Thoughts on my son shaving...

[Jaybyrd]

Howdy! I am a Newb to wetshaving and my son could start shaving any day now but he hasn't started and hasn't really asked me. His hair is dark and coming through with some longer hairs on the face starting to curl but it's mostly that softer baby hair still for the most part. Should I just let him wait it out for now until he approaches me or encourage him to shave? I would love to get him started (when the time comes now or in a year who knows) with wetshaving instead of a cartridge or electric razor but I am worried that I barely know what I am doing so how can I show him? The other thing is do I just tell him we can learn together, when he's ready? I taught myself how to shave in high school but just got into wetshaving lastmonth for my birthday.
Any feedback on when you or your kids started shaving and has anyone started their kids off with wet shaving, is it a good idea? Thanks for any advise friends!

 

[BigJ]

I suggest you let him approach you. (But what do I know about adolescent psychology?)

In the meantime, I suggest you continue to set a good example with ‘traditional’ wet shaving!

 

[Grundi]

Howdy! I am a Newb to wetshaving and my son could start shaving any day now but he hasn't started and hasn't really asked me. His hair is dark and coming through with some longer hairs on the face starting to curl but it's mostly that softer baby hair still for the most part. Should I just let him wait it out for now until he approaches me or encourage him to shave? I would love to get him started (when the time comes now or in a year who knows) with wetshaving instead of a cartridge or electric razor but I am worried that I barely know what I am doing so how can I show him? The other thing is do I just tell him we can learn together, when he's ready? I taught myself how to shave in high school but just got into wetshaving lastmonth for my birthday.
Any feedback on when you or your kids started shaving and has anyone started their kids off with wet shaving, is it a good idea? Thanks for any advise friends!

Welcome, @Jaybyrd, to B&B and to wet shaving!!

I converted from cartridges to wet shaving because of my son. He and some friends were beginning to explore this way of shaving, so I checked it out, too. It was a bit of a learning curve, but I made it!

Depending on what your son's interests and viewpoints are, you could talk to him about several different advantages:
- uniquely individual 1 - there's an unlimited variety of razors, blades, soaps, creams, bowls, etc.
- uniquely individual 2 - he will stand out from his friends who just go with what's in Walmart or the grocery store
- uniquely individual 3 - he can learn how to make his own shave products, soaps, balms, oils, etc
- amazingly environmentally friendly - blades are, for the most part, what gets thrown, and these breakdown in landfills
- superior shaving experience - once over the learning curve, there's no ingrown hairs, reduced/no skin irritation, able to shave against the grain
- cultural 1 - recent James Bond featured shaving with a straight razor
- cultural 2 - shave around the world, chose razors, blades, and soaps/creams from different parts of the world
- cultural 3 - any influencer or pop figure with designs cut into their hair will have had that done by a barber using an artist club razor
- usable historic artifacts - a lot of vintage hardware is readily available
- excellent gift ideas

There's a lot of different facets, just depends on what your son's interests are.

 

[blethenstrom]

First welcome to B&B! We are so glad that you decided to join us.

I think your first order of business is to get yourself familiar and proficient in wet shaving. Have you gotten started? If so, how are things going? Can we be of assistance?

How to address your son will probably become clearer once you get more comfortable wet shaving. At least it will give you a bit of time.

 

[Jaybyrd]

Welcome, @Jaybyrd, to B&B and to wet shaving!!

I converted from cartridges to wet shaving because of my son. He and some friends were beginning to explore this way of shaving, so I checked it out, too. It was a bit of a learning curve, but I made it!

Depending on what your son's interests and viewpoints are, you could talk to him about several different advantages:
- uniquely individual 1 - there's an unlimited variety of razors, blades, soaps, creams, bowls, etc.
- uniquely individual 2 - he will stand out from his friends who just go with what's in Walmart or the grocery store
- uniquely individual 3 - he can learn how to make his own shave products, soaps, balms, oils, etc
- amazingly environmentally friendly - blades are, for the most part, what gets thrown, and these breakdown in landfills
- superior shaving experience - once over the learning curve, there's no ingrown hairs, reduced/no skin irritation, able to shave against the grain
- cultural 1 - recent James Bond featured shaving with a straight razor
- cultural 2 - shave around the world, chose razors, blades, and soaps/creams from different parts of the world
- cultural 3 - any influencer or pop figure with designs cut into their hair will have had that done by a barber using an artist club razor
- usable historic artifacts - a lot of vintage hardware is readily available
- excellent gift ideas

There's a lot of different facets, just depends on what your son's interests are.

Thank you very much for these suggestions, they are great examples. He already has seen me shaving with my “new gear” and was a bit inquisitive. He just really got into the colognes/perfumés and stuff so he would be very intrigued by the shave soaps & artisanal products (which I don’t really own yet). I will use some of these examples for sure and appreciate your response.

 

[Jaybyrd]

First welcome to B&B! We are so glad that you decided to join us.

I think your first order of business is to get yourself familiar and proficient in wet shaving. Have you gotten started? If so, how are things going? Can we be of assistance?

How to address your son will probably become clearer once you get more comfortable wet shaving. At least it will give you a bit of time.

Thank you kindly my friend. Yes I started last month and it’s going well overall and I actually really love shaving now and wish my facial hair would grow back sooner (for the first time ever in my life haha). This forum has already helped me immensely, I’m literally on here whenever I get a free minute learning a ton. I tend to agree with maybe waiting it out a bit more for my son so I am proficient enough to show him.
Good stuff, thank you again.

 

[Frito Ray]

Get him started by asking him his opinion on aftershaves for you. Purchase a few common ones and tell him he is welcome to try them.

I would just start with a travel kit that includes a cart and canned foam, then judge his reaction. He could be satisfied with that and it opens the door to asking for a “real” razor like yours.

Better to hurry up and get him shaving before he develops the sparse adolescent “moustache”.

 

[Bsamps]

I have 3 sons. The oldest is 33 and has no desire to wet shave or use a de razor. The middle son who is 30 and in the Navy picked up wet shaving and a de razor while he was at the academy. My youngest, who just turned 20 is just beginning to take up wet shaving but, prefers the cartridge over a de. I don’t push it with either of them. They are adult men and if they ever have an interest, I’m sure they will ask. Someone already mentioned…. Let them come to you for advice when and if they are ready.

 

[Jaybyrd]

Oddly enough I just had a conversation with my daughter's boyfriend (mid 20's) who has a short beard but said he has never shaved in his life...I couldn't believe it. He said he goes every week or two and gets trimmed at the barber and a haircut. Thanks for the advice, I am waiting for my son to want to trim up those long stragglers haha.

 

[Mike M]

I'm 3 sons in at this stage with 1 to go. Wait until he approaches you and when he does ask him what he wants, just because you feel this is the right way for you doesn't mean it will be the right way for your son.
My eldest learned with a DE, but switched to an electric razor and later carts. After he got fed up paying for expensive carts he came back to DE which he uses to this day though I recently gave him my Parker 26C after he said the Yaqi I had given him a few years before just wasn't cutting it (no pun intended) so after he tried my other razors he said that was his favourite so I passed it on to him.
My second always had sensitive skin, he tried foam, but we couldn't find anything that didn't irritate him so I got him to try my soaps which solved the problem straight away. The carts also irritated his neck and at this stage he just switched to DE altogether and that was it
The third approached me and asked if I could get him a razor and teach him so I got him a cheap DE and told him I would teach him that night. When I got home I noticed the fuzz was gone and asked him who had taught him suspecting one of his older brothers. It turned out my then 10yr old son who used to "shave" with me without a blade had taught him. I guess I'll have no problem with number 4
When he's ready he'll ask and if he feels DE isn't for him just let him go his own way.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Jaybyrd]

I'm 3 sons in at this stage with 1 to go. Wait until he approaches you and when he does ask him what he wants, just because you feel this is the right way for you doesn't mean it will be the right way for your son.
My eldest learned with a DE, but switched to an electric razor and later carts. After he got fed up paying for expensive carts he came back to DE which he uses to this day though I recently gave him my Parker 26C after he said the Yaqi I had given him a few years before just wasn't cutting it (no pun intended) so after he tried my other razors he said that was his favourite so I passed it on to him.
My second always had sensitive skin, he tried foam, but we couldn't find anything that didn't irritate him so I got him to try my soaps which solved the problem straight away. The carts also irritated his neck and at this stage he just switched to DE altogether and that was it
The third approached me and asked if I could get him a razor and teach him so I got him a cheap DE and told him I would teach him that night. When I got home I noticed the fuzz was gone and asked him who had taught him suspecting one of his older brothers. It turned out my then 10yr old son who used to "shave" with me without a blade had taught him. I guess I'll have no problem with number 4
When he's ready he'll ask and if he feels DE isn't for him just let him go his own way.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

That's really awesome experience, thanks for sharing. I will take the advise and let him decide but certainly offer to share in the positive experience I have had thus far. My first two are girls and the next two are boys so the youngest is 10 also and asked to lather up with me and use a razor (no blade) and I thought that was awesome!

 

[DesertIguana]

Well I do not know your son's age, but he could enlist in Marines, and learn everything he need know about life. Recall in Boot Camp we had one Recruite that was Super Shaver, he could shave so quick, with no effort until our SDI realized he ws using no blade. Never time he shave with Blade in Razor, the blood flowed.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

I have no kids but I remember when I was that age I was very pleased to be given a basic electric razor. Easy to use, nothing to learn, and it does the job without any pfaff whenever I felt like using it. On my adolescent stubble there was no need for a sharp blade and all the stuff I do now.

If he gets interested in what you’e doing with a traditional DE blade razor then by all means teach him that. But there will be some bleeding and irritation in the beginning and it may put him off at this point if he isn’t prepared for that. It takes some time to learn to shave well with a razor. And there will probably be some pimples, which complicate matters.

 

[Jaybyrd]

I have no kids but I remember when I was that age I was very pleased to be given a basic electric razor. Easy to use, nothing to learn, and it does the job without any pfaff whenever I felt like using it. On my adolescent stubble there was no need for a sharp blade and all the stuff I do now.

If he gets interested in what you’e doing with a traditional DE blade razor then by all means teach him that. But there will be some bleeding and irritation in the beginning and it may put him off at this point if he isn’t prepared for that. It takes some time to learn to shave well with a razor. And there will probably be some pimples, which complicate matters.

Very valid points and he is having some acne issues already, although I got some Thayers Witch Hazel after reading some reviews and it really helped him. Thank you!

 

[gpjoe]

I don't have kids, but I see no harm in saying:

Hey son, looks like you're getting some hair on your face...let me know if you want to explore traditional wet shaving with me.

A father should be able to approach his son without worry.

 

[Mike M]

My first two are girls

I taught my daughter to shave her legs without cutting herself or irritation (her mother taught her originally and despite my best efforts my OH still cuts herself. I even suggested a proper razor but she deemed it too manly). I also gave her my ming-shi 2000 as being an adjustable it was easier to get an irritation free shave, the female cart razors just didn't work out for her.

 

[Keith_Weir]

Howdy! I am a Newb to wetshaving and my son could start shaving any day now but he hasn't started and hasn't really asked me. His hair is dark and coming through with some longer hairs on the face starting to curl but it's mostly that softer baby hair still for the most part. Should I just let him wait it out for now until he approaches me or encourage him to shave? I would love to get him started (when the time comes now or in a year who knows) with wetshaving instead of a cartridge or electric razor but I am worried that I barely know what I am doing so how can I show him? The other thing is do I just tell him we can learn together, when he's ready? I taught myself how to shave in high school but just got into wetshaving lastmonth for my birthday.
Any feedback on when you or your kids started shaving and has anyone started their kids off with wet shaving, is it a good idea? Thanks for any advise friends!

My two eldest have wetshaved from the get go !!! They like the act and the price savings, they have no interest in Harry's or any of the other gimmicks out there, each has 2-4 razors ( single and double edge) and decent low cost brushes, good soaps and cheap/ classic aftershaves, they are now 25 and 20. Both started shaving around 16.......Now I just need to convert the wife and the 17 yo daughter !!!!

 

[Keith_Weir]

Welcome, @Jaybyrd, to B&B and to wet shaving!!

I converted from cartridges to wet shaving because of my son. He and some friends were beginning to explore this way of shaving, so I checked it out, too. It was a bit of a learning curve, but I made it!

Depending on what your son's interests and viewpoints are, you could talk to him about several different advantages:
- uniquely individual 1 - there's an unlimited variety of razors, blades, soaps, creams, bowls, etc.
- uniquely individual 2 - he will stand out from his friends who just go with what's in Walmart or the grocery store
- uniquely individual 3 - he can learn how to make his own shave products, soaps, balms, oils, etc
- amazingly environmentally friendly - blades are, for the most part, what gets thrown, and these breakdown in landfills
- superior shaving experience - once over the learning curve, there's no ingrown hairs, reduced/no skin irritation, able to shave against the grain
- cultural 1 - recent James Bond featured shaving with a straight razor
- cultural 2 - shave around the world, chose razors, blades, and soaps/creams from different parts of the world
- cultural 3 - any influencer or pop figure with designs cut into their hair will have had that done by a barber using an artist club razor
- usable historic artifacts - a lot of vintage hardware is readily available
- excellent gift ideas

There's a lot of different facets, just depends on what your son's interests are.

And another plus is BETTER SKIN overall!!! Much less acne and brighter clearer skin for my two !!!

 

[NorthernSoul]

You just need to convince him that cartridge razors are a big rip-off. Nobody likes being ripped off. He can spend a fraction of the amount he would need to spend otherwise. You could even give him free blades out of your stash.

 

[Guido75]

My son wanted to shave electric initially, but when push came to shove he said at dinner he wanted to do it like me (not me helping him but like me!). With the help of B&B brother Mitch reached out and gave my son a Gillette Slim for his 16th birthday. I supplied soap, brush and blade. And off he went. Never looked back.

I gave some small hints and tricks, but he mostly just watched the same videos I did in the beginning.

Some casual approaching is ok but no direct questions or hints (mine was in full teenage puberty mode at the time) and see what he wants.

Cheers,

Guido