Who taught you?

[VBH37118]

In the late 60's I was given a Remington electric razor. I had watched my father shave with a Boar Brush, Williams soap and E or G Schick while growing up. Dad gave no advice on shaving so I used the Remington until in college I bought the Gillete of the time probably a Sentra and canned cream and went at it after watching some dorm mates shave. As time went on I kept buying the newest version of a Gillette until after the Fusion came out I tried Schick cartridge razors to save some money. Thinking I would save more yet, I tried Dorco's direct from the manufacturer. In 2018 I was still yearning for a good shave and did some internet searches and came upon the forums here on B&B. I watched some videos here and on YouTube and ordered an EJ DE89, cheap boar brush, TOBS Sandalwood cream and a Stainless Bowl. The first shave wasn't bad and that hooked me into DE shaving.

Then I went down the rabbit hole searching for the best razor, first with vintage then new razors. Now two years later I am finally getting the shaves I think I should be getting with little effort. I almost always get a BBS shave with just two passes and some touchups on my chin and jaw line. It took time and effort to map my beard and find the products that I like that contribute to those good shaves. I guess you have to go with the old adage that "Patience is a virtue" and don't expect a BBS shave every time, it will happen.

B&B a very good place to learn anything and everything about shaving

 

[henrickd]

Hand soap never let me down, I still use it at times. 30 seconds is fast irritating I’m sure for bbs.

I exaggerate on the 30 seconds but that’s what it seemed like when they were screaming at us.

 

[ShowerBeer2020]

Self taught as a teen w disposables and self taught( kind of) a year ago with a TTO cheap Weishi. I did watch hours of Geofatboy videos and they helped a ton. Now I have 20 or so razors and 10 brushes. 6 soaps etc... Soon I’ll be teaching my son who currently shaves the fine mustache hairs off his face about once a month.

 

[VBH37118]

10 razors you must have have a nice collection, brushes also

 

[Contact_vs_Feedback]

Thank you for your kind words and advise 1greenie1, VBH37118. I was thinking about which blades to match BBS razor, now I've got some idea.
I'm getting reasonably good shaves with my Parker Variant and Pearl SS - 09 Close comb but something's missing. IDK.

As of today, I'm getting really nervous as to when BBS Razor will be delivered since it is in Customs office since 2/Nov/2020 and local post office has no idea/ interest in helping.
Hopefully, I'll be able to experience the BBS with BBS razor soon.

 

[H4nk]

Youtube

 

[Cannon Cocker]

Several of the threads I’ve participated on have raised my curiosity regarding how shaving knowledge was passed on before there were Internet forums – or before we as individuals had them in our lives. It’s beyond my scope to do a true scientific survey – and besides that, we B&B denizens aren’t quite a random sampling of the shaving population at large, so we can’t generalize too much. Still, I think there’s a chance we (or I, anyway) could learn something, so here goes…



For any who are interested in participating, I’d love to hear about when you first started to shave – ladies and gents both. How old were you? Which half of what decade was it? How did you come to decide it was time to start? Did anyone teach you? Who taught you? Did you ask to be taught, or did your shaving teacher bring it to you? Did you feel you were ready for the instruction? Was it a good experience? Did you follow the instruction and obtain good results? What did he/she teach you? Did you pick out your own starter rig, or did someone choose for you? In your youth, did you pass on what you had learned to your peers, or to younger siblings/cousins/whatever? In light of everything you’ve learned between that time and now, do you believe you were taught well? In the full flower of adulthood, did you teach your own offspring how to shave? Was it the same lore you were taught?

Prior to DE shaving I used an electric. My introduction to DE shaving was as follows:

Age: 18
Date: 2 February 1966, 0500 hrs.
Time to start: I was told
Teacher: Drill Instructor
Asked to be taught: No, brought to me.
Was I ready: For sure
Good experience: As good as any other.
Follow instruction/ good results: You bet
What he taught me: " You will shave all hair off your sorry faces in 1 minute or I will kill you. Eye brows are optional."
Starter rig: Issued
Did I pass this on: Not hardly
Was I taught well as reflected over time: THE BEST
Teach offspring same as I was taught: I tried but he wouldn't sign the papers.

Semper Fi

 

[BGO37]

My grandfather taught me. He was a WWII vet who used BIC single blade disposables. He use to be a wet shaver but he drifter over to shaving foam and disposables. It worked well for him and that's how I learned as a teenager.

Once I was able to grow a full beard I stopped shaving and I have had to recently re-learn how to shave. But the smell of Barbasol will always bring back memories for me. Standing in front of his bathroom mirror listening to his instructions. It was a great time for me. He even had one of those razor disposal slots in the back of his vanity mirror. Classic.

 

[VBH37118]

My grandfather taught me. He was a WWII vet who used BIC single blade disposables. He use to be a wet shaver but he drifter over to shaving foam and disposables. It worked well for him and that's how I learned as a teenager.

Once I was able to grow a full beard I stopped shaving and I have had to recently re-learn how to shave. But the smell of Barbasol will always bring back memories for me. Standing in front of his bathroom mirror listening to his instructions. It was a great time for me. He even had one of those razor disposal slots in the back of his vanity mirror. Classic.

Truly a bygone era, nice memories

 

[mattps1]

Brian from Exec shaving Co. & Geofatboy, although I never learnt to clear the runways.

 

[Tirvine]

Trial and error.

 

[VBH37118]

Trial and error.

Sometimes the best teacher

 

[VerbaVolant]

...Who taught you?...

Way too many questions, so I picked one I can answer with honesty. I had the best teacher there is: PAIN.
Pain also taught me humility, respect towards elderly, politeness, and so on...

 

[Tanuki]

The passing it on part:
Three sons. My wife handed each of them a disposable before they even intended to use it.

The eldest likes to take care of himself. He knew my shave routine, but taught himself the details, probably with a boost from the internet. He started with my alternate razor, a Merkur 36 slant, and a decent badger brush he picked out himself. Since then I've given him a vintage ball end Tech and an iKon X3 slant head he uses on a Geisen&Forstoff SS handle, plus a selection of good brushes. Shaves everything from his shoulders up. Generally with Cella from my brick.

The second still has a very light beard. He used the first disposable he was given for a few years of very infrequent 'shaves'. I couldn't take it any longer. He now has a RazoRock Eco and a hundred saloon blades that may last him the rest of his life. Does not use shave soap.

The third has a heavy beard. When he got tired of the disposable, I handed him a Merkur 23 head on a big RazoRock stainless handle and a Maggard badger. Shower shaver using no special shave soap, though I gave him a Speick stick. Currently he has relegated his kit to trim duty. He sports a nice, thick full beard.

 

[Raphael_P.]

I started wetshaving 1 year and 8 months and 12 days ago. The reason was a horrible cut/irritation combo on my lower neck because of a Bic cartridge razor and my AWFUL technique. I was really fed up that day, so I threw the razor in the bin and proceeded the next day to get my first wetshaving set (Timor G&F 1353, LaToja SC, Muhle Nom 22mm boar and Nivea ASB).

I really great help to get a grip on the new hobby and techniques were some of the more "popular" YouTubers like Kensurfs, Kevy Shaves, Nick Shaves, Paul H. etc. They taught me how to shave, cause my dad is a fan of the cartridge razors, saying that they are more modern therefore are better (no idea how did that conclusion come, but whatever).

So everything is great, I get my new kit, and go home to shave with it for the first time... IT WAS A BAD IDEA!!! Not only didn't I wait for the irritation to calm down, I even went against the grain for my first DE shave! Needless to say, my whole face was burning red and had a lot of nicks as well. But GOD DAMN IT! I will succeed! That's why I went back the next day and shaved again... 3 passes again (WTG, XTG, AGT)! That was my shaving routine every day for the next week or so...I ain't the brightest bulb ! After that I reduced it to 3 shaves a week and went on from there, experimenting with blades, passes and shave/no shave intervals.

Now (21y.o.) I'm having some of the best shaves of my life, with great soaps, aftershaves and what not! Forums like this one and my own country's (men's only) were great help for various information, help and entertainment! Thank you

 

[LambertGolden]

Thanks, mate. It's my all-time favourite show and manga. I am originally from Macedonia. When I registered here, there was the matter of renaming Macedonia to North Macedonia. Was then an easy one with the user name.

PS: I also have all the digital manga volumes in English. PM me if you're interested.

PPS: On a German shaving forum I got even banned by a Greek moderator! Apparently he was scared ****less.

Macedonian fella here, can you write me a message другар?