My friend reacted to my hobby by having his kids forge a straight razor for me.
Are You Mocked For Your Shaving Choice and Hobby?
- Thread starter Lockback
- Start date
Can't be mocked. Eyes glaze over, no follow up questions or any other indication of interest registers. Don't bother even to mention it anymore. That's one of the things all ya'all are for.
I was mocked for years!
With my Mach 3 razor!
With my Mach 3 razor!
People who know me are not really surprised. I love and use 1950's Samsonite luggage. I own and use fountain pens from 1927 to modern production. I prefer the design of the Remington 870 by a wide margin over the Mossberg 500. I own and use C.F. Martin guitars - mine are not vintage, but I really dig the sound AND the heritage of the brand. I prefer to use the Fender Precision bass over any other model. I drive, and love, a 29 year old Ford F-350 with crank windows and vinyl bench seats (4dr)... on purpose. So my friends may tease a bit, but they also agree that it fits perfectly with my preference for a good Zippo over a butane lighter. It fits me, and my friends tend to get "me" - hence they are my friends.
I usually don't bring it up to acquaintances, but if I feel a person is friend material, they are exposed to the list above in due course, but their rejection of one or all of those things does not exclude them from friendship if we have hit it off. All my preferences are just outward indicators of my deeper identity. To know my deeper identity is possible apart from a shaving discussion. But if I care about a person and it is reciprocated, then we share, and rabbit holes are explored. And life is enhanced.
I usually don't bring it up to acquaintances, but if I feel a person is friend material, they are exposed to the list above in due course, but their rejection of one or all of those things does not exclude them from friendship if we have hit it off. All my preferences are just outward indicators of my deeper identity. To know my deeper identity is possible apart from a shaving discussion. But if I care about a person and it is reciprocated, then we share, and rabbit holes are explored. And life is enhanced.
This is why I never, ever mention that my lockdown hobby was to learn stone sharpening for all the knives I've picked up at thrift stores over the years.I honestly think a lot of people are worried they'll slice their faces off.
You think anyone notices what's on the picture?
You think anyone notices what's on the picture?
Probably not by the image, but the smell of Arko is unmistakable
Ha! Try telling friends or family that you've switched to wearing a fundoshi.
I only talk about wet shaving if I'm feeling a bit claustrophobic and want to clear a room. Or if we have some guests and I want to watch something on TV.
That was a good one, Dave. Made me laugh out loud.
People are enchanted when I describe how a certain gap on a CNC machined hair removal device made out magic steel will make a ”buttering-the-toast” sound down the cheek. Which cheek? They ask. That is for you to find out I say. I slap my trench coat to clear the dust, turn around and walk towards the sunset.
Seriously, people couldn’t care less. When reading posts on forums you get the feeling that shaving is the bane of every mans existence, but surprise, its actually not. At least its not in my circle of acquaintances. Its just a grooming and hygienic…thing people do. If I would start talking about soaps made out of unicorn tails or razors made out of adamantium it would be like talking about shampoo ingredients. People around me would just go ”oh….Thats nice..” and then start slapping each other with baguettes and bouncing soccer balls off each others heads like any other europeans.
Seriously, people couldn’t care less. When reading posts on forums you get the feeling that shaving is the bane of every mans existence, but surprise, its actually not. At least its not in my circle of acquaintances. Its just a grooming and hygienic…thing people do. If I would start talking about soaps made out of unicorn tails or razors made out of adamantium it would be like talking about shampoo ingredients. People around me would just go ”oh….Thats nice..” and then start slapping each other with baguettes and bouncing soccer balls off each others heads like any other europeans.
I don't consider shaving a hobby, but a hygienic necessity.
Shaving is very rarely a topic of conversation and typically it isunhygienic long-bearded guys who give me perplexed looks.
Shaving is very rarely a topic of conversation and typically it is
The other evening my wife turned towards me and said “you didn’t hear a word I said did you?” I thought to myself what a strange way to start a conversation.None of my friends have even the slightest interest in my hobby. The lovely eyes of my lovely wife glaze over the moment I begin speaking about traditional shaving, or anything else for that matter. By contrast I am expected to pay very close attention to her discussion of needlework, cookery, shoes, or handbags
No.
I never discuss the matter with anyone. Not even the wife. And if anyone asks, tell ‘em I’m a greeting card salesman.
The LOTH and our sons are amusedly tolerant.
I very rarely mention it to others. My father is the only one who ridicules me for it in front of my mates, having a good laugh at the amount of aftershave and scents I have.
Conversely though guess who has been shaving free for the past ten years off my huge collection of shaving stuff. I have passed on a number of razors and continuously supply blades and soap.
When I switched from carts to DE a couple of years before retirement, guys my age I worked with thought I was nuts. Everyone my age used electric. Imagine how embarrassed I was to later find out that my millennial, future son-in-law who was half my age, had started wet-shaving several years before me. At least he'll know what to do with all my gear.
I couldn’t care less if anyone else approves of my hobbies are not. I do things that interest me, not others. Wet shaving, and trying all the equipment, has been a pleasant, interesting and fairly affordable diversion. I’ll eventually settle on 2-3 favorite razors, soaps and AS, and have a few nice vintage razors re-plated for stocking stuffers as my son grows up. Once I’m done with RAD (I may need therapy to kick it) I will concentrate for on other pursuits. Benefits???
I have far less facial blemishes and 0 ingrown hairs, I get terrific shaves not obtainable with any cartridge (for me) and my skin looks years younger. It’s also been fun to experience a nostalgic trip thru 20th century industrialization and history as I have learned about these razors. Yes, we may be “weird” to some but I think learning to get a fantastic shave out of a 100 year old razor is cool! I see wet shaving as a type of relaxing self-care, and also a bit of a flow activity as I constantly improve upon my skills. We can all agree there is a learning curve here.
Mostly, I’ve enjoyed finding a corner of the internet where GENTLEMEN (and a few Ladies) are helpful, kind, classy, generous and professional. In this day and age, that has meant a lot, and I applaud you all Out there in B&B land.
I have far less facial blemishes and 0 ingrown hairs, I get terrific shaves not obtainable with any cartridge (for me) and my skin looks years younger. It’s also been fun to experience a nostalgic trip thru 20th century industrialization and history as I have learned about these razors. Yes, we may be “weird” to some but I think learning to get a fantastic shave out of a 100 year old razor is cool! I see wet shaving as a type of relaxing self-care, and also a bit of a flow activity as I constantly improve upon my skills. We can all agree there is a learning curve here.
Mostly, I’ve enjoyed finding a corner of the internet where GENTLEMEN (and a few Ladies) are helpful, kind, classy, generous and professional. In this day and age, that has meant a lot, and I applaud you all Out there in B&B land.
Too true.
Last year, my friend H called to ask what I wanted for my birthday. She's a tiny blonde firecracker who's never lost for words, but I rendered her speechless. After the obligatory 'oh, I don't know, I already have everything, it'd be nice just having you there', I remembered that she sometimes goes antiquing with her mother, so I said: "Oh, actually, there's something I'd really love, if you were to happen upon it."At first, H thought she was finally getting somewhere, but then I explained the concept of a safety razor to her and she seemed less than excited.
"You want a razor," she said slowly. "For your birthday."
"Yes, that would be awesome," I enthusiastically nodded, as if she could see that. "So if you find one in a thrift shop or something, don't hesitate. The older the better, really."
"You want an old razor. For your birthday," she repeated.
"Yes," I said, pleased my point had come across.
It was silent for a while on the other end of the line. "Okay... is there anything else you'd like, in case I don't find the, er, razor?"
"Well, you know those kabuki makeup brushes?"
She sure did.
"Maybe one of those. For shaving, you know?"
She definitely didn't.
On my birthday, she gave me a brand new Wilkinson safety razor gift set and a pink kabuki brush, bless her. "This is the thing you wanted, right?" she asked concerned. "Because I spoke to the lady in the shop and I can still return it." She genuinely thought she must've misunderstood me.
That's the thing; I do have an easy target audience because I'm a millennial. I finally went for it with a few friends who are 'planet-conscious' (think: natural cleaning products, little to no meat, no single-use plastics like straws, etc) but when I announced my wonderfully sustainable shaving hobby, they reacted as if I was attacking myself with a kitchen knife on the regular. Some told me they'd considered sustainable shaving methods, but that they'd immediately envisioned themselves bleeding out, or worse, finding their significant other slumped on the bathroom floor after a shaving accident. They were very impressed by the lengths I'd seemingly gone through to shave without plastic, so they think I'm badass now. I tried to correct them like; 'No, it's easy, it just takes some practice...' They weren't convinced.So here I am being curious again, wondering if any of you guys find that your friends have zero interest in this hobby/pursuit/interest or if you've been joined in brotherhood with a friend or two or if you just reached the conclusion years ago that we're all anomalies in this modern age of plastic razors and left it at that.
I'm lucky to have friends who accept that I'm secretly a hardcore nerd. And because I love my friends, I try not to bore them with my various fantastic (but oddly specific) hobbies. The girls and I are going clubbing next week and in a perfect world, someone would comment on my amazing BBS underarm and I'd thank them and we'd all talk razor brands, but that's just not how society works.
Same here, the husband doesn't care. In fact, every time I stare a little too long at his stubble, I get a stern: "Stop mapping my beard..." And no, I'm not allowed to shave him. Sigh. It would be so much fun to play barber. I gave him a safety razor, a brush and a lovely assortment of shaving soaps and balms, but the safety razor has been replaced by the good ol' disposables again. He does still enjoy the soaps and the brush though, so there's that, at least.
Even my wife, who isn't retired yet or have any real hobbies, rolls her eyes when I bring up a new purchase.
"That's nice, dear."
Oh, I'm sorry. It's a little sad when nobody cares and you can't share your joy about something. You just head straight to the acquisition thread on B&B; everybody here gets it.
I have to admit that my husband has a hobby with cards that I don't get. Sometimes, an envelope arrives, and when the cards are very pretty, they'll be shown to me, like I actually have a clue what the cards are supposed to do. Then I politely comment on the artwork, pick a favourite, and hand them back. He'll be all excited and I'm just happy he's happy, but I'm telling you, I have zero affinity with the cards themselves. (He would probably be over the moon if I asked him to teach me the game. Hmm, maybe there's a deal in here somewhere, where he can test his card-combinations in games with me and I can test razors on his face. Like an exchange project. I'd have to learn a game with thousands of cards first though.)
However, if I were to roll my eyes at my husband, that would probably mean I was either stressed or low-key mad about something. If it bothers you, you might try one of those scary talks where you tell her how you feel and she might unload something in return and ideally, you'll both feel seen. (Sorry for the New Agey language.) But you know yourself and your wife best. Good luck, man.
