And the published membership list of B&B is up over 31K. But are those 31K all still wetshaving? I wouldn't be surprised if 20K have trickled back into the cartridge and can world. It's easier, it's quicker, etc., it's convenient for them. I think we're still niche, considering the sheer number of shavers in the US, AUS, GB and Western Europe, etc. I'm not optimistic that adding some friends and family into the wetshaving world will sway the manufacturers one way or the other. We're not as numerous as we think we are. The fact that WalMart carries exactly ONE choice of DE blade should give you a realistic view.

I don't know, I was at a business dinner the other night and one of the gents in our party uses a Merkur Vision. I was pretty surprised.

 

[jakespoppy]

It was very natural for me to discuss this interest with my son and son-in-law, and share things with them to try. The only other discussions I've had with other friends and family members came from my interest in looking for razors and shaving things at antique stores and flea markets. My best friend is now using shaving creams and soap and a good brush. I provided the brush and some soaps and creams, and he's added to them. Otherwise, personal grooming doesn't come up, anywhere.