Teaching your son how to shave is a big moment. Your son is getting older, probably faster than you realize, and soon he’ll be responsible for more personal grooming than ever before. Teaching him how to shave is an opportunity to bond with each other, but it’s also going to set the stage for how he shaves in the future—possibly for the rest of his life. It’s on you to make this experience as rewarding and beneficial as possible.
While it’s tempting to teach your son how to shave with a multi-bladed razor, or even an electric razor, you shouldn’t overlook the straight razor—which is coming back in style thanks in part to companies like Shave.net offering a variety of high-quality straight razors.
Teaching someone to shave with a straight razor is like teaching them shaving on hard mode. So why would you do this to him and to yourself?
Starting With the Hardest Method
It’s much easier to learn something difficult and transition to something easy than it is to learn something easy and transition to something difficult. If you teach your son how to shave with a convenient electric razor, they may find it nearly impossible to transition to a straight razor later. If you teach him how to shave with a straight razor, he can easily transition to a multi-blade razor, electric razor, or any other method.
Basically, this is a way to increase the shaving options available to your son as he becomes an adult. Giving him a foundation with the most difficult possible method will make all other methods seem easier. Hopefully, he’ll stick with straight razor shaving, due to the enormous benefits.
A Closer, More Precise Shave
Straight razors allow for a much closer, more precise shave. Because they’re so sharp, and because they can be held almost parallel against the skin, they allow shavers to get much closer to the skin, resulting in a smoother final appearance. They also have a crisp shape, allowing you to shave much more precisely than with a multi-blade razor or electric razor. Depending on your goals, this can help you achieve a more polished facial hair shape, or help you establish a more professional, put-together look.
Comfort and Skincare
It may seem like a straight razor will be a more uncomfortable experience, but the opposite is likely true. While learning how to shave with a straight razor can take some time, resulting in some nicks and cuts, once you master the art, it’s much better for your skin—and much more comfortable during the experience.
This is because single-blade razors and multi-blade razors often get under the skin to cut hairs, and multi-blade razors pass over the same patches of skin multiple times, resulting in more irritation. Overall, you’re much more likely to get razor bumps, skin irritation, and even ingrown hairs. By contrast, shaving with a straight razor will keep your skin healthier, and more comfortable during the actual shave.
Long-Term Costs
Shaving can get expensive, fast. While it may not seem like razor cartridges cost much, if you’re replacing them on a weekly or semi-weekly basis, the costs can add up. Razors themselves don’t cost much money, but over the course of a few years, you can easily spend hundreds of dollars on replacement components.
By contrast, a straight razor is a bit of an investment up front, but it has the potential to last a lifetime. You’ll need to spend time cleaning, honing, and/or sharpening the blade, but you shouldn’t need to replace it, nor will you need additional cartridges. If your son learns how to shave with a straight razor early (and you provide him with a straight razor), you could set him up for a lifetime of inexpensive shaving—and one less thing to worry about.
Confidence and Self-Esteem
Your son may be reluctant to learn how to shave with a straight razor due to its perceived difficulty, but if they master the art, they’ll feel highly accomplished. Every time they finish shaving, they’ll feel great about how they look, and proud that they were able to shave with such a precise instrument. Higher confidence and higher self-esteem will help them in multiple distinct areas of their lives.
Teaching proper straight razor technique can be difficult, but it’s not all that different from traditional shaving techniques. Spend some time perfecting the technique for yourself (if you haven’t yet), and make sure your son understands why you’re doing this. As an added bonus, you’ll get to spend more time with your son, turning it into a bonding experience that you both will remember for years.
