- Say 'Yes, please'
- Wait for razor
- Clean razor
- Use razor
- Clean razor
- Pass razor on
Disclaimer: This is a long post about a very simple concept. I tried to cover all the angles. Click on the ‘Spoiler' above for an executive summary.
Don't be scared, just dive in. There's a lot of fun to be had.
So, you've heard about ‘pass arounds' and have no idea what that crazy idea is all about, but it sounds interesting and intriguing. We've been doing ‘pass arounds' on TSR for a while and I've been involved in quite a few of them both on the giving and the receiving end and here are my thoughts on this crazy concept..
A lot of new members ask
Well, here's how razor pass arounds work (other pass arounds work roughly the same way):Some new member said:
First you have a look at the Lending Pool. It's a place where members of TSR loan out their precious razors and other stuff to other people. That's very generous. There will be razors that you fancy and others you don't. Choose one that you fancy trying out.
First you read the initial post in the thread really carefully and decide if you agree with the rules/conditions/demands set out in that post by the person generous enough to lend their stuff to other members. If you can live with the rules of the pass around (and if you qualify) you do the following:
You post a message on that thread saying something like:
Please note the use of the word 'please'. We're a rowdy bunch, but a little bit of curtesy goes a long way.I got excited about this razor and said:
Most likely you'll be added to the list of people on the pass around. Now you might have to do a bit of waiting until the razor is with the person just ahead of you on the list. When that person is done with the razor you'll be contacted to supply your address. You give them your address in a private message (not in a public posting) and a few days later the postman will deliver the razor you're keen to try. You are now responsible for that razor until the next person on the list receives it.
Now here you are, with a razor that has been used by other people. That might sound a bit gross. It might have been in contact with their blood
. Don't worry. You can get that razor perfectly safe and shave ready with very little effort. First of all you can give it a good scrub with washing up liquid and and an old tooth brush. Personally, I like to use an ultrasonic cleaner as well, but I think (that's) optional. You might be happy with that treatment, but I wouldn't be. I recommend disinfecting the razor. Get yourself a bottle of a product called Barbicide. It's available on Amazon, Ebay or ask your local barber. It's well worth the little investment if you want to participate in pass arounds or plan to buy second hand razors. Read the instructions on the bottle and make a ‘hospital strength' solution of Barbicide and water, (60ml in 1 litre of water makes a hospital strength disinfectant solution) then soak the razor in that solution for 10 minutes to get it sterile. Give the razor a final rinse under the tap and wipe it dry. Now the razor is ready to be used. The fun starts here.Start exploring the razor. Find the correct angle. Try different blades, different soaps. If it is an adjustable razor, try different settings. Have fun.
Give feedback. Let us all know how you get along. Do you like it? How does it compare to other razors? Things you like, things you don't like. Maybe you have questions. There is no need to write a full blown essay about each shave if you don't want to, maybe just a summary when you're done with the razor. No pressure.
How long should you keep the razor for? Have a look at the initial post of the pass around. Maybe the owner has mentioned a reasonable period. As a general rule: don't hog the razor. Other people are keen to try it as well. If no period is specified, use common sense. A week worth of shaves should be enough to find the right blade for you and tell you what the razor is like. An adjustable razor might take a bit longer to be explored.
Once you're done with the razor, contact the next person on the list and ask them for their address. If you're not sure who that person is or you fail to make contact, send a message to the person running the pass around.
Before you package the razor, give it a good clean again. Don't rely on the next person to that job for you. That's bad manners. A good scrub, maybe the ultrasonic cleaner if you have one and a soak in Barbicide (see above) followed by a rinse and wiping the razor dry are good practice. If it arrived nice and shiny it should leave nice and shiny.
You should then package the razor securely. Use bubble wrap, newspaper, whatever. The package should not rattle. You can reuse the box it arrived in, if it is still in good shape.
If you're in the UK, you'll normally use Royal Mail to send the razor to the next person on the pass around. Check the initial post in the pass around thread to see what service is recommended. If no particular mail service is mentioned used a ‘signed for' delivery method. Remember, the razor is your responsibility until it arrives with the next person on the list. If the razor is worth more than £50, I recommend using ‘Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm'. This is covered up to £500 for loss or damage. Choose a cheaper delivery method if you wish at your own risk.
Finally you post a message saying 'thank you' to the person who was generous enough to lend you their precious razor.
Now you're ready for your next pass around. Maybe you even want to give something back by offering one of your razors for a pass around?
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