Wise advice from Oscar --- Merker Man

[brothers]

Merker Man (Oscar) often takes time to repeat this eloquent and profound advice, as found in his sig: "Remember; It's Not A Race, It's Your Face... "

Why do I bring this up, particularly in the SR forum? Here's why:

I shave regularly with both DE razors and SRs. I've had good and bad shaves with both types. At this stage of the game, it's not the equipment, it's the technique. I've been a bit frustrated lately, not able to get SR shaves as consistently as smooth as with DEs.

It occurred to me last night that maybe I've been moving my shaving hand too fast, as the blade of the SR passes over the whiskers. I think the SR cutting edge was moving so fast as it whistled past the whiskers, that they weren't being cut very efficiently. So this morning I deliberately slowed it down by about half. Not a zip-zip-zip like before, my goal is to get more of a ... swish --- swish --- swish pattern in the shaving strokes.

Going slow also means I've got to intensify my concentration on the pressure and the angle even more diligently than when I was making the cutting strokes at a higher rate of speed. I can see that my technique is not as perfect as I imagined. (...duh...!!!) This is a worthwhile task, and the result proved I'm on the right track.

Thanks Oscar, for keeping me humble with your sage words of wisdom. I'm trying to slow it down.

[KAV]

I just shared your epiphany. There is a reason even professionals still consult coaches or academics. We all let small flaws become part of our expertise because native talent and the happy combination of good kit and overall skill pushes us beyond the mean average but just short of perfection.

[GollyMrScience]

This post showed up just as I was contemplating posting about an experience I had shaving two days ago.
I was shaving as a beeping sound started coming from outside. Something like a backup alarm.
I found that I was slipping into the rythm of that beeping. Like shaving to the beat of a metronome.
And the shave was excellent.
Then I remembered that back when I had a large mechanical clock in my shave den the same thing happened to the tick tock rythm.
And the shaves were excellent.
Since I don't expect any heavy equipment to be in my area every time I shave I will have to come up with some other approach to see if I can duplicate the result.
Sort of the like the silent waltz count 1-2-3....1-2-3....
That will be the next gee gaw that the big razor companies can hang on their latest razors.

[JimDandy]

First learning fly casting and now this. The metronome... a shaver's best friend.

[PACHUCO]

Oscar always provides sage advise. I learned the hard way to slow it down; I have a nice one inch scar below my right eye to remind me every time I shave with a straight...I like to think it adds character. Whenever people ask me how I got it I tell them it was a knife fight, and that they should see the other guy. That usually stops further questioning.

Serg