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How To Encourage Others To Try Ditching The Multi Cartridge??

For presents over the last few years, I have got family members starter DE kits and their whiskers are almost identical to mine, so I picked what should work for a long time to come yet still provide a nice entry into this world.

Muhle R89 razor
Astra SP / Gillette SB blades
Progress Vulfix mixed brush
TOBS shave cream

However, not a single family member/relative has even tried it out :censored: despite them knowing how I always get the finish I get compared to them.

Excuses I tend to hear are ;

- it will be too sharp
- it takes too long
- i will cut myself
- a plastic disposable / cartridge is better for your skin
- you don't know where the edges of the blade are

:a13:

So, how have fellow members encouraged others to give proper shaving a go?
 
I haven’t. Not to be laconic, but most guys are into instant gratification.

Sometimes I try to pitch the pleasure of a great feeling and smelling lather followed by witch hazel, balm, AS and such, but no go.

Expense is not their concern. When I explain why I enjoy DE or straight razors, they just look at me like I’m daff.

I tried a state of the art Braun electric in 2011. It got almost as close as a cartridge shave, but it took about as long as a triple pass DE shave, so I went back to cartridges. At that point, I realized that they don’t get that close either.

Off I was in the quest for the perfect shave. After years of a mug and brush with drugstore soap, Aqua Velva and cartridges, I decided to up my game. That’s when I started to expand on my post shave products. I figured I should seek the most pleasurable experience, if I were to spend much time on it.

I think it has to start with a desire to get a better shave. If you’re happy with a cartridge shave, and gels are OK with you, you probably won’t budge.

I had a girl at work ask me whether I ever shaved, because I was shadow free at 17:00. When I explained why, she just smiled.

I guess you have to look at someone and tell them how crappy their beard looks[emoji51]


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AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I don't try and change people's choices, just like I don't expect them to change mine. If one wants to change, I'll offer suggestions, but I'm not going to tell someone they should do something different just because I do
 
As In so many aspects of life, shaving and beyond, I’ve discovered that you simply can’t help people who don’t want to be helped. I get blank stares and confused looks at the simple mention of DE shaving.
 
I believe traditional shaving is of very little interest to most people, so I never raise it in conversation. A few friends have asked casual questions about the razors, blades and brushes in the bathroom when visiting my home, but only one has taken any real note of what I have said. He was impressed by how cheap DE blades can be, so I gave him a Gillette New razor which I believe he still uses, but rather for the sake of economy than because he enjoys shaving as a hobby.
 
DSK: Probably easier to convert relatives and friends to a vegetarian diet, or minimalism, or Far Eastern philosophy, or nudism, hedonism, etc.

Standing on a street corner with a tambourine won't do it.

I too have given shaving gifts. One guy adopted it. The others decided it was too much trouble, or their skin was too sensitive, or it took too long, or it was just dangerous.

So, I don't preach the joys of shaving anymore. Well, except here, among the converted.
 
...So, how have fellow members encouraged others to give proper shaving a go?
I don't. Proper shaving is whatever works for you. Now, if I hear someone complaining about high prices of the carts or poor quality shaves, or I see them unkempt, I will mention the obvious alternative. And will give them a starter kit. I have had success with two of my friends, so far.
Otherwise, I don't walk around preaching about the benefits of the wet shaving.
 
I've only helped to convert one person, a former co-worker. It was a couple of years ago, and I can't remember what kicked off the initial conversation - it was either some scented soap I had ordered and had delivered to work, or I was talking about my first Fat-Boy (pictured in my avatar) and all I had to do to make it serviceable. The conversation eventually turned to the cost of blades vs what he was paying each month for cartridges, and he instantly became interested in the cost savings. Once he got started, he got into the scented soaps and balms, but not overly so, and as far as I know, he never developed any of the *AD syndromes that so many of us suffer from.
 
Before I retired, most guys in my office called shaving with a blade, in this day and age, "barbaric". Some younger guys used carts, but most guys in their 50's-60's were using electrics. Eight years ago I gave a brother-in-law (my age) a Slim, a Simpson 56 and a tub of Salter. He still uses the 56 and Salter creams, but I think he's back to using a cart. We don't really talk about shaving when we get together. The only person I know who uses a DE is my son-in-law (late 30's) who switched to DE from carts even before me.
 
I got my b.o.l. a set up for Xmas this year, and so far I think he may be a convert. He was hapoh with how it worked. He was using a brush and soaps before I got him the 2C and blades though.
 
Theres really not much you can do. If they dont want to use it, they wont. DEs have their place but they arent for everyone. For someone who views shaving as part of normal hygeiene, not as a hobby, its probably not for them. Carts are faster and more efficient, even if the blades are more expensive. Really, the only advantage that DE has is that the blades are cheaper.
 
So, how have fellow members encouraged others to give proper shaving a go?
Younger guys I would hit then in their ego. Not something as crass as "Real men . . .", but a long the lines of "Doesn't look like you shaved this morning at around 17:00", "Oh, carts, yeah" Throw a faceterbation chin rub in and a " humph"

I had a girl at work ask me whether I ever shaved, because I was shadow free at 17:00. When I explained why, she just smiled.

Then, one day at this store, something similar, dragging the girl into the fray.

Otherwise, I don't walk around preaching about the benefits of the wet shaving.

I've only done something similar to that once. And it was actually the benefits of Shave Soap.
 
Younger guys I would hit then in their ego. Not something as crass as "Real men . . .", but a long the lines of "Doesn't look like you shaved this morning at around 17:00", "Oh, carts, yeah" Throw a faceterbation chin rub in and a " humph"



Then, one day at this store, something similar, dragging the girl into the fray.



I've only done something similar to that once. And it was actually the benefits of Shave Soap.

LOL.


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Most of them did say that they wouldn't mind trying it hence why i got the kits and I was just thinking to myself surely at least a couple of them would have tried it out and after that its upto them. Either way, I'll be taking back a tub of TOBS on new years as mines running low.

One person at work got into after being curious despite me going into work for 3 months looks like freddie krueger when I was learning how to shave with the feather artists. He was Irish, said he hated shaving as its a chore and its horrid. When I told him the basics between carts and other razors he considered it for some time without any push from me. His wife got him a kit. He was stunned, said it was much better despite getting a few nicks over his first couple of weeks.
 
I don't. Personal grooming is exactly that. Personal. How someone else chooses to shave (or not) is absolutely not my concern.
 
I have never actually tried to convince anyone but when I was buying stuff I would show my friends and family what I bought. I gave some stuff to the few that expressed interest and while one doesn’t clean shave, he uses it to edge their beard and stuff. Another never uses it but he is lazy and an older gentleman loves it but he was using a Van Der Hagen razor with the blades so what I gave him was in his words a serious improvement. I gave a Baili TTO to my brother with some blades and a RazoRock Don Marco soap with a plisoft brush and that’s the only way he shaves but I think it’s mostly a money thing, but he did mention he used a cartridge while away from home and the shave was horrid. He told me he couldn’t wait to use his “proper razor” to shave.

I don’t preach about traditional wetshaving although they sometimes ask me about it.
 
Preached the gospel to several co workers. But they don't know any different so they have nothing to compare . Carts and can lather is all they know . So what I describe is abstract to them.
Don't know how to get them past that.
 
You can’t sell it.

Take two friends out for drinks, one of which is a traditional shaver. Make the other friend feel like a 3rd wheel until they join the shaving conversation. When they are hungover, their canned stuff will smell worse to them. You planted the seed of soothing luxurious shave soaps that smell like lavender, lime, etc. the trap has been set. He’ll either start asking you where to start, or stop being your friend. :(
 
  • My eldest son has a habit of going days, or weeks between shaves. I set him up with a RazoRock Old Type, and he was mightily impressed at how easy it was (compared to his usual two-blade disposable) to rinse the razor between strokes. That alone sold him on DE shaving, at least whenever he gets around to it.
  • My last Astra SP blade gave me a bit more than 7 shaves per penny of the cost of the blade.
 
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