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A triumphant return to SR Shaving

I made a joyful return to SR shaving this weekend. (Sorry, this got long winded. Chalk it up to 10 years of not posting)

A quick back-story: I started shaving around 40 years ago when Dad gave me an Atra razor and told me to “shave the ridiculous peach fuzz off my upper lip”. For 30 years I continued shaving the way Dad did with a puck of Williams soap in an old coffee mug and whatever cartridge razor I could get blades for at the time.

My grandfather was a barber, and even my dad shaved with a straight razor until they took it away from him when he entered boot camp. I got nostalgic about a decade ago and decided to see if I could shave with one of Grandpa’s old razors. That is when I found B&B.

I learned how to SR shave, but I also discovered DE and SE razors, and that became my go-to. With young kids, and a hectic morning schedule, I wasn’t willing to make time for a daily SR shave. Occasionally, when I have some time off, I’ll go a few days without shaving. Then I’ll break out the SR, but at a couple of times a year, I don’t do it often enough to become really good at it. I’ve also never had one professionally honed, so I’ve always wondered how good my edge really was.

I also dropped off B&B for a decade and have been happily shaving with an old Gillette Long Comb New, and occasionally a GEM 1912 all that time. (I shave 6 days a week) Think about that, no new razors for 10 years...

Well, fast forward to a month ago, and someone talked me into the no-shave November thing. I have never gone more than 2 weeks without shaving in my adult life. It drove me nuts and caused me to think about shaving a lot. Since the only way to take off 12mm of hair in a shave was going to be with a SR, I decided to buy a new one from someone who could hone it properly just to see if I had been missing anything in edge quality.

Well, I bought a new Dovo from Christopher at shavesmith, and it came in just in time for me to mow off the month worth of growth. I can happily report a decent complete shave, and that the blade was quite a bit better than what I had done on my own.

This prompted me to break out the hones and have a go at my old razor. It is also a Dovo, but one I bought used so it was questionable when I got it. In the intervening years, I have also become a hobbyist knife maker (Long before FIF thank you very much) so I’ve learned a bit about edge geometry, and sharpening. With that new knowledge, I can see that the bevel of my old razor is a bit of a mess. I may need some help straightening it out, but that is for another post.

At any rate, I don’t think I’ll daily shave with the SR yet, but I’m planning that my weekend shave from this point on will be with a straight. It’s nice to be back…
 
This post got me to thinking, "young kids, and a hectic morning schedule". I use a SR and I shave once or twice a week. But I work at home and the kids are grown and gone. I enjoy my SR shaves, including all that goes along with them; stropping, prepping the beard with a hot towel, prepping the scuttle, making lather, cleaning the razor after shaving, stropping again, laying out the razor to dry, and finally storing the razor away for the next use. All these steps, including the actual shave require care and attention to not damaging the edge.

I think back to the days I commuted to work, left the house early and returned late, dealt with small children, etc. I used a cartridge razor back then. I don't think that life style would have afforded me the luxury of straight razor shaving; not even on those busy weekends.

SR shaving is truly a luxury that I can now enjoy!
 
Making the time for a SR shave is indeed a luxury. The kids have now grown and gone, but I still drive in to work every week day. I'm not much of a morning person though so I tend to lie in bed too long, and cram my morning routine into less than 30 minutes. That includes a 3-pass DE shave in the shower. Obviously taking a SR into the shower is not a safe option, so that will have to wait until I either grow up and get out of bed earlier, or don't have any place to be :)

However, I can make time for it on the weekends, and am looking forward to that now.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Welcome back after 10 years away. I don't know how you remembered your B&B user name and password. I can't even remember how old I was 10 years ago.

Not enough time in the morning? Try daily evening SR shaving instead of watching the idiot box. You will find it very therapeutic to unwind from the day's activities.
 
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Check in at Belly of the Blade for all your knife info.
Ha, I didn't realize that was there. I should have known. I'm also into Scotch and nibbed pens, for which I remembered this forum has a home.

I don't know how you remembered your B&B user name and password.

Try daily evening SR shaving instead of watching the idiot box. You will find it very therapeutic to unwind from the day's activities.
Google remembered my password. I still don't know what it is ;)

I may start shaving in the evenings. I've done that in the past, and have been considering it this last month while patiently waiting to shave again. My only issue with evening shaves it that I start looking a bit like Homer Simpson by 4:00 in the afternoon the next day. Even with a SR. Then again, I have also come to realize I shave for myself, so I guess I shouldn't care about that.

Oops, edit to add a thanks for the warm welcome!
 
I may start shaving in the evenings. I've done that in the past, and have been considering it this last month while patiently waiting to shave again
I started showering and shaving at night as a way to save time in the morning. Starting work at 7am with a 1-hour commute really makes you think of ways to save time in the mornings. A hot shower and SR shave is a wonderful way to finish off the day and relax before bed.
 
Welcome back after 10 years away. I don't know how you remembered your B&B user name and password. I can't even remember how old I was 10 years ago.

Not enough time in the morning? Try daily evening SR shaving instead of watching the idiot box. You will find it very therapeutic to unwind from the day's activities.
I agree. I am sure you can spend a little less time on your phone or some other activity and replace it with something more worth while.
 
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