What would your father say?

[Kyle89]

He thinks its nuts and had bad experiences with safety razors- the cartridge was a big deal for him and seemed to conform to his "blame the tool and not the user" approach.
Got him into soaps, however, and he seems to be doing more of the buying lately. Haha. "Hey son, want more?" *forest gump impression* "okayy".

 

[Chandu]

Dad was born in '39. Shaving every day was just a chore like brushing teeth. He never looked back after disposables and foamy.

Mine in 1942 and pretty much the same story. I can remember some DE, probaby a Gillette with a butterfly design. He had a badger brush, I think a Simpson and an Old Spice mug and soap. At some point he transitioned to Gillette Good News with the two blade non pivot head. He had some Bic that were the same too. He never liked the ones that pivoted. I know he had a Surrey boar brush later. I have that and very rarely use it. It's shedding pretty badly. He got away from brushes and soaps as well and onto Colgate and then Barbasol. I don't remember seeing Foamy in the house. Oh and Skin Bracer for AS. At last the green, but for years when it was available he had the spice version.

He would not understand shaving as I have made it. Too much pomp and circustance, and honestly I think I pale in comparison to some.

 

[emwolf]

My dad was born in 1929 and passed in 2015. In my lifetime he only used electric razors. Us kids used the DE razors (a tech and a Super both of which I still have). He was never a fan of shaving and routinely had a 5 o'clock shadow by 8am.

 

[Rusty Blade]

There have been some great stories and anecdotes in this thread. My general sense is that most of our Dads grew up in a different time period and held different values. But it sounds like most still enjoyed a good shave. Even if they think their sons are nuts.

 

[Ratso]

My dad was born in 1910. He would appreciate using the old school equipment, but would probably be consternated when he saw my shave den.

My dad was also born in 1910. He used a DE razor of some type, a brush and Palmolive in the tube for most of his face. On his mustache he used Palmolive brushless and free handed a Gem type single edge blade for the Clark Gable look.
He definitely would have used one of his favorite expressions when I did something stupid if he saw all my shaving stuff.

“What ails you anyway?”

 

[abershaver]

My experience is different to many here. My dad is still very much alive and we regularly talk about shaving. He is a true Scotsman - he likes traditional things that work and he expects maximum value from every penny!

I remember when I was growing up that he used a Gillette Knack with the blue plastic handle along with Kent soap and a brush. And he definitely used Wilkinson Sword blades because he used to claim he shaved with a sword! At some point in the 90s the razor doors became defective and I recall him switching to the Wilkinson Sword classic razor (the black plastic one in the yellow hang pack). He used that for many, many years until it too ceased to work. By that point I was a shave enthusiast and I bought him an Edwin Jagger DE89 which he absolutely loves.

I am now in charge of buying his blades/soaps and aftershaves as he is not much of an internet user. A couple of times a year I buy him some Kent/MWF soap, a few bottles of Brut and some packets of blades (usually Wilkinson Sword German blades). Every couple of years I get him some Arko for when he goes on holiday. One year I bought him the MWF ceramic container as a gift. He initially claimed it was extravagant but it now sits in pride of place in his bathroom.

Overall he has always said a single blade with a brush and soap is the best way to shave and, if asked, will give you a very forthright opinion on the costs of cartridge shaving!

 

[MrSpeedy]

Like a few others on this thread, my Dad hated safety razors and thought carts/canned goo were the best thing since sliced bread. But he still hates shaving. He knows I use a safety razor, brush, soap, etc. and thinks I'm crazy but accepts it as one of my many quirks.

 

[Three_Bravo]

my dad has never had a beard even as a young man (going off old photos). he has been known to rock a stache. I paid no mind growing up, though. I think he was all electric. I cannot recall ever seeing him shave, but he always had a clean face, maybe a day or two of stubble.

he knows I am into the old school stuff now. I told my mom I was buying a straight with my birthday money, she basically said oh my lord son you are going to kill yourself with that. have not heard much outside of that. my dad, if asked, would probably say I am an idiot and wasting my time. I can hear his laugh now, and him asking what century it is. then making a comment about how I always find the dumbest things to complicate life with. he is not wrong... but forgets my childhood was spent with him working on cars 2 decades older than I was.

 

[Leo K]

My dad was born in 1947 and passed away in 1973 so I barely knew him. I really wish I knew what he shaved with. I've asked my mom, relatives and his army friend and none remember what he shaved with.

He was always well groomed and wore a suit a lot. He's probably approve!

 

[Barbarian80]

My Dad would have laughed at me for having so many brishes and soaps.

 

[foppy]

He would have said "Hobby?! Do you also make a hobby out of brushing your teeth?"

 

[KW Driver]

My dad uses a boar in an antler handled brush that I know of and soap, I think. No idea what kind of razor, probably a cart. He didn’t like the Speick stick I gave him to travel with. He’s scared of my straights, doesn’t even want to look at them because they’re so very dangerous.

His wife who’s awesome made me some scuttles and apothecary soap mugs.

That’s the extent of all our grooming discussions we’ve ever had. I taught myself to shave with carts and canned foamy/gel. I transitioned to wet shaving on my own as an adult

 

[FarmerTan]

View attachment 1523020

Post of the YEAR right here my friend!

I can see my Dad's face if he knew I had ANYTHING beyond one razor and a dozen blades and a can of the cheapest shaving foam! MAYBE I could get away with a jar of Noxzema because he used that to shave with a lot of the time.

I miss that old fart. That generation saved the free world and I sit around lusting after a different aftershave!


I love the threads that make me remember him. I'd gladly give a year of my life for five more minutes hearing him give me hell about wasting all this time on shaving!

 

[Butch Waxx]

Post of the YEAR right here my friend!

I can see my Dad's face if he knew I had ANYTHING beyond one razor and a dozen blades and a can of the cheapest shaving foam! MAYBE I could get away with a jar of Noxzema because he used that to shave with a lot of the time.

I miss that old fart. That generation saved the free world and I sit around lusting after a different aftershave!


I love the threads that make me remember him. I'd gladly give a year of my life for five more minutes hearing him give me hell about wasting all this time on shaving!

Isn’t that the truth Farmer Tan….Isn’t that the truth.

 

[gsurko]

My dad would say I’m outa my mind.

 

[5whiskey]

My father was not a supportive role model in my life, he put down anything that I wanted to do, that wasn't his own idea. While he did teach me a few things in life, the only shaving related thing I learned from him, was how to use a cart razor, because he had already abandoned safety razor shaving, before I was born. If my father were still alive, he'd wonder why I needed a safety razor over a cart or electric razor.

My brother is all that I have left in my family, who actually acts like family, and he thinks I am crazy with this wet shaving hobby. He doesn't understand it, and all he sees in the 7 razors, and sees it as an obsession. A wave of anxiety rolled over him, it was clear he thought I needed an intervention. Its amazing how some folks will look at other's as obsessions, conveniently forgetting they have some of their own.

With my brother, his life roles around politics, it seems like most days, thats all he cares about. Yet, he doesn't understand my wet shaving hobby, simply because it doesn't interest him .I guess that works both ways, I personally see politics as pointless and unnecessary in everyday life. Too many folks like to put their interests in other people's lives, instead of focusing on their own.

But you got to remember guys, my father died like 20-years ago, so there is just not much that I can say on that topic, unless we want to fall down the rabbit hole of discussion on why my father was as dysfunctional as he was, and how it effected my life. But this is not that type of discussion, so ya. lol! Seriously though, we do have a niche hobby that only 1% of humanity share. The remaining 99% of humanity, can't wait to get shaving over with as quickly as possible with a cart or electric razor.

My father was an imperfect human being, and I wouldn't label him as "supportive." But, he did work very hard trying to give our family a good life and he did follow me on some of my damned fool teenage adventures (begrudgingly at best). Not perfect, and he was a raging alcoholic, but he was overall a good man.

I can very much relate with family that thinks certain interests are silly. My son likes video games, gadgets, and technology. He will get out and hunt with me, and we do have a number of shared interests, but he thinks my old school shaving, automatic watch wearing, pipe smoking self is a Fudd that needs to catch up to modern times. I've given up trying to introduce him to wet shaving or other old school activities. He got me a Garmin watch for Christmas that I'm going to sincerely try out some... but it'll never see the use my Tissot does. I do feel like I try and cater to his interests as much as possible, but I could also be wrong. Perhaps he feels as though he's catering to mine. He's followed in my exact same career footsteps (despite me begging him to go be an engineer), so I take imitation as flattery.

He definitely would have used one of his favorite expressions when I did something stupid if he saw all my shaving stuff.

“What ails you anyway?”

"What ails you boy?"

My father has said this many times. Even with all his imperfections, I miss him. We weren't really close, but we weren't distant. He used a Bic disposable and foam... I don't know how he subjected his face to that daily. What he did, always, was shave. For some tobacco farmers from North Carolina, my family well thought that you should keep up your appearance.

 

[musicman1951]

My Dad would use an electric as prep before using his Gillette razor. He used brushless shave cream.

 

[MichWR]

My dad was born in 1928. He’ll be 95 in about 3 months. He was telling me the other day how he was telling the bank teller about growing up in the depression and how if you didn’t have money in your pocket you didn’t buy anything. He still pays cash for most things. I can’t imagine that he bought much back then as he would have been very young. To my knowledge he still uses an electric razor which is all that I’ve ever seen him use. I showed him one of the first vintage razors that I bought . . . . He didn’t seem too interested.