When I started this whole "special" shaving a couple years back my dad was constantly giving me a hard time. He will turn 50 this year in November and he has never used anything other than the "modern" stuff.
So over the past couple of years I'd done some straight and DE shaving at mom and dad's when I was home to visit. He and my mom were always semi-curious and watched me shave a couple of times. Especially when I broke out the straight. I would always offer up my equipment if he wanted to use it, but he would never take me up on the offer. A while back I had brought one of my straights with and shaved with it. My brother was there (he has DE shaved with me on occasion but hasn't made the switch) and I convinced then both to give the straight a try. I told my dad... "Dad, in 30 years do you want to look me in the eye and tell me your only regret is you hadn't ever shaved with a straight razor?" My brother is usually up for anything...
So I got it all stroped up and ready to go. I walked them through making their own lather (Arko, of course). Then I walked them both through their first straight razor shaves. They each did one pass. Not a single weeper or cut in any fashion. They both did a second pass with my Merkur 34C w/ Feather. Dad was impressed with the quality. I told him my absolute favorite part about this type of shaving was that you pretty much cannot clog them up (because I've heard the guy banging his razors on the sink).
Fast forward a few months...
A few months ago my mom texted me "Please bring some shaving stuff for your dad when you come home next." I asked what she meant and she said she was tired of him banging his razor on the sink. I brought him a Super Speed which I had bought and never used (Actually, I've never used a DE except the 34C.), an Omega 49 brush, a stick of Arko, a tube of Arko cream, as well as a pack of Bluebirds (5) and a pack of Feathers (5).
I loaded up a Bluebird for him and let him lather up. First shave went without a hitch. Mom threw away his cartridge handle shortly after and was raving about how the shaving was going compared to what it was before. He did quit using the Arko in favor of canned Edge. When my grandpa (dad's dad) passed away a few years ago he had a BUNCH of old canned Edge because Grandma would buy a can frequently regardless if he needed it or not. He has a can that has to be a decade old that was Lime scented. With the gel he still uses his hands and not his brush (he does use the brush when I'm there, but that's the only reason).
After about a month I was coming home again and I shot him a text asking if he needed any supply replenishment. He tells me "Nope". I figure he needs some blades so I brought a couple packs of my most recent Feather purchase. I get to mom and dad's and I'm stocking his supplies and notice hasn't opened the Feathers. Weird as it's been a month and probably 15-20 shaves? So I ask him about it and he "hasn't needed to change the blade yet". Good grief... I toss the used blade and get him a fresh one. He's always joking that he still hasn't changed the blade... I'm not sure if he's serious or if he's just rattling my cage. I guess as long as he's happy, I couldn't care less how long he uses a blade. I have, however, come to the conclusion that he has iron skin. He does two passes one top to bottom one bottom to top and his technique, pressure, etc is terrible from my standpoint. I obviously didn't get his skin type as my brother is the same way.
Anyway... there's one, at least partially, for the good guys. I think for Father's Day I'll pick him up a couple of the better canned products for him to take for a spin.
Baby steps.
So over the past couple of years I'd done some straight and DE shaving at mom and dad's when I was home to visit. He and my mom were always semi-curious and watched me shave a couple of times. Especially when I broke out the straight. I would always offer up my equipment if he wanted to use it, but he would never take me up on the offer. A while back I had brought one of my straights with and shaved with it. My brother was there (he has DE shaved with me on occasion but hasn't made the switch) and I convinced then both to give the straight a try. I told my dad... "Dad, in 30 years do you want to look me in the eye and tell me your only regret is you hadn't ever shaved with a straight razor?" My brother is usually up for anything...
So I got it all stroped up and ready to go. I walked them through making their own lather (Arko, of course). Then I walked them both through their first straight razor shaves. They each did one pass. Not a single weeper or cut in any fashion. They both did a second pass with my Merkur 34C w/ Feather. Dad was impressed with the quality. I told him my absolute favorite part about this type of shaving was that you pretty much cannot clog them up (because I've heard the guy banging his razors on the sink).
Fast forward a few months...
A few months ago my mom texted me "Please bring some shaving stuff for your dad when you come home next." I asked what she meant and she said she was tired of him banging his razor on the sink. I brought him a Super Speed which I had bought and never used (Actually, I've never used a DE except the 34C.), an Omega 49 brush, a stick of Arko, a tube of Arko cream, as well as a pack of Bluebirds (5) and a pack of Feathers (5).
I loaded up a Bluebird for him and let him lather up. First shave went without a hitch. Mom threw away his cartridge handle shortly after and was raving about how the shaving was going compared to what it was before. He did quit using the Arko in favor of canned Edge. When my grandpa (dad's dad) passed away a few years ago he had a BUNCH of old canned Edge because Grandma would buy a can frequently regardless if he needed it or not. He has a can that has to be a decade old that was Lime scented. With the gel he still uses his hands and not his brush (he does use the brush when I'm there, but that's the only reason).
After about a month I was coming home again and I shot him a text asking if he needed any supply replenishment. He tells me "Nope". I figure he needs some blades so I brought a couple packs of my most recent Feather purchase. I get to mom and dad's and I'm stocking his supplies and notice hasn't opened the Feathers. Weird as it's been a month and probably 15-20 shaves? So I ask him about it and he "hasn't needed to change the blade yet". Good grief... I toss the used blade and get him a fresh one. He's always joking that he still hasn't changed the blade... I'm not sure if he's serious or if he's just rattling my cage. I guess as long as he's happy, I couldn't care less how long he uses a blade. I have, however, come to the conclusion that he has iron skin. He does two passes one top to bottom one bottom to top and his technique, pressure, etc is terrible from my standpoint. I obviously didn't get his skin type as my brother is the same way.
Anyway... there's one, at least partially, for the good guys. I think for Father's Day I'll pick him up a couple of the better canned products for him to take for a spin.
Baby steps.
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