Converting my father to DE

[edolecki]

As a birthday present in August I gave my Father a Merkur razor, 100 Feathers, Taylor of Old Bond Street Avacado, a badger brush, and Trumpers Coral Skin Food. After telling me that he got the best shave of his life with the stuff, he finally confessed to me that he's used it all except still uses cartridges with the stuff. My Mom & Dad are visiting for a week over Thanksgiving - I'm going to show my Dad my routine so he can get nick-free shaves. I think he presses with his DE and thus abandoned it.

I am giving him his choice of 1953 SS or a 1959 FB Adjustable. I think the SS would probably work flawlessly for him.

It's kind of cool after all these years being taught everything under the sun by him that I get to teach him a little something and have some fun while doing it. Wish me luck

 

[that_guy]

Good luck with that- its nice to teach the old man something once in a while like my son does too. Showing him a routine and the proper prep would definitely help him if he's never used a de razor. You may also want to consider having him try some different blades- the feathers left me with razor burn and switching to different blades made a world of difference and shaving more enjoyable.

 

[xxvaleria]

After teaching him, don't push him too hard. I have a feeling that after a while, curiosity will get the better of him, and he will start trying the DE again. Sometimes, you gotta have patience with old fogies like me.

 

[edolecki]

I totally get not pushing - if he doesn't like it that doesn't matter to me. You can't force things on people - might even put them off. But he's open to trying it out which is pretty cool.

 

[vickywally]

Good luck!

Whenever I talk to older gents who started with DE - most of them tell me about how much better the modern cartridges are and refuse to move back.

While I have no intentions of going back to carts - it does beg the question: in what respects are carts better than a DE? Or at least what are the strengths/weaknesses of each? Once we've figured that out - it's easier to evaluate whether carts or DE are better for an individual given their priorities.

 

[OMEN]

I tried converting my dad. I got him an EJ89 and a brush and said he could use any of my creams. He gave up pretty quickly and went back to the mach 3. I tried to show him a geofatboy video but he didn't want to watch it. His loss as I have some pretty awesome creams, soaps, balms etc.

 

[Eeyore]

Didn't he start shaving with a DE when he was young? Can he remember what he used? Maybe you can find that for him.

(A Super Speed is a great choice anyway, of course)

 

[Eeyore]

While I have no intentions of going back to carts - it does beg the question: in what respects are carts better than a DE? Or at least what are the strengths/weaknesses of each? Once we've figured that out - it's easier to evaluate whether carts or DE are better for an individual given their priorities.

My dad said the same; cartridges were much better than a DE. His reasoning is that his Atra razor gives him a satisfactory shave in a single pass, while he needed two passes with a DE.

To my satisfaction the Trac and Atra are the only systems he uses; he never fell in the trap of "upgrading"

 

[edolecki]

I suppose if you're on the go and you don't necessarily value that alone time shaving in the morning, DE shaving does have it's bad points. I used to shave in the shower with a mirror and a Gillette cart - but hated it and hated the expense.

Now it takes me around 15-20 minutes to shave and I get up a little earlier to do it. But it's precious to me and therefore I value it and do it. It's not for everybody that's for sure. It's about the only "me" time I get during the day outside of staying up later than the wife and kids to get a movie or a little video gaming in.

I love my second and third pass...

 

[edolecki]

Oh, I didn't convert him. Not even close

 

[mrb7]

Oh, I didn't convert him. Not even close

How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?

None. The bulb has to want to change itself.

Ok, kinda stupid joke, but unless someone is dissatisfied with their routine, fugetaboudit. Even dad.