Traditional Wet Shave

Book Guy - I've been shaving down below (suggested by my son) because he says it turns the ladies on. In 90% of the cases, he was right! First time shaving, the family jewels did itch for awhile, but then I learned to use body lotion after shaving. I still lotion my body up before I go clubbing.

I've used an electric razor all my life. I can't remember the last time I used something other than that. It's just so convenient. It sin't as close a shave but I can get away with a little stubble, my beard is red and isn't at all noticable until it gets several days old. Incidently, that haven't-shaved-for-several-days look is OK on younger guys (maybe) but makes us older guys just look older and seedier. If you're over 40 don't go there.

Bones: I sure do wish those things would have worked for me. I did fifteen or twenty years of pain and penance trying to get something that didn't bleed, itch, give me staph infections ...

I'm definately sold on the Gillette multi-bladed razors. Hardly ever cuts when shaving my balls and cock!

I think I shave ok. My hair just grows real fast. I've noticed my metabolism is still faster than many people even though I'm a lot older now than I was in my 20's. I will have a partial beard if I don't shave for 3 or 4 days. I have found hair to be somewhat interesting. Some hair I've noticed seems to be programed to grow to a certain length and then stop. I noticed this after I shaved off numerous cacti needles that were stuck in some of my fingers. I just shaved off all the needles and my hair on my fingers. The hair grew back shortly afterwards and looked like normal fairly quick. Don't bother to ask how I got a gazillion cacti needles stuck in my fingers. It was an accident and I don't remember how it happened since it was so long ago. I only remember it seemed weird shaving off cacti needles stuck in my fingers.

I may check out the shaving site one day. Trying to shave with a dull electric razor takes a bit longer.

Did you know that the reason men shave is to make themselves look younger. Brad Pit can look scuzzy because he is young. Now if you want the distinguished look or the bad boy look than you gotta have facial hair. I am still using a Gilette single edge razor and Gilette Foamy (lime) shaving cream. It works for me. All of the hair that I used to have on my legs has been relocated to my ears and nostrils. See what you have to look foreward to?

If what you're getting is close and non-irritating, then don't stop. But I think you can guess, I wasn't free to stick with the status quo.

I had a beard for over 30 years, and just shaved it off after it became mostly all gray. I HATE to shave, but I, like BG did, only shave every few days. When the "beard" gets "scratchy". I used to use a single blade for touch ups, but went to the multi when singles became impossible to find. I'll check his information and report back my findings.

I have had either a beard or goatee since I left home for college. That is, until I started getting annoyed by the gray getting more and more noticeable - even more noticeable than the gray on my head. I decided that I'd shave it off, on my birth day, which was about two months ago.

After shaving it off, I decided that I liked the way I looked better with the goatee - gray and all, so I'm starting another streak of years with facial hair.

My father loved the invention of multi-blade razor saying that shaving became easy and pain free. Different strokes for different folks.

I'm sold on multi-blading. I've been using the Gillete Fusion for about two years now, and am convinced that I can get my face much smoother with it, than any other razor.

Bones: when I said 'those things' didn't work for me, I meant the 'things' like normal shaving with a cartridge, creams propelled out of a can, and other expensive 'normal' stuff. I didn't mean to suggest my 'things' were the 'things' down below. :) I think you read me that way?

Anyway, I also shave 'down below' though it's been a while and I haven't tried my new traditional wet-shave techniques. In fact, I think the type of irritation which multi-blade cartridges caused on my neck and face isn't necessarily present down below for me; and I certainly don't do it daily down below; so I wouldn't need to upgrade to the vintage equipment like I needed to for my face.

The biggest worry I had (whether above or below) about traditional Gillette safety-razors (like this: -) was, that it seemed to me like it would be a "bed of one nail." When you press weight onto a bed of MANY nails (for example, three nails, or blades, in the Mach3 cartridge), the weight is distributed so that no one nail cuts through the skin. With a safety-razor, though, there's only one blade. I worried that this 'single nail' would cut in because the pressure would not be distributed more widely. It turned out, my worries were quite unfounded. I can irritate myself, IF I TRY, with a safety-razor, but it doesn't just cut in right away merely because the blade is there and alone. I had worried it would.

So, I like this new thing. I could use the fancy cremas, and a brush, and all sorts of unguents and salves, with a Mach3, sure. But for me, the transition FROM a Mach3 is the biggest improvement. I like the other stuff -- warm lather, smells like sandalwood, smooth baby's face afterwards, all that stuff. But mainly, leaving behind the multi-blade cartridge is the biggest improvement. If I travel, I'll use a single-blade disposable and some tube cream. But I won't go back to the Mach3's 'hysterisis' procedure of two- or three-blade action.

This is because the "one blade pulls it up, the next whacks it off" has an effect of 'stumping' the whisker. I want it to be removed at exactly the skin-level, or a little teeny bit below. The amount that the pull with a Mach3 creates, is MUCH too much, so that the follicle gets irritated. First, it's irritated because the whisker is pulled up along with some skin, so some of the skin at each follicle gets cut by the following blades. Second, it's irritated because the whisker is pulled too far out, causing pain. Third, it's irritated because the whisker gets cut at its 'extended' position, which means it retracts and then, as it grows, it can't squeeze through the follicle. It gets stumped like a little boiled egg. That's a lot of reasons not to use the "one blade pulls it up, the next whacks it off" method.

So, for me, I used to have to shave only every 30 or 36 hours, because shaving dug too deep. Nevertheless, I never looked well-shaven, not even immediately after I had shaven, because there were whiskers sticking out and there were painful red or rashy portions of skin, BOTH. I had to work out something that would work with a traditional work schedule at 36 hours (Sunday night with a blade, Tuesday morning with a blade, Wednesday at noon with an electric at work if I could take a long lunch, look bad Thursday, Friday morning VERY PAINFUL with a blade, no more until Sunday). And I had to buy all sorts of 'soothing' balms to reduce the irritation. And guess what? The balms aren't all that soothing relative to "traditional wet shave" products!

By the way, it's no surprise, that the people who make the razor that irritated me, also make the balms to make the razor a little more bearable. Now that I know their game, I don't buy EITHER set of products, neither the damaging razors nor the supposedly healing balms.

OK, I'm off my soapbox. Oh, and speaking of soaps, for your face, look for those based in glycerin and tallow (animal fat), not palm oil. Much less destruction. :)

Ooops, forgot the link to a picture. Here's a traditional or "vintage" Gillette single-blade safety razor:

countrycc.com

I was disappointed with the wet shave information. Turns out, that is already how I shave and still hate it! As FONDL says, us older guys almost have to shave daily or just look like pervs (my noun).

Clubber: I didn't like it until I found out what it was. :) Now I enjoy the hot lather and the "experience," kind of. It's a bit time-consuming, I don't always take the effort or time to complete it properly. But I REALLY enjoy the fact that I'm not bleeding, irritated, itching, in pain, or unkempt. So for me it's mainly a solution to a formerly perennial problem, AND with an added benefit of it also coming wrapped in a pleasant experience.

BG,

I can understand that it would be new for many, but it certainly isn't for me. I had a beard from the time I was 21 till I was 56. Shaved what I needed that way. Now, after almost two years, I am going back to the beard. Two reasons, one, no shaving (except for just a bit) and my SO likes them. The hell with the gray!