Very conscious that there’s an SF thread for us gents to stay well clear of - none of us would wish to be caught loitering in the very popular ladies’ underwear thread. So I thought of starting a manly counterpart, but one that wouldn’t deter or embarrass any curious lady visitors.
… and of course, @billybutcher is more than welcome as a disinterested observer.
So, shaving for most of us is an important daily ritual and despite having had many beards, I do so love shaving, Jermyn St, Trumpers, Czech & Speake, evocative names to conjure with.
I prefer daily morning shaving (twice daily if there are evening bisous) so a cut-throat’s not a good option. Instead I use a heavy, beautifully engineered, Muhle safety razor with Japanese Feather brand blades, Vulfix badger and cheap Casino shaving gel followed by Nivea moisturiser gel and a cologne to match the situation - the original L’occitane for general purpose, Roger & Gallet, or if very special, Czech & Speake 88 (nothing else like that one!).
OTOH I recognise others may prefer a quick skim with some electrical device and there are those who just shave when prompted to by their OH; there may also be big bearded SFers who were once known as hipsters, so I wouldn’t wish to be judgemental. Just thought it would be fun to initiate a manly, men cave shaving debate.
I’ve had a beard forever (nearly). I did shave it off once or twice but only for fancy dress parties . I “shave” the non beardy bits with an electric beard trimmer thing twice a week , and use it on the rest of my bonce every couple of weeks.
I used to wet-shave with a blade (Gillette Mach 3 blades in a Bolin-Webb handle) but since Xmas I have been using a Panasonic ES-LV67 electric shaver (wet or dry according to mood).
I also have a small Braun electric razor for travel use.
The Panasonic electric shaver doesn’t shave as close as the blade, but equally I don’t cut myself with it, which I quite often do when using a blade. Whether that’s poor technique, not being fully awake, or just a hazard of the method, I don’t know.
Another reason for changing to electric was the price of the Gilette blades which make inkjet printer cartridges seem good value.
I have found the electric method is getting more effective as my face gets used to it - initially I was quite disappointed but I understand there is a “training period” where your skin adjusts to not having a load of skin cells scraped off it along with the stubble.
I did try some pre-electric shave stuff but I don;t use it very often as it’s a bit smelly for my liking - I very rarely wear any kind of after-shave pong.
Shaving is solely functional for me, and the only aesthetic is starting my day without being scratchy. I have a Braun electric shaver that’s just about adequate, but no interest other than removing follicles above my skin. I had a full beard since the age of 17 until late 40s, but now just sport a goatee.
One thing I DO dislike is when a hair or 2 manages to grow despite multiple passes of the shaver. The design of the present device seems effective to stop this happening. However a couple of weeks back I met a local chap in Cussy who had odd hairs sprouting from various crevices on his face, and it made me almost itchy.
I’ve never really got on with trying to grow a beard, neither have I ever got on that well with wet shaving and have always used electric razors.
However I’m not sure that the ladies on SF would be entirely disinterested in shaving - granted, few ladies need to shave their faces but there seem to be numerous areas of the female form that they prefer to keep hair and stubble free.
I use an electric razor, a Boots £15 jobby which is the best electric razor I’ve ever had. I also sometimes wet shave using the Aldi cheap own label razor and blades. Better than the Mach 3 I used to use and a hell of a lot cheaper.
I don’t fall for the gimmicky advertising that goes along with so many shaving products that are no better than their much cheaper “cousins”.
I’ve just changed to a safety razor after years of using a plastic thing with about a million blades. Took a bit of mastering to avoid facial leakage but I’ve got there and think the shave is better than the multi-blade thing and it has a nice heft in the hand. There’s the added bonus of hardly any plastic waste.
Seems you beardless chaps have wasted too many hours and too much money buying shavers, foam, skin care and perfume which you like to call aftershave.
Trying to look smart and clean shaven is not an image a builder has to worry about. A tidy up now and again and a trim occasionally works wonders.
Real men sport beards
I wet shave using my Granddad’s actual shaving brush (“pure badger”) from the 1930s. He was killed shortly after surviving El Alamein, in a military accident and his collection of hair brushes, shaving brush etc has found it’s way to me through inheritance… Although I obviously never met him, using his brushes etc gives me a feeling of a direct link to him. I also visited his Commonwealth War Grave in Haifa, which was then in Palestine under British Mandate.
At this risk of TMI, I shave in the shower as it opens up the pores and seems to give a better shave. Downside is no mirror so you have to shave by touch/feel, which occasionally produces a rather sub-standard shave.
