Comments on: The Gay Blade

By: daw

daw — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 10:01:24 +0000

So I visited Taylor’s of Old Bond Street, which is not on Old Bond Street at all. Vibe was kinda creepy/tacky — mostly like a times square souvenir store but staffed by a race of people that have been serving the British aristocracy for many generations, and have consequently evolved in a sort of gollumish direction.

I have also now tried the double-edge shaving routine a few times and, while fairly pleasing and effective, I have to say it did not feel particularly gay. This despite my choosing lavender Taylor’s shaving cream, which I thought would maximize the Oscar Wilde aspects. I’m also not getting the old English aristocracy vibe, or the macho old school JFK/Churchill vibe. On the whole, it’s pretty much shaving.

I suspect the purported benefits with respect to the actual shave (over mach 3 + can of gel) are mainly that a nice brush & cream encourage, and an unforgiving razor forces, you to go really slowly and pay a lot of attention.

By: davidh

davidh — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 22:12:48 +0000

I’m with peterb. Electric razors do not work for my manly beard. I find that if i grow out my beard for a few weeks, it becomes easier to shave as I’ve unclogged all my pores. I’ve always fantisized about using a “real” razor and brush w/ cream. After reading this article, I am now motivated to take the plunge. Worst-case scenario is that I can re-use my razor as a weapon to force the software team to get critical customer bugs into our next software release.

By: daw

daw — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 02:17:00 +0000

That site is a riot. You are absolutely right — every line is much gayer than the last. It must be deliberate — his personal shaving dominatrix man, the brokeback mountain cream love scene, wanting to shave with as many things other than shaving cream as possible. It’s some hoax parody of gay porn and we are being taken in.

Nevertheless, heterosexual shaving has always been singularly unfulfilling for me, and this lifestyle has me curious. I shall visit Taylors of Old Bond Street tomorrow (not far from my office, as it happens), and report back.

By: peterb

peterb — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 02:03:51 +0000

Thomas,

I tried to imply (but I guess failed) that there are people for whom electric shavers work. I wish I was one of these lucky folks, because it would certainly be more convenient, but I’m not.

And yes, the brush thing is very Elmer Fudd. I kinda like it, though.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 01:41:54 +0000

I’ve been using a brush with some decent but not too froo froo shaving lotion (the Italian Proraso) for about a year now and I really like it. I think the brush and the lotion make more of a difference than the razor, but I haven’t tried a double edged razor. I’m using a regular Mach 3 which replaced the Sensor I had for about 20 years.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 21:41:26 +0000

I guess I’m just lucky that electric razors have always worked for me. I spent way too much on a new one last year, but the convenience was well worth it.

I mean, good god. You’ve got a brush you use? I thought that was only in Bugs Bunny cartoons.

By: Troy Goodfellow

Troy Goodfellow — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 21:13:02 +0000

I hate electric razors – find them really ineffectve and it’s not like I have a beard of iron wool.

Disposable razors are a great way to give blood. When I forget my razor on trips, this is the inevitable default option and I always regret it.