[bbshriver]

My dad is a long-time electric shaver, I've been trying to get him to try real shaving but he has said he doesn't have time. He recently retired so I'm thinking maybe he'll have a little more time now (of course now he's got consulting contracts so it's not "real" retirement). I kinda want to get him some straight shaving supplies and get him to try it, but I'm concerned that he may just never try it, and that he may not have the neccissary patience to go through the learning process. I don't want to spend $150 on start up stuff for him just to have it sit in a drawer somewhere never being used.

I considered giving him one of my straights but I really don't want to give any of them up...
I'm thinking about getting a new brush maybe a silvertip or something a little nicer than my current one. Maybe give him my current Shavemac 944, some Mamabear soap (easiest to learn with I think), and perhaps a feather razor that he won't have to strop, etc?

I also am considering ordering a nicer strop for myself which would free up my tony miller apprentice strop for him to start with if I went that route.

Anyone here have any suggestions? Is the scenario I mentioned a reasonable one for attempting to convert a dry shaver?

[Milton Man]

I gave my dad a TM Apprentice strop and a starter strop as well as a re-scaled Wapi - I think the entire outfit cost a grand total of $50 - he already had the brush and soap, but an inexpensive Omega boar brush from the drug store ($10 max) and Proraso (or your extra Mama Bear) would work just as well.

Point him in the direction of Lynn's video on Youtube so that he can go in knowing what to do.

One word of caution though - I strongly believe that straight razor shavers have a certain kind of personality - one with patience and a keen interest in learning and research - My father doesn't really have that, and while he appreciates, and sort of uses the stuff, he doesn't put in the time to read SRP, or watch the videos as closely as he should, and as a result isn't getting as good shaves as he probably could be...so he's not really improving or enjoying it as much as he otherwise would be.

It's really self-perpetuating - don't have the temperament, don't put in the effort, get continually mediocre / crappy shaves, don't see the point, stop using the stuff. Straight shaving takes a lot of up-front commitment, and without that, it's like dragging a horse to water.

Mark

[Quick Orange]

The feather is a great way to go. I'm planning on getting my dad a Shavette at some point, that way he can get the feel for it and decide if he wants to go the extra mile with stropping and maintenance. The only thing I would say is to buy some good blades for it. I used the Personna's (Wal-Mart, Walgreens) for a while and they sucked.

He's likely used to the ease of the electric though. You might spring for a DE simply because he really won't have to learn anything other than wetshaving prep, rather than having to learn how to hold the straight, how to shave tough areas, etc. If I had to guess, I would say that something other than just time was holding him back.

[Chimensch]

Originally Posted by Milton Man

Straight shaving takes a lot of up-front commitment, and without that, it's like dragging a horse to water.

Mark

Mark is right and you need to give up this nutty idea. To me, saying "I don't have the time" is a polite form of "no". You ought to respect that.

[bbshriver]

Well 2 things here are that when he "didn't have time" he regularly worked 12 hour days, he'd start at 5am and sometimes not be home till 6 or 7... spent 3+nights a week away from home on business travel etc. And when I first started and we were talking about this I'd regularly take 1.5-2 hours from start to finish (including shower etc). He and I are VERY similar in personality and if he wants to do something he learns it very well (he has a Ph.D in nuclear metallurgy and as far as I know never got anything less than an A grade in any class).

Maybe it is something he'd just not be interested in, but then again if you'd told me a year ago that I'd have shaving as a hobby I woulda thought you were totally nuts.

[thebigspendur]

I don't think I would be trying to convert anyone over the age of about 45. My dad is 93 and I once asked him why he didn't ever use a straight. Most of his life he used a DE then a cartridge and an electric the last 30 years or so. he told me his dad used a straight and he remembers when his father shaved all he heard was yelling and cursing coming from the bathroom and vowed he would never use a straight.

[Swink]

Why don't you lend your Dad a straight and see how it goes? Buy yourself a new strop and let him use your apprentice. If he doesn't take to the straight, you could sell the apprentice.

[bbshriver]

Well based on some of the input here I decided to just ask him if he'd be interested..
He showed great interest and was planning to give it a try tonight.. He already went to bed, and I haven't heard how it went, but he seemed to really like the idea!

I'll let yall know how his experience was when I find out.

[bbshriver]

Well, dad liked it!
I'm selling him my first razor, apprentice strop and shavemac, and getting some upgrades for myself.

[Chimensch]

Originally Posted by bbshriver

Well, dad liked it!
I'm selling him my first razor, apprentice strop and shavemac, and getting some upgrades for myself.

I celebrate you, sir!

[zepplin]

Originally Posted by Milton Man

One word of caution though - I strongly believe that straight razor shavers have a certain kind of personality - one with patience and a keen interest in learning and research - My father doesn't really have that, and while he appreciates, and sort of uses the stuff, he doesn't put in the time to read SRP, or watch the videos as closely as he should, and as a result isn't getting as good shaves as he probably could be...so he's not really improving or enjoying it as much as he otherwise would be.

It's really self-perpetuating - don't have the temperament, don't put in the effort, get continually mediocre / crappy shaves, don't see the point, stop using the stuff. Straight shaving takes a lot of up-front commitment, and without that, it's like dragging a horse to water.

Mark

Mark,
I appreciate what you have said here! I, for one, have not been able to understand why there are those(friends or family) who are not as excited about this hobby as I am.

What's the matter with them?

You've expressed it very well! Thanks -

Steve

[bbshriver]

What I've found interesting and I was relaying to my dad is how I find the vast majority of people on this forum are very similar to me in interests, feelings about life, etc. Interesting how a group related by something as basic as the way we shave have so much else in common.

[Milton Man]

Very glad to see this worked out very well and that your father is now one of us!

As with everything on this (and any site) our "informed opinions" are obviously just that, opinions.

Mark