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What are Your Favorite Parts of our Shaving Hobby?

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
Trying out different razors, blades, shave soaps/creams and after shaves and feeling the results. :thumbsup:


Of course, the act of shaving is the most fun!

Hello Frank, always good watching you enjoying all the discussion. And I am happy today, cause I just managed to fill my aftershave shelf that I put up on my wall this month. So, I am all set on one of those things in which you enjoy.

The aftershave shelf...
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But you also mentioned, razors, blades, and shave soaps, so I might as well show you those as well...

The soap shelf...
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The razor & brush rack with razors and brushes...
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And here are some blades...

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This pic not my usual quality, took this updated pic specially for you. IMGBB on the frits again, so this last one is a direct upload to B&B.
 
I love experimenting with new things and fine-tuning my routine to my preferences.

For the moment, I'm extremely busy, so having this time each morning to "play around" after working out and before heading into my day is very satisfying. It introduces something small to look forward to and distract from stress, knowing this week I'll be able to get a feel for X razor to compare against Y razor, then focus on trying out blades A, B, C, or maybe soaps 1, 2, or 3.

I look forward to having more experience with the hobby, so my morning routine is a bit more set and relaxing as opposed to a continuous experiment, although I think I will always look forward to trying out something new to shake things up.
 
The parts I enjoy the most are the scent of a nice shaving soap during the shave, and stroking my smooth face and neck after shaving, and for hours later. I also enjoy the final splash of witch hazel after rinsing. The actual lathering and shaving are not the best parts of the ritual for me, though I enjoy them too.

One other thing I enjoyed a lot during the Covid emergency, but I miss now, is wearing a face mask and getting a reprise of the soap and aftershave scents. That was a revelation and I’m really tempted to put my mask back on from time to time just for that.
 
The parts I enjoy the most are the scent of a nice shaving soap during the shave, and stroking my smooth face and neck after shaving, and for hours later. I also enjoy the final splash of witch hazel after rinsing. The actual lathering and shaving are not the best parts of the ritual for me, though I enjoy them too.

One other thing I enjoyed a lot during the Covid emergency, but I miss now, is wearing a face mask and getting a reprise of the soap and aftershave scents. That was a revelation and I’m really tempted to put my mask back on from time to time just for that.
You can wear mask even now, nobody will stop you
 

Eben Stone

Staff member
Most days its the satisfaction of successfully closing my straight razor without slamming the blade into the scales.

Okay, seriously, when I apply the alum and there is zero perceptible feedback. That's most shaves.

And then there are those rare moments when I achieve a super close shave and I look like I'm twelve. Pretty rare for me. I think its happened twice.
 
For me it was the escape from the stress of my wife’s terminal illness. It allowed a few moments of tranquility before returning to the reality of our situation. During those terrible 18 months and the even worse time after her death, it was a grounding for me. She has now been gone more than 65 months and my situation for the last few years has gotten less stressful but I’ll always be appreciative of what the daily ritual did to help me get through the worst time of my life.

I have bought too much in the intervening years but have now found what works best for me. Today my daily morning shave is pure relaxation. Building a lather, still feeling or at least remembering my wife’s hand on my cheek and hearing her say wow, that is priceless.

I am now seeing a wonderful woman who gets it and is fully supportive of my “obsession” with shaving. She has ordered a custom ceramic lathering bowl and brush to help make my 65th birthday in a few weeks special. Unfortunately the artisan in Italy had a problem and my bowl will have to be remade and not arrive in time for my birthday, so I now have a picture.
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Because I have been face lathering, I decided to practice bowl lathering and am enjoying this new facet.
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I will get better at it, but overall the whole experience is what makes wet shaving special for me.
 
All of it. It brings out the primative hunter gatherer in my lizard brain, as I search for and learn about soaps and blades and razors and brushes, oh my! Then it turns into a moment of complete zen and peace where the act of building lather then removing it tactfully with mindfulness resulting in a smooth, soft face that smells great. I am ready to face the challenges of the day. Plus this forum, B&B has been fantastic, the folks here are top notch.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
I really enjoy the history of the safety razor and how it has evolved from the 1880's to know, I have razors from 1907-12 that still shave well and also modern razors that shave well. In 1900 stainless steel had not yet been invented until 1913 and was not really introduced into the shaving world until the 1970's>(Brass dominated with different coatings). I still enjoy lathering from my bowl and really enjoy SE & DE razors.
Brushes took a while to open my eyes to the different face feels and enjoy that aspect also and the different fragrances in soap and splashes now a days is amazing.
Wet shaving can be very enjoyable as a hobby also like it has become for myself because of health issues and age. The way I went into the hobby has not been really costly at all because not only do shave but I also cut my own hair for the last 5 years and do not buy cartridge blades or gel any more so the savings went into buying razors, brushes, aftershave and some soaps and just really enjoyed that part of waiting for the mail to arrive(all year Christmas it seemed at times).
 
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I really enjoy the history of the safety razor and how it has evolved from the 1880's to know, I have razors from 1907-12 that still shave well and also modern razors that shave well. In 1900 stainless steel had not yet been invented until 1913 and was not really introduced into the shaving world until the 1970's>(Brass dominated with different coatings). I still enjoy lathering from my bowl and really enjoy SE & DE razors.
Brushes took a while to open my eyes to the different face feels and enjoy that aspect also and the different fragrances in soap and splashes now a days is amazing.
Wet shaving can be very enjoyable as a hobby also like it has become for myself because of health issues and age. The way I went into the hobby has not been really costly at all because not only do shave but I also cut my own hair for the last 5 years and do not buy cartridge blades or gel any more so the savings went into buying razors, brushes, aftershave and some soaps and just really enjoyed that part of waiting for the mail to arrive(all year Christmas it seemed at times).
Hi Ron R, you may enjoy this thread regarding a 1905 pamphlet on shaving from the Library of Congress.

 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
Hi Ron R, you may enjoy this thread regarding a 1905 pamphlet on shaving from the Library of Congress.

Thanks, I will save the link for future references!
 
I enjoy the whole process and have banned my wife from the bathroom until I finish shaving. I don't have to think about anything but getting the perfect lather, selecting the brush, selecting the razor, and making the the perfect pass with the blade. This last is the most important. It is like a Bagger Vance moment, when all things come together for the perfect stroke of the razor and all I have to do is focus on that.

Afterwards, I enjoy the entire process, really it is a ritual, of washing my face, washing and putting away my brush and bowl, cleaning and stropping my straight razor or taking apart and drying my DE razor, oiling the straight razor, and putting everything away.

Finally, I enjoy the feeling of my face and neck after a good shave. I like to stroke them and to get my wife to stroke them, always so smooth.

The entire ritual, from start to finish is so enjoyable that I can't wait to shave again.
 
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