Okay, I need some advice. A single female co-worker knows of my "shaving hobby," as it were. She has a 12-year-old son whom she tells me needs to start shaving. She told me and another DE-shaving co-worker the other day (half-jokingly) that she wanted us to show her son how to shave. So I'm thinking...I'd be honored! Now, it would seem a little awkward for me to come over and actually give "shaving lessons," even though the kid knows me. But I am interested in putting the lad on the right path. I tried to dissuade her from getting him an electric right off the bat. I'm thinking maybe starting him out with a Trac II setup so he can learn to wetshave before possibly moving on one day to a DE? Any mention of a DE and she says "he'll cut his throat!" So anyway, I'm just soliciting advice on where to go from here. My DE co-worker automatically said "Maybe get him a 3 or 4 blade cartridge razor. I immediately tried to downplay that idea, thinking a 2-blade cartridge would be better. I figure I could get him the equipment and maybe point him to some youtube videos or something? Maybe start him out with some kind of gel or canned stuff? My own experience as a teenager was really just trial and error, but maybe I could give him some pointers or something? What to y'all think?
Kid needs shaving instructor!
- Thread starter Jodbirch
- Start date
You could have him come over and shave under your watchful eye
The first thing you should do is send him to an endocrinologist to find out why he has to shave at age 12!
Otherwise, there is no substitute for hand-on tutoring. I agree with your idea of a Trac II, or maybe even an Atra. Does he really need canned goo?
Otherwise, there is no substitute for hand-on tutoring. I agree with your idea of a Trac II, or maybe even an Atra. Does he really need canned goo?
I had a mustache coming in before then, by 7th-grade (about age 12), I had earned the nickname "Stache" from many classmates, mainly the football team. (I played baseball/basketball...too small for football said my mother, but I had a mustache first in my class!)
They were jealous obviously.
Atra/ Trac II/ or Sensor should work perfectly.
Hook him up with a VDH kit, or if you have to use canned stuff, get some Aveeno. It's better quality, and has a pleasant almond scent.
Don't forget to give him the full experience, so get him some nice smelling Aftershave as well.
Mantic's videos are a great place to start.
Let his Mom know about this forum, it is a place where a young gentleman can get great shaving advise.
Let his Mom know about this forum, it is a place where a young gentleman can get great shaving advise.
Have him use a straight razor with no instruction on how to use it.
On a serious note, I wish I had an experience like the one you were asked to give. The only ways I learned how to shave were by watching my father and brother, and by sites like this.
Regarding shaving at twelve, different people develop in different ages. I began shaving at eighteen. I remember someone in junior high school who looked like he was high school age.
On a serious note, I wish I had an experience like the one you were asked to give. The only ways I learned how to shave were by watching my father and brother, and by sites like this.
Regarding shaving at twelve, different people develop in different ages. I began shaving at eighteen. I remember someone in junior high school who looked like he was high school age.
In order for us to give you accurate advice, we need to see a picture of the mother.
She's using her child as an excuse to get you to her house.
She's using her child as an excuse to get you to her house.
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The biggest thing you can do for him is get him a cheap (but decent) brush and some cheap (but decent) soap/cream and show him how to make a proper lather. The actual razor is secondary if you can make good lather.
+1. Get him using a brush and soap and everything else will fall into place. He'll have enough peer pressure with his friends all using canned goop and AXE. Start him using good products right off the bat and the razor won't matter as much (though a DE would be great, I wouldn't push it at all unless he thinks it's cool. A two blade cartridge should be good).
In this discussion, I think one thing is important to notice (and I know this because I recently were in the same situation as the kid), and that is the thickness of the beard, or hair a 12 year old kid got in he's face. It simply doesn't matter what lather you make, how you prepare or what razor you use, the shave will be good anyway.
But: The sooner you learn him to shave like a real man the better, but I think at he's fifteenth birthday would be more right in time for a DE (the straight could wait a couple of more years). To learn how to shave safe and not to cut he's fingers of while inserting the blades, a regular cartridge would be great! But for the lather, a brush and soap (or cream) would work just fine!
//Axel
But: The sooner you learn him to shave like a real man the better, but I think at he's fifteenth birthday would be more right in time for a DE (the straight could wait a couple of more years). To learn how to shave safe and not to cut he's fingers of while inserting the blades, a regular cartridge would be great! But for the lather, a brush and soap (or cream) would work just fine!
//Axel
I agree that one on one shaving instruction with a 12 year old child who's not yours may be a little weird lol. I'd just follow trewornan's advice and give him some mantic links. Then tell him to lay off the roids, 12 year olds aren't supposed to have beards!!!!! =P
+1 to the Trac II suggestion as well as the VdH basic kit. It's economical and will get the job done just fine. I would suggest Williams but that takes a little practice to get right and might be frustrating for a beginner.
It could just be some seriously unwieldy peach fuzz. I started shaving at age 14 for that reason...no real whiskers to speak of, but peach fuzz that was thick enough to braid. Then again, I'd just hit puberty, whereas I was decidedly pre-pubescent at age 12; but I did know guys in 7th grade whose voices were changing, so maybe it's not all that weird.
+1
+1
tell him the girls will appreciate that he smells different than the rest of the locker room. Better yet find a teen aged girl to tell him that.
- Thread starter
- #17
Okay...great ideas and advice from everyone! I'm still contemplating my plans. I'll definitely update when (and if) this all happens! You've all verified some concerns I had and given me some new things to consider! Standby for further updates! 
Thanks!!!
Jody
Thanks!!!
Jody
My 7th grade photo shows me with a nice mustache. It was shortly after that, when I found out shaving was not all I had hoped it would be.
Spare the kid decades of lousy shaves. Get him a decent brush, some Real Shaving Co. cream, or better yet, snag him a starter kit from Gentlemen's Best for under $25.
+1 on the Mantic Videos.
Spare the kid decades of lousy shaves. Get him a decent brush, some Real Shaving Co. cream, or better yet, snag him a starter kit from Gentlemen's Best for under $25.
+1 on the Mantic Videos.
I suggest a Van der Hagen shave kit (comes with boar brush, bowl, and shaving soap) and Bic Metal disposables. They are single blade disposables that are similar to a DE but without any serious risk of harm. By the way, I've been shaving since I was thirteen. I don't think its that uncommon.
+1 to the Trac II and also to respecting the mother's wishes.
I think the Trac II is a better idea than any of the pivoting head razors if only because it forces you to learn that you are the one who controls blade angle. The whole deal with the others is that they make up for sloppiness, right. Why teach him sloppiness? That has been the hardest transition for me.
By the way, I don't think I saw it mentioned above that the Bump Fighter (under $4 at Sam Walton's MegaChain) takes TracII cartridges, so you don't have to go vintage ebay.
I think the Trac II is a better idea than any of the pivoting head razors if only because it forces you to learn that you are the one who controls blade angle. The whole deal with the others is that they make up for sloppiness, right. Why teach him sloppiness? That has been the hardest transition for me.
By the way, I don't think I saw it mentioned above that the Bump Fighter (under $4 at Sam Walton's MegaChain) takes TracII cartridges, so you don't have to go vintage ebay.
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