I have a feeling that 2015 is going to be a big year for traditional wet shaving, Sharpologist, and me. So I have made three shaving-related resolutions for the new year that I want to share with you.
Resolution #1: Get Really Good At Straight Razor Shaving
I’ve played with straight razor shaving in fits-and-starts over the years. I’m a “weekend warrior” straight razor shaver–trying to improve my form when I have the time. But now I think it’s time for me to get really good at it (and pass along my experiences). I want to initially get comfortable with Western-style straight razors, including honing (though I have no plans to become a honemeister). Then I plan to start dipping my toes more deeply into Kamisori waters.
Resolution #2: Make A Shaving Video At Least Every Other Week
I have neglected my shaving videos for far too long. I enjoy making them and viewers appear to enjoy watching them. 🙂 So I’m going to try to make videos much more often. Ideally I’d like to post one per week but I think a more realistic schedule would be one every-other-week or so.
Resolution #3: Make Sharpologist And Shaving/Grooming Advocacy My Full-Time Job
My biggest, scariest resolution. I have not been happy with my “real” job for some time, and now it looks like my employer will soon be going through one of their periodic reorganizations with “reductions in force” (in other words, layoffs). If that happens–and I think it likely sometime during the first quarter of 2015–I plan to take a deep breath and dive in, making Sharpologist my full-time job.
What do you think of my resolutions? Do you have any shaving/grooming resolutions of your own for the new year? Leave a comment here!
Hey Mark, best of luck in all your endevers for the new year! Your videos are inspiring though I hope your soon to be for profit endever won’t change your currently unbiased reviews! Again best wishes
Looking forward to more videos, and if a full-time switch to Sharpologist is in the works, then looking forward to seeing the products of the resolution…
When I made the switch to DE shaving (I had previously switched to brush and soap/cream, albeit with a cartridge razor and a crappy brush for a year and a half before jumping to DE and a proper wet-shave a couple of years ago), your videos were certainly a great help, along with a few other great ones I found… And frankly, as experienced as any of us are, I don’t believe in the idea of one having “perfect technique” so I’m always up for more pointers and tips to try and make my shaves even better (I get pretty great shaves now, but always looking to improve).
I look forward to your attempts at mastering the cut-throat (and hopefully some accompanying posts/videos…)… I’ve been pondering making the leap (at least on weekends), but haven’t mustered up the courage to acquire one yet and to give it a go (my dad has always been a straight-razor guy, albeit for the limited regions around his ‘stache and beard, but it always intimidated me, so I never took the leap… I’ve had great straight shaves… by a barber, but have stuck to the DE on the home front).
For me no shaving related resolutions this year, last year it was to really work on technique, and to find the right blade for my face… And I felt like I well on both fronts, dialing in technique for better consistency and less irritation, and settling on Feathers… (albeit the best lesson from the last year was that the most important technique is what you don’t do, rather than what you do… i.e. to stop over-razoring in search of BBS, rather to do less, but more precisely and letting the BBS come to me, and actually reducing the passes on most of the face and replacing the last pass with finishing techniques specific to the stubborn parts of my face… since I had a tendency to irritate spots on my face where the hair wasn’t particularly stubborn just by trying to be even with the attention given everywhere, rather than stopping when things were good enough, and then assessing the problem spots and targeting them with the extra effort…)
Thanks for the post, Mark, and best of luck with you with everything, especially that last one. I’d definitely enjoy seeing more videos from you as well.
Personally, I just wanna keep it simple and start:
1. Wet shave with regular frequency
2. Quite possibly pursue a new career.
Wishing you the best on your resolutions, Mark. Have to say I had to think hard about 3 myself, but here goes…
1) New job… a must for me.
2) Make an attempt at 1 shave with old school straight.
3) Enjoy the road ahead just a little more than I applied to life’s journey in 2014.
Hey Mark !
My best wishes for your three ideas.
With your great videos and issues I learnt how to DE shave but I was on my own regarding my new obsession, the straights.
So I’m looking forward to see your findings and tricks for a perfect straight shave.
Concerning resolution #3, my advice is that, before jumping into it without a parachute, you double check your “business case” and get a hard and honest review by an external person that might challenge you on the plan and sustainability. If the idea passes the review and the risks are acceptable on your family, go !!
Take care, ciao
Waltz
Hi Walter– I have already talked to several entrepreneurs and business people. I have been working on the business case and ‘minimum viable products’ and right now things are looking good. But I do have a “plan B” (and even a “plan C”) if things don’t work out. 🙂
Hi Mark, I wish you good luck with your new year resolutions, especially the third one. I know how hard it is to make such a small wish come true, but I believe you’ll manage.
I was taught straight Razor shaving by my father. At the age of 20 shaving with them daily. 67 now and love this grooming ritual. You have great and attainable 2015 resolutions.
Best wishes for 2015.
My resolutions for 2015:
1. Use up some of the soaps I have before buying more.
2. Figure out a good blade to use from the samper pack I received for Christmas.
3. Finish a few projects around the house.
Hi Mark
Go for it. People are interested in not only your reviews and excellent shaving videos but you personally.
All the best, and ditch that job for a passionate one.
Bazza
I have learned so much from your videos and really enjoy watching. My father left when I was 5 and my older brother barely let me in the bathroom to even see what a razor was so its a miracle I didn’t scrape off my nose in my teens. I love wet shaving and thought I was doing a fair job but wanted to really perfect a technique. I found a gem at a antique strip mall in the form of a GE fatboy, $5 in good condition. I cleaned it and oiled it and it is awesome, a badger brush with Taylor of Old Bond cream and I couldn’t be happier. I bought a Dovo straight razor and had a master barber teach me how to not cut my throat and I really enjoy it but as of now it’s a weekend shave until I perfect my technique. Thanks for all you do for us “orphan” shavers :). Best of luck in your new endeavor. Happy New Year!
Good luck!
My 3 are.
1. To use up the waist amount of soapes i’ve got.
2. Focus on My technique with My favorite razors, Merkur 39c and Progress.
Pontus
3. Try to find The best razor blade for me.
Thank you for your videos Mark. You helped me “unlearn” what my Dad taught me 45+ years ago. His intentions were good, but his method was “monkey see … monkey do” with little to no explanations. I returned to wet shaving with a DE in early Septempber and I’m loving every minute of it.
My resolution is to overcome my acquisition disorder. Instead of trying new soaps, creams, after shaves, etc., which adds too many variables in my routine, I will stick with what works for me and focus on technique.
Hi Mark,
Best wishes for 2015 and good luck with your resolutions!
I’m definitely looking forward to more videos.
My resolution is to master my recently acquired NEW LC. Everybody raves about them but I still don’t get the magic, just irritatoon for the moment.
My resolution is to faze out all my cheap creams and balms and sit at grown up table. Happy 2015!!
Leonard there are some very good inexpensive creams and balms, you just have to know where to look. Just be sure to get rid of the stuff from the pressurized can!
Good luck with your resolutions!
Mine are;
1. Get through at lest one tub of shaving soap before buying any more ( thought it was just me but it appears from the replies this is a common addiction).
2. Stop going into the bathroom just to smell my shave creams.
3. Have at least one shave with my edwin jagger without polishing it afterwards….it does look great when the chrome is gleaming!
Hey John,
Nice to know that I’m not the only one out there doing those exact three things that you’re pointing out. Guilty as charge.! I already commuted two (2 & 3) of those first thing this morning of 1-1-15. Happy New Year to all and good luck with your resolutions.
Res. #3: Great news. I wish you the best with it. It is gutsy, but them that don’t try will never know.
Res. #2: Boy, that would be good news for us. I won’t hold it against you if you don’t make the 1 every 2 week goal. Maybe you could knock out 2 per month to start. Good luck!
Res. #1: Forget it. I first started to try to master one in my teens. Now that I’m in my seventies I still haven’t been able to get it down.
The damn things scare me. I admire you for trying.
Happy New Year to all. Ron I
Great resolutions Mark. I wish all of the best luck with all three. Mine are relatively simple.
1. Use up some of my shaving soap stockpile – I intend on starting a new soap and using it completely up before I switch.
2. Continue to hone my technique with the Gillette New LC razor.
3. Enjoy the gear and software I already have and avoid purchasing new stuff (unless of course I come upon a NOS Toggle at an antique store for a ridiculous price!)
Happy New Year!
If you find a NOS Toggle ask if they have extras! 😉
Very happy to hear that you are going to try and make more shaving videos in 2015. Your videos are pretty much solely responsible for keeping me a traditional wet shaver. In the beginning I had no clue as to what I was doing and almost gave up. If I hadn’t found your videos, I would have.
Mark/Mantic59
I hope your current boss doesn’t subscribe to Sharpologist. 🙂
Oh the boss is quite well aware of the re-organizational issues, it wouldn’t be news to him. In any case he shows no interest in my “side job.”
Mark, thanks for all your work. Best wishes for 2015 from the UK. I look forward to the new shaving videos!
All the best for 2015
At the age of 83 I have experimented with many shaving devices and ancillary products – none has ever been as successful as a straight razor and soap and brush – however the drawback is the time involved and maintenance – my facial hair growth is multidirectional and I have never achieved a “perfect” shave with anything other than a straight razor – after a little practice I am able to use both hands equally well so eliminating the need for a “backhand” action to shave my left side (I am right-handed).
Looking forward to further advice and comments on SR and other devices specially razor sharpening.
Mark,
I think you have some great wet shaving goals for 2015. I have been thinking about some wet shaving resolutions for the past few weeks for myself and have come to a couple of goals. 1. Use my straight razors more, I have been dabbling with straight razor shaving about twice a month for the last few months and would love to improve my skills.
2. I would like commit to using up all of a container of soap before buying anymore. I have yet to use all of any one container or puck of soap I own.
If you manage to finish a container, send me a pic of the empty! I’ve never been able to do it.
I will definitely do that Mark. I think I will attempt to tackle one of more heavier used soaps first, that seems like the logical place to start. Wish me luck 😉
Happy New Year & good health to all. My resolution for this new year is to buy more safety razors, shaving soaps and shaving accessories as my budget will allow. And of course staying up to date on all the new shaving news on your website. Thank you!
Good man, LOL. 🙂
All good news as far as I can see. Good health & prosperity in the coming year.
Given email address is already subscribed, thank you!
I signed up months ago but never received the book.
Mickey Oberman
[Address Redacted]
Hi Mickey– Is the email address you used to leave your comment a good one to send the book to? I’ll email it right out!
I love your resolutions. I’ve never tried straight razor shaving, but am seriously thinking of it. I do resolve to not flit about with different razors and soaps. I just started using a Parker 26c and am really happy with that using the German made Wilkinsons. I’m still looking for the perfect soap for shaving, however I’m going to use up all that I’ve got before buying more.
Hope all your resolutions are what you wish them to be. I have always enjoyed your comments,videos ect. and look foward to more of the same..Very best Holiday wishes
Mark,
I wish you all the best with your third resolution. I have been through the “reduction in force” process. I know that can be a rather daunting situation moving into the “unknowns” that the process entails. May you have nothing but good fortune in moving to a position as a full time traditional shaving advocate with Sharpologist.
Mr. Mantic,
I have only found your site in the past few weeks. I have found it informative and enjoy reading it. I do wish you well on your resolutions. I am not esp certain if it is appropriate to ask this query here. If not, I apologize in advance.
I recently ordered an adjustable Merkur DE razor, and I am concerned (perhaps overly) over the actual finish. This is the one with the rather ‘unattractive looking’ plastic-y knob on the bottom of the handle. To me, for the $80.00 price, (long handle) it seems that one can see some little imperfections up and down the handle in several places. I am not OCD, and realize that one is not buying perfection, and that those several tiny dings will not impact the quality of the shave, but as a recent convert to this system, I am simply wondering if this is the norm? I know it sounds insignificant, but I really would like to get your opinion on this. Perhaps Merkur is known for this vs other companies.?? Thanks in advance, for any insight or perspective you can provide. Sorry if this is not the right forum, or if I have taken too much room…
I think in 2015 I will try to shave with an open comb razor. Currently my everyday razor is an Edwin Jagger DE 89.
Good luck in the New Year. Feel free to check out my blog post about my friend Rich who has become quite the shaving enthusiast, and who helped get me hooked on wet shaving.
https://americanhayburner.wordpress.com/2014/11/23/richard-polands-guide-to-shaving-like-a-man/
Good read, thanks. 🙂
That sounds awesome, Mantic — one, I really enjoy your shaving videos, and two, there is hope for more of those straight related. I am sure you will share your findings with us on your channel.
Personally, all the best of luck for your business plans! I am sure all of us will help you within our means if you tell us how.
My own resolution: stop buying *anything* shaving related, I have way too much stuff from soaps and creams via brushes and after shaves to blades and DE razors. I also own seven straight razors, and of those you simply can’t have too many. 😉
Other than refraining from more shaving acquisitions, my only resolution for 2015 is to smoke more cigarettes. 😉
Good luck to all of you at sharpologist.com, and to all readers!
But don’t be afraid to consider a new product when it comes out! 😉
Best of luck for it! Especially on the last one. I should really do something similar…
I’ll try to imitate o the first one. Brrrr…
A happy New Year to you and to everyone!
Looking forward to following your experiences.
I have never tried any other razors than cartridge based. I am a bit frightened, but that is one of my goals in 2015.
Good luck to you. I hope you are able to make the leap to a full time gig with shaving!
– Joby
TheBaldFatGuy
Give a DE a try, at least for your face (though I know of some who use one for their head too). I’ll be watching for your new site launch!
Best of Luck. Just wanted to let you know your the one that got me started wet shaving. Looking forward to the video’s!!!!!!! No straight razor for me. I would wind up bleeding a lot. Old age and the yips.
Looking forward to the reality of your resolutions. My shaving resolutions are to just get a better technique with the DE so I can keep most shaves to just two passes.
Also, good luck on the job move should you go that way. I have watched a few other bloggers I follow make that leap. It is interesting hearing their stories.
Good luck making a living from this website, I really think you would earn it but I just wonder if you can earn enough.
Best of luck on your resolutions, Mark, Like Bruce, I am looking forward to following your straight razor adventures. I have no plans to get into true straight razors (though something like a Feather Artist Club intrigues me) as I have no interest in stropping and honing. I do love to get a true straight shave from an experienced barber, though.
As to your third resolution, I look forward to the day when you are tending to this site full time. But I really hope you aren’t forced into it. Better to do it on your own schedule. But when life gives you lemons, sometimes you just have to make limoncello. I look forward to the day all of the articles are by you, and the regular contributors, and not some of the filler we see now. (I understand why they are here, now, though.)
I’m not really a “resolution” guy. But I made and kept a New Years Resolution one year, and it was the best year of my life. That resolution was “Drink more, and better, champagne.”
Ha! In that case you would be interested in this: http://mentalfloss.com/article/29610/brief-history-champagne
(I’ve had Dom Perignon once in my life but it was a memorable experience!)
Well, if you ever want to spend Dom money (I remain unconvinced it is necessary) try Salon. I believe they say something like “Dom makes more champagne in a day than we make in a year.” Great stuff. Worth the money? Depends on what your money is worth to you. Sounds like some shaving products, no?
I will keep an eye out for Salon. 😉
Your expertise has more impact on millions of wet shavers, than on thousands @U.T.
I’m not clear about your urge to master STR8 razors though. They scare me. Happy 2015 and thanks.
Larry, my urge to master straight’s is *because* they scare me. 🙂
Those are pretty bold resolutions, I like it! I look forward to watching and reading your progress thru the year. Good luck to you sir and here’s to a happy and prosperous New Year!!
Thanks Bruce. I am really going to try my best!
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