How helpless are we?

[Teddyboy]

I came across a Mantic video dedicated to--and I kid you not--how to hold a Progress!! You know, their handles are not knurled, so you may drop the dang thing when it gets wet. With all due respect to the Mantic-ator, how much of a dweeb does one have to be to not be able to hold a razor? Yes, even when wet.

Have you also found instructional info, vids, posts, articles, etc., for completely nutty aspects of our beloved hobby? Things that make you say to yourself, "Man, you need instructions for that?" If so, please share.

Another example from a post - What should I do with the lather left over from my shave? Some folks actually had suggestions for saving the stuff.

I guess it takes all kinds.

 

[fsturnz]

I've been thinking the same thing about some of the videos I've found while trying to learn this hobby. But I was afraid to say anything for fear of alienating someone. Even as a new traditional wet shaver at the beginning of the year, I wondered about all these way too "basic" videos. Hilarious!

On the flip side...I know I was very nervous the first time I held that blade to my neck, and admit to watching some of those videos all the way through...

 

[Foyle]

I find it rather irritating when authors of some videos use lots of useless labels for very ordinary things.

Feathers are called "high capacity blades" or "high frequency blades" by some. Labels like this are not only meaningless, they are also misleading. I could go on, but I won't.

 

[NCJack]

There's so much propaganda out there about how so very many things are dangerous, even potentially fatal, that it just might be a good idea to have "super basic" vids like this. I mean, like, you know, like, OMG, that's a sharp blade, what are you, OMG, like, you know, like, a child slasher or something??? Like, OMG!!

 

[oldbluelight]

I came across a Mantic video dedicated to--and I kid you not--how to hold a Progress!! You know, their handles are not knurled, so you may drop the dang thing when it gets wet. With all due respect to the Mantic-ator, how much of a dweeb does one have to be to not be able to hold a razor? Yes, even when wet.

Have you also found instructional info, vids, posts, articles, etc., for completely nutty aspects of our beloved hobby? Things that make you say to yourself, "Man, you need instructions for that?" If so, please share.

Another example from a post - What should I do with the lather left over from my shave? Some folks actually had suggestions for saving the stuff.

I guess it takes all kinds.

In the past I sold some very specialized sporting equipment and an important part of being successful in that was providing instruction on the use of the gear and the theories behind the sport. What I learned from that experience was you can never underestimate how daunting something that's child's play to you can be to someone else. Yes, there's a great deal of 'hay-foot, straw-foot' instruction on wet shaving and some of our comrades-in-lather come to this rather esoteric activity literally not knowing their right from their left. So I'm inclined to consider it a necessary evil. Looking back I am forced to admit that in most things it takes a while to get smart enough to stop asking dumb questions. By the way I am a lather saver for a very practical purpose. All my pucks are in air tight containers and depositing the squeezings from the brush on top of them keeps them at a moisture level that doesn't require a pre-soak before loading.

 

[ouch]

I guess you missed his "how to open the faucet" video.

 

[taco8slo]

I guess you missed his "how to open the faucet" video.

Oh man, your avatar...lol

 

[SteveWY]

I'm with you guys. Not just in shaving-related things but all things that are talked to death because on the Internet. I actually like Mantic and GeoFatboy videos and find them instructional and informative. On a larger scale, I chuckle at the level of basic discussion on many "how to" videos. I haven't searhed for it but I'm guessing you could find a "how to" instruction on basic screwdriver operation.

 

[Eeyore]

I think those videos can make beginners feel very unsure.

I've wetshaved for many years, and if I would believe the "lather experts", what I am doing is all wrong lol (ok, I am exaggerating a bit)

For me, it's a case of YMMV, since I learned over time what works for me ... but that doesn't work the same when you're still inexperienced.

OTOH, there is a wealth of information available, to help you avoid some of the real beginner mistakes. For instance, when I started wet shaving, I thought that I got the best results with just an ATG pass. And when I only had a soft beard, that even worked. However, I only learned later (through experience) that this also causes irritation and cuts.

The most stupid thing is that my dad did it right, and also tried to tell me that I needed to start with a WTG pass (but as a teen, you know better, of course lol). He also soaked his brush, which I thought was old fashioned ... I liked the scratchy feeling of a non-soaked boar. Later I found out that he was right after all ...

And since the internet is not your dad ... there's probably less resistance in accepting the information as useful

 

[Chadao]

To me it is simple sales and marketing. Most businesses need to produce new products or they will run out of customers. I just thought of razor blades as a negative proof, but I suppose there are so many kinds of blades there are always new customers.

 

[Eeyore]

To me it is simple sales and marketing. Most businesses need to produce new products or they will run out of customers. I just thought of razor blades as a negative proof, but I suppose there are so many kinds of blades there are always new customers.

That is good, because it also promotes innovation.

But I think our generation was more autonomous, and also had more freedom. Nobody who could call or ping you when you were out in the woods. And if something happened, you had to solve it yourself too as well.

 

[BlackBard]

Self taught here. To my knowledge, I have never met anyone who uses soap and a brush to make shaving lather and I have been doing this for over 45 years.

I, too, get irritated by the seemingly silly questions that are frequently asked here. Doesn't anyone even try to do a little research (like search the threads or google a question) before asking? How many times do we have to address questions about the numbers on a blade or whether it's a good practice to "flip" the blade after each shave?

Oh, and by the way, What's the best razor?

 

[Eeyore]

I, too, get irritated by the seemingly silly questions that are frequently asked here. Doesn't anyone even try to do a little research (like search the threads or google a question) before asking? How many times do we have to address questions about the numbers on a blade or whether it's a good practice to "flip" the blade after each shave?

Please do tell! ... how do you rotate the blade after each shave when there are no numbers printed on it to keep track?

It's just shaving ... it has been done for generations ... all without the internet!

Self taught here. To my knowledge, I have never met anyone who uses soap and a brush to make shaving lather and I have been doing this for over 45 years.

Really? Didn't your dad or any other men in your family shave?

Looking back, I learned most helpful things from watching my dad and granddad shave.

 

[BlackBard]

Please do tell! ... how do you rotate the blade after each shave when there are no numbers printed on it to keep track?

It's just shaving ... it has been done for generations ... all without the internet!


Really? Didn't your dad or any other men in your family shave?

Looking back, I learned most helpful things from watching my dad and granddad shave.

I do not think I ever saw my dad use anythingh but an electric razor.

 

[Hardik]

.

Another example from a post - What should I do with the lather left over from my shave? Some folks actually had suggestions for saving the stuff.

I guess it takes all kinds.

Hahahahha ! I remember a post titled "i licked my lather " ,Just thought about that !

 

[Greg1911]

CARLOS!!!!

 

[Mad Man]

I recall a business trip to the States in '99, stayed in a Residence Inn near Buckhead, Atlanta. Anywho, the microwave in my apartment had a warning label that read "Do not use to dry small animals". I smiled every time I saw it and wondered what had happened to cause them to post it...

Some people...

 

[OMEN]

 

[Eeyore]

I recall a business trip to the States in '99, stayed in a Residence Inn near Buckhead, Atalanta. Anywho, the microwave in my apartment had a warning label that read "Do not use to dry small animals". I smiled every time I saw it and wondered what had happened to cause them to post it...

Some people...

Wasn't there a lawsuit of an elderly lady who tried to dry her small dog in the microwave, and sued the manufacturer? IIRC, she won!

 

[mrb7]

As long as we let TSA tell us that razor blades and guns instead of bad guys with ill intent are the danger we need instructions in all things.

Inside the US at least, no comment or experience with our brothers elsewhere, we are beginning to become a people of complete dependence. And apparently we like it that way.

MB