Wet Shaving is Relaxing

[RouxBlade]

I get it. I'm not breaking any new ground with this post. Chances are if you're a member here you already know this.

Wet shaving is relaxing. Perhaps even therapeutic. Definitely it can be meditative.

Last night was just horrid. Events and circumstances left me livid and out of sorts. I was not in my right mind. After nearly deciding to just go to sleep angry I opted instead for a late-night shave.

That's when I found my good strop missing. (Eventually discovered my daughter had put it in the dirty laundry. Good grief.)

Nevertheless I went through the routine, starting with stroping the SR with my much too narrow beginner's strop.

I couldn't find my new sample soaps either. This wasn't looking too promising.

In fact, I even nicked myself mildly for the first time in several shaves. I blame switching to the less familiar razor.

And at the end?

I found myself calmed. Relaxed. No longer fuming. In fact, I was nearly smiling.

Even when I discovered the aforementioned strop in the laundry buried under wet clothes. (Hey. I said "nearly smiling."

This is such a great hobby.

 

[Roy]

I'm certain that blathering your face releases feel good hormones !

 

[CCS]

You had me up until "strop". I still don't see this as a "hobby" like most here do. I think of it more as a way of life that we get to talk to others of our kind about. I absolutely understand that for the lion's share of members here, it is a hobby unlike me where it's a diagnosed illness...

 

[taffy]

When you are using a straight razor, you do concentrate on yourself, so everything else go out of your mind (not the laundry basket). I think that is why its so relaxing, nothing in your thoughts apart from a shave.

 

[LRod]

We're with you man!
It's like meditation for me. And late night shaves are the best because of that. All the junk that you dealt with during the day, drains down the sink.
I only shave at night after a shower. Going to bed clean, shaved & relaxed is the best!

 

[Dobric]

IME
Never ever shave angry...
I did it couple of times, there was blood every time

 

[CCS]

IME
Never ever shave angry...
I did it couple of times, there was blood every time.

When you get to be my age, you're always angry about something!

 

[rbscebu]

For me it is relaxing but it also has its stressful moments, particularly when having to decide on which SR, soap and brush to use for the shave.

 

[CCS]

On a more serious note, I see shaving as more a meditation. Put Bill Evans on your high zoot audio system to set the mood. Then, begin to concentrate on getting each stage and element right. Wax on, wax off.

The prep, whatever it is, the choice of soap or cream for the mood you're in. Same with razor and blade (although in my case, most of my blades work fine in most of my razors). Soaking your brush (but not a synthetic) in warm water in anticipation of what's to come. Then making the warm lather (face or bowl) working it in in a deliberate and contemplative way feeling your whiskers arise from their idle rest.

Rinse the razor (cold from here on out), easy, short strokes. No pressure, let the razor and blade do what you hired them to do but remember who's master. Rinse often (I do after ever couple strokes) under running water (off until needed, on to rinse, and then off again - we do not waste our precious water). Know where you are going on this journey (shave). Are you an obsessive moron like me where every damn whisker must fly away or are you a Mediocrates "Eh, it's OK" DFS shaver? Know where the shave is taking you. Shave only with lather, never water for touch-ups. When you're satisfied, rinse it all away in glorious and healing cold water, running water, not basin water. Alum or not, then pat dry and revel in a job well done, a task completed, and, perhaps? mastered. You can ruin the after party with whatever post shave products I don't approve of or always check with me first.

Love, your Sensei

 

[SparkyLB]

I was going to reply, but CCS has it covered. That's some fine prose there, sir. I felt like I was reading a passage out of The Sun Also Rises.

 

[Eric_75]

Wet shaving is relaxing. Perhaps even therapeutic. Definitely it can be meditative.

All of the above.

 

[BanjoCowboyMartaTobes]

There are other ways to unwind before bed and shaving is definitely in top 3.

 

[Eric_75]

There are other ways to unwind before bed and shaving is definitely in top 3.

One of the top 3 that you're referring to is playing Connect Four, right?

 

[SparkyLB]

One of the top 3 that you're referring to is playing Connect Four, right?

I'll wager it's not chess.

 

[dotKomo]

When you get to be my age, you're always angry about something!

 

[RouxBlade]

View attachment 1515740

 

[Adam18]

Put Bill Evans on your high zoot audio system to set the mood.

"Sunday at the Village Vanguard" or "Waltz for Debbie" ? Two of my absolute favorite LP's. Happy Shaving Sir !

 

[Adam18]

I was going to reply, but CCS has it covered. That's some fine prose there, sir. I felt like I was reading a passage out of The Sun Also Rises.

I wonder what type of razor was Hemingway's favorite.

 

[Butch Waxx]

There are other ways to unwind before bed and shaving is definitely in top 3.

And you don’t even have to remove your hat.

 

[CCS]

"Sunday at the Village Vanguard" or "Waltz for Debbie" ? Two of my absolute favorite LP's. Happy Shaving Sir !

You betcha! I even have them (and a couple more) on Riverside vinyl.