Shaving Myths......

Feather AS-D2 cannot shave a heavy beard.

3-4 day growth with a Feather or Kai is easy peasy as can be.

Higher price equals better quality

Popularity is equal to quality

"Artisan" equals higher quality (total agreement with grim on this one)

You can't learn to shave with and hone straights at the same time

Honing straight razors requires expensive specialized stones

Shavettes are a good introduction to using a straight

A good straight razor edge requires years and years of experience to obtain

High quality gear always costs more



Just a few of the popular myths that really get under my skin...

I don't care much about myths mainly because I do my own thing.  

The funny thing about these shaving "myths" is the fact they are mostly created by people in the shaving community at some point or another, and they just keep growing.

And the YouTube "experts" don't help much in this department, specially when they are doing a sales pitch on a freebie.

That proper prep is required for a good shave. I usually shower before hand and that's it. If I don't, just a splash of water and lather away. I get great shaves without soaking my face with a steaming towel or using any kind of pre-shave products.

Tallow is superior to vegan.

The shaving brush will lift the hairs for shaving and exfoliate when you lather.  Maybe if you are using a Beaver Hair Brush.

Semogues are as soft as any luxurious $$$ badger I own, they are just not as flashy or prestigious and are easy to obtain.

I never understood the exfoliation argument about brushes. You are about to drag a razor sharp piece of steel across your face. Trust me any dead skin will be gone when you are done.

I have an 830 and a 620 and question whether or not I should buy that Savile Row 3324.

I don't care much about myths mainly because I do my own thing.  

The funny thing about these shaving "myths" is the fact they are mostly created by people in the shaving community at some point or another, and they just keep growing.

And the YouTube "experts" don't help much in this department, specially when they are doing a sales pitch on a freebie.

Hey my original post is absolute fact.

1. You cannot get an irritation free and BBS shave from a cartridge.

Nonsense. I can. Just as wyze0ne doesn't need pre-shave prep, broad over reaching statements are also ridiculous. Never say never.

2. Using an alcohol based after shave is good for you.

Maybe in 1965 when nothing else was available but this isn't 1965 anymore. It should be intuitively obvious to anyone that willingly taking a masochist approach and slapping on the burn, when soothing balms exist that also take care of nicks, would be masochistic and unnecessary and intuitively NOT good for you when alternatives exist. Few people willingly give themselves pain.  

3. Canned shaving cream, or as used in the virtual community as the derogatory term "canned goo" is the evil spawn of the devil.

If this were true, then the millions upon millions of people who have been using it since the early 1950s would be dead from it. Find 10 cases of anyone dying or falling sick from using canned shaving cream.

4. Chubby brushes and stiff backbones is the defacto standard. Floppy brushes are poor and to be avoided.

Nonsense. I have a very floppy brush and it works great for creams. In fact, it works on everything.

5. Nobody need buy any shaving soap more expensive than (fill in your choice (e.g., arko, CO bigelow, Williams).

ROFL. The same can be said of Edge then.

6. The Razor industry, all kinds, is booming in the US

FALSE. Annual growth from 2011 to 2016 is (-.9%)

7. Canned Shaving Cream (aka goo) is the most popular shaving cream sold in the US

FALSE. Gel is the most popular.

8. "Shaving" is more popular than ever.

FALSE. Its flatlined since 2011 hurt by things like casual Friday and the ever popular three day stubble.

9. Disposable razors are a dying breed.

FALSE. Sales jumped $23M https://www.creditdonkey.com/shaving-statistics.html  

10. Cartridge razors simple pieces of plastic easy to make.

FALSE  http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/news/a6833/razors

"[Gillete] spent around $750m in research and development costs [for the profusion]  

it represents the very apex of precision engineering and medical know-how, literally cutting-edge science. Take Gillette's Fusion ProGlide Power Razor. It contains more than 60 different parts. It's so complicated there's only two factories in the world that can make it. Each of its six blades are spot-welded 13 times – that's 78 welds per cartridge. (Gillette does more welding than many car manufacturers.) Those six blades are now so thin – far thinner than, say, a surgeon's scalpel – that scientists have to examine them using atomic microscopes, the same ones Nasa uses. At their tips, they measure 25 nanometers, a figure that's smaller than the wave of visible light.

11. Edge thickness of a DE blade is smaller than a cartridge blade (not discussing the angle or hardness)

See article above. cartridge blade is 25 nm. See http://www.bushcraftuk.com/downloads/pdf...shexps.pdf Gillette DE blade .35 microns or 350 nm

  Or this could all be nonsense.

Grim, great post.


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This is a very interesting and useful thread.

I agree with most of what I see here. I have learned a lot.

I do disagree with some but I guess everyone does depending on their experiences.

My biggest and most adamant disagreement is:

""[Gillete] spent around $750m in research and development costs [for the profusion]

it represents the very apex of precision engineering and medical know-how, literally cutting-edge science. Take Gillette's Fusion ProGlide Power Razor. It contains more than 60 different parts. It's so complicated there's only two factories in the world that can make it. Each of its six blades are spot-welded 13 times – that's 78 welds per cartridge. (Gillette does more welding than many car manufacturers.) Those six blades are now so thin – far thinner than, say, a surgeon's scalpel – that scientists have to examine them using atomic microscopes, the same ones Nasa uses. At their tips, they measure 25 nanometers, a figure that's smaller than the wave of visible light. "

I tried that bit of Gillette hyperbole, much of which and more is repeated here, that expensive mechanical monstrosity and tested it in my own studiously unscientific way for a whole month.
$750 million down the drain in my opinion. I presume King's company is making it all worthwhile though.

I suppose there are many who think I am nuts. Perhaps they are right but my face and experience told me all I wanted to know.

Mickey (Don't tell me. Show me.)

pragmatism |ˈpragməˌtizəm|
noun
1 a pragmatic attitude or policy: ideology was tempered with pragmatism.
2 Philosophy an approach that assesses the truth of meaning of theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application.