The art of a good smoke - and wetshaving

[RevSmoke]

I put most of this post over on Badger & Blade. Some of this post is specific to that board (highlighted below), but the rest applies to this board - and hopefully encourages others to come to appreciate my newfound passion for wetshaving.

Well, I remember grandpa and dad doing the shave prep with a brush, soap, and a DE razor. Although I'm closer to 50 than 40, I don't remember doing the wetshave thing.

I remember my first pipe and my first cigar - both almost 30 years ago. I have grown to enjoy the ritual that goes into both as I prepare for a relaxing smoke - and those things which make both the pipe and the cigar a great experience - that and of course, the smoking of them. Relaxing and enjoying them comes as part of the whole ritual.

I used to be a cigarette smoker, and there is a similarity to smoking a cigarette that is much like shaving with a multiblade cartridge and shave cream from a can. It gets the job done, but there is no "personality" in either.

Now that I am a newbie to wetshaving, there is a certain similarity in the preparation and ultimate shave. It is the total experience that makes it enjoyable, as the ritual gives personality to shaving.

I have a teenage son who was starting to shave before I had begun to experience wetshaving. I bought him a Mach3, a can of shave goop, showed him what to do. It was a chore I prepared him for, but without fanfare and without much love for it. "You make your face presentable by doing this. Get it done quickly and get on with your day. Wow! What a terrible father I was. But it was because I had never been given a love for care of my own face.

In retrospect, when he was born I chose a put a couple premium, hand-rolled cigars (2 Cubans and 2 Domestics) aside in a humidor to age until he is old enough for me to sit down and enjoy one with me - one each for him and for me. He's seen the ritual of cutting, lighting, and finally smoking a fine cigar. When he is ready, I had plans to teach him how to do so himself - carefully snip or punch the cigar, toast the foot, light it, sit back and savor the flavor.

He's watched me prepare a pipe for smoking and enjoys the aroma that fills the air. I have a pipe selected that I will give him to try when he's the right age. I will sit with him and walk him through the steps of the art of enjoying a fine pipe.

Now, we are learning together the art of caring for our faces by the art of wetshaving. I am glad we are learning together. But, I am saddened that my father and I never shared that experience. We're learning how to work up a good lather, rejoicing when we get the right consistency and can massage it into our face. He's still going with the Mach3 (the DE blades scare him) but he's promised to try that once he learns the first step - prepping his face so that he gets a close shave without the pain. He's learning the ritual and the joy of a shave.

I think of the years that I lost just scraping the whiskers off my face. I look forward to learning more about the art of the shave.

It is my hope that I can bring the enjoyment of the art of fine tobacco to those who are teaching me to enjoy the art of the shave.

Peace of the Lord be with you.