A short essay about me

Dr Rick

Dr Rick

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I've been wetshaving for many years, never getting along with electrics at all, and have gradually slid away from the mainstream - first from the omnipresent Mach 3 to Azors and their gel, then to Noxcema, and just very recently - after weeks of research and reading and mantic-watching - into DE (a week ago) and brush and lather (a fortnight). So far everything I have is off the high street shelf - Boots razor and cream, KoS balm, Men-U brush, WS soap bowl (I know, I know) - but I've ordered the Trumper's sample pack, and more spending is certain to come soon.

I never had any trouble with the mainstream shaving tech and cartridges last me for weeks (I have a goatee and presumably a pretty cuttable beard), just fancied the ritual and tradition and general hobbyability of all this. At the back of my mind is the idea that when I have single-blade DE together I can try straight shaving, which will make me feel manly and puissant.

Other stuff: I have too many fountain pens (and am getting worse) and far too many guitars (seem to have levelled out now). I'm a mathematician and musician, schoolmaster and "one of the North West's leading eccentrics", fat man and athlete (powerlifting), and never use one word where three will do. As you may have noticed.

IanM and I have been friends for a decade or so, but I am not his fault.

Hello.
 
At the back of my mind is the idea that when I have single-blade DE together I can try straight shaving, which will make me feel manly and puissant.
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You will feel extremely manly with a proper Merkur in your hand anyway, these Straights don't exclusively hold the moral high ground on hetero-ness you know.

Thank you for the essay, great introduction. Hope you're not too attached to the goatee, after a proper DE shave, and maybe a few beers, that thing may well go at some point. :twisted:

Welcome sir.
 
Good post Doc,

Sounds like you sorta know what you're letting yourself in for, and I'd imagine collecting pens or guitars has already given you a certain mindset about various 'hobbies'. This particular (goofy) one has some interesting little rabbit holes that can be surprisingly difficult to climb out of. To be honest, some have no bottom.

Lots of us can get good shaves with various cartridges. I'm like you when it comes to doing fine with a Mach3 or something similar, and had no real need to switch into a DE razor. I just kinda liked the idea of....well, I liked a bunch of things that a DE has to offer. Takes me quite a bit longer to finish the daily routine, but somehow that time doesn't seemed wasted at all. Pretty damn weird if you ask me.

I will say that there's no more good shaves and hasn't been for many years now. Instead, just about every shave is excellent! Closer than any cartridge I've tried, and just as comfortable to use. Each time I pick out my assorted favorite soap/cream, brush, and razor/blade combo, I know these items are capable of providing me with what I'd have to say the perfect shave. That ain't a bad thing to have a shaving arsenal of sorts, but it takes a little while to figure out what works best for each of us.

Give it a month till everything starts coming together on a regular basis. Use the same razor and blade type and don't screw around with more than one or two soaps at the most. Keep it dull and predictable at first to build up some kinda reference point.That first couple weeks are just mostly fumbling around in the dark, and the next two is where the refining starts. After that things go along lots faster, and that's really when the fun begins.

Good luck here,

Martin
 
Canuck said:
You will feel extremely manly with a proper Merkur in your hand anyway, these Straights don't exclusively hold the moral high ground on hetero-ness you know.
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Use what comes your way - these modern cast pot metal German efforts aren't the acme of DE (or even interchangeable blade) razor technology - vintage Gillette, Wilkinson & Schick (DE & injector) razors take some beating (and often have for 50+ years and still look good and perform as they were intended to do)
 
Canuck said:
You will feel extremely manly with a proper Merkur in your hand anyway, these Straights don't exclusively hold the moral high ground on hetero-ness you know.
Click to expand...

Straigths has nothing to do with sexuality, it more like DE:s are for little girls... yeah, right... Anyhow: Welcome to TSR Rick! :D
 
Thanks for the welcome chaps :).

Canuck - I'm too fat to consider losing the goatee (and too used to it - it's been on for 19 years now!). As Phil Jupitus once remarked, it helps to give the illusion of chin (singular).

Hunnymonster - IanM kindly sent me a care package including a vintage Gillette, but the post office seem to have eaten it, sadly :(.

Martin - I have been being consistent and will be for a while more yet. I suspect that being conscious of light touch and consistent angle in the mirror with the cartridge for a while before trying the DE has helped.

Antdad - the answer to that answer neatly illustrates the difference between what we can do and what we may do ;). Though I suspect their ears would come off, in any case, and that would mar my carpets.
 
Hello and welcome Rick: nice intro. :D

Of all the rabbit holes which Martin mentions, by far the deepest is the one with the straight razors in it, in my experience at least. In common with rabbits, they seem to breed at an alarming rate.
 
Ahh, I see that you have all met my friend Rick.

As he says, we have been friends for about a decade, and I have shared a stage with him (including my very first public appearance) on many occasions.

He is right though, I am not entirely responsible for him being here!

Ian
 
Hi and welcome Dr Rick.

This is a very strange hobby. And when I tell people I like using old Gillette razors they move slowly sideways and I cannot get near them no matter how long I follow them for.
Ha but when I break into a trot they know I am serious and the pictures of their houses I take means that I cannot ever forget where they live....


Enjoy,
Tim.
 
welcome dr rick.

I took used to have too many guitars, then I realised I can only play one at a time and the band I'm in requires the use of a certain make, model and colour, so I sold what I don't use and only have 3 now. This has lead to an increase in shaving brushes and razors and creams.

You'll have fun.
 
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