About the time I started to grow whiskers, there was no longer a man in the house. My mom, who is European, adopted the shaving habits of most North American women when she moved to the states--but she never graduated further than an electric Lady Norelco.
So that was the razor handed to me to start shaving as a teen. Well, a bit later, on my birthday I got my own "manly" Norelco and I held onto that for over 15 years! I finally replaced it with newer models but I was always curious about shaving with a regular safety razor.
As the years went by, I would occasionally pick up the random twin blade and play around with it (DRY!). Too painful, too scary, and now it was pretty embarrassing to ask any of my 30-something friends HOW to shave with a blade.
Then, at age FORTY, comes the day that I had to go to a formal function right after work (where my picture was going to be taken) and I was nowhere near home or an electric razor. Panicked, I went to a friend's house and said "I need to shave and I have absolutely no idea how to do it." Having known one another since college, he always assumed that the electric was my preference--but having the patience of Job, he walked me through the process on a Mach 3. (A good friend is a great find!)
I was really surprised how great wet shaving felt. The next day I went out and bought a Mach3, some Gillette Foamy and a bottle of Aqua Velva and was pretty staisfied. Then I started to wonder about what guys USED to shave with before all this multi-blade, spring-loaded technology.
And that's when I really discovered shaving. It started with a Sensor Excel and then an ATRA from eBay, then a Schick injector (like my Dad used), and finally the DE.
What I realized, is that there was total "rite of passage" into adulthood that I missed by not learning to wet shave. And I also realized that the "slash & dash" of the cartridge shave never felt like grooming or really taking care of myself. I've found that the slower wet shave with all the balms, lathers, after-shaves, etc. makes me take better care of myself--beyond just the morning shave. And nothing truly makes you feel more like a "guy" than picking up steel, and diving into that ritual known as "the morning shave."
I hope all the guys out there who have sons will make sure they teach this all-important step into manhood to their offspring. It's one of the few things that only a father can do for his son--and I can think of no better way for a Dad & Son to bond than by passing along this ancient ritual that is truly unique to the male of our species.
Happy 4th of July Weekend, fellas!
So that was the razor handed to me to start shaving as a teen. Well, a bit later, on my birthday I got my own "manly" Norelco and I held onto that for over 15 years! I finally replaced it with newer models but I was always curious about shaving with a regular safety razor.
As the years went by, I would occasionally pick up the random twin blade and play around with it (DRY!). Too painful, too scary, and now it was pretty embarrassing to ask any of my 30-something friends HOW to shave with a blade.
Then, at age FORTY, comes the day that I had to go to a formal function right after work (where my picture was going to be taken) and I was nowhere near home or an electric razor. Panicked, I went to a friend's house and said "I need to shave and I have absolutely no idea how to do it." Having known one another since college, he always assumed that the electric was my preference--but having the patience of Job, he walked me through the process on a Mach 3. (A good friend is a great find!)
I was really surprised how great wet shaving felt. The next day I went out and bought a Mach3, some Gillette Foamy and a bottle of Aqua Velva and was pretty staisfied. Then I started to wonder about what guys USED to shave with before all this multi-blade, spring-loaded technology.
And that's when I really discovered shaving. It started with a Sensor Excel and then an ATRA from eBay, then a Schick injector (like my Dad used), and finally the DE.
What I realized, is that there was total "rite of passage" into adulthood that I missed by not learning to wet shave. And I also realized that the "slash & dash" of the cartridge shave never felt like grooming or really taking care of myself. I've found that the slower wet shave with all the balms, lathers, after-shaves, etc. makes me take better care of myself--beyond just the morning shave. And nothing truly makes you feel more like a "guy" than picking up steel, and diving into that ritual known as "the morning shave."
I hope all the guys out there who have sons will make sure they teach this all-important step into manhood to their offspring. It's one of the few things that only a father can do for his son--and I can think of no better way for a Dad & Son to bond than by passing along this ancient ritual that is truly unique to the male of our species.
Happy 4th of July Weekend, fellas!
and Welcome to the mix BurmaShaver!
