I rarely recommend cartridge razors, but...

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My wife and I were doing our weekly grocery shopping today in a Safeway store, and as I passed the shaving goods aisle with our grocery cart, a woman appearing to be in her 40s sort of accosted me, walking up to me and starting to talk about her son, who was standing behind her with their cart. I thought she was going to ask me for spare change, but instead she said that her son was now having to shave almost every day, that he wanted a closer shave than he was getting with an electric razor but had somewhat sensitive skin, that the boy's father had died last year, and that she didn't know what to suggest to him for a "straight razor." I explained to her the difference between a straight razor and a safety razor. I asked her son, who looked to me to be around 20 years old, if he had ever used anything other than an electric shaver, and he said no. And I noticed - although I try not to pigeonhole people or make too many assumptions about them - that he appeared to be just a little mentally challenged. (Having been a pediatrician at one time, I learned well how to recognize the subtle and not-so-subtle signs of developmental delay or mental "slowness" in kids and young adults.)

The woman asked what kind of razor I use, and I told her about traditional double edge razors and blades. She asked if her son should use one. Well, with my impression of her son and a gut feeling about the safety concerns of double edge blades, I recommended that he try a Gillette Fusion, saying that men who use cartridge razors spoke highly of it and that it probably would be quite good for a young fellow with sensitive skin. She was very effusive in thanking me for the guidance.

So did I do the right thing? I'm not sure. I hope so.
 
My wife and I were doing our weekly grocery shopping today in a Safeway store, and as I passed the shaving goods aisle with our grocery cart, a woman appearing to be in her 40s sort of accosted me, walking up to me and starting to talk about her son, who was standing behind her with their cart. I thought she was going to ask me for spare change, but instead she said that her son was now having to shave almost every day, that he wanted a closer shave than he was getting with an electric razor but had somewhat sensitive skin, that the boy's father had died last year, and that she didn't know what to suggest to him for a "straight razor." I explained to her the difference between a straight razor and a safety razor. I asked her son, who looked to me to be around 20 years old, if he had ever used anything other than an electric shaver, and he said no. And I noticed - although I try not to pigeonhole people or make too many assumptions about them - that he appeared to be just a little mentally challenged. (Having been a pediatrician at one time, I learned well how to recognize the subtle and not-so-subtle signs of developmental delay or mental "slowness" in kids and young adults.)

The woman asked what kind of razor I use, and I told her about traditional double edge razors and blades. She asked if her son should use one. Well, with my impression of her son and a gut feeling about the safety concerns of double edge blades, I recommended that he try a Gillette Fusion, saying that men who use cartridge razors spoke highly of it and that it probably would be quite good for a young fellow with sensitive skin. She was very effusive in thanking me for the guidance.

So did I do the right thing? I'm not sure. I hope so.
Yes from what you have said I think you did the right thing, well done.
 
I'd say you did right. DE shaving might be our thing but its not suitable for all. I might bang the drum but I wouldn't sleep at night if I'd insisted that a Parkinsons sufferer used a DE just because I think its great for example, it wouldn't be suitable for him.
 
My wife and I were doing our weekly grocery shopping today in a Safeway store, and as I passed the shaving goods aisle with our grocery cart, a woman appearing to be in her 40s sort of accosted me, walking up to me and starting to talk about her son, who was standing behind her with their cart. I thought she was going to ask me for spare change, but instead she said that her son was now having to shave almost every day, that he wanted a closer shave than he was getting with an electric razor but had somewhat sensitive skin, that the boy's father had died last year, and that she didn't know what to suggest to him for a "straight razor." I explained to her the difference between a straight razor and a safety razor. I asked her son, who looked to me to be around 20 years old, if he had ever used anything other than an electric shaver, and he said no. And I noticed - although I try not to pigeonhole people or make too many assumptions about them - that he appeared to be just a little mentally challenged. (Having been a pediatrician at one time, I learned well how to recognize the subtle and not-so-subtle signs of developmental delay or mental "slowness" in kids and young adults.)

The woman asked what kind of razor I use, and I told her about traditional double edge razors and blades. She asked if her son should use one. Well, with my impression of her son and a gut feeling about the safety concerns of double edge blades, I recommended that he try a Gillette Fusion, saying that men who use cartridge razors spoke highly of it and that it probably would be quite good for a young fellow with sensitive skin. She was very effusive in thanking me for the guidance.

So did I do the right thing? I'm not sure. I hope so.
I totally agree with others, its something that I don't think you would want a young kid without supervision to jump into.
 
Thanks for the comments. My response to her was limited by our setting in the grocery store aisle, and I also felt like there was a risk in providing too much information. I guess I could have suggested to her that she find a shaving mentor for her son, but I suspected that she already had thought of that.
 
A Guy at 20 a Kid..Mentally Challenged..I have Gotta Laugh at the Good Samaritan Stuff..By the Time I was 20 Years Old I had been in Active Service Twice & Been Shot & Blown Up & Seen Guys Splattered to Hell & Back..:eek:

I was a Dangerous Killing Machine & a Mental Nut Case..You Would think a Razor the Way Folks Talk about them Around here was Some Sort of Dangerous Challenging Tool to Use that a Lot of Folks around here Appear to Find Mentally Challenging.;)

Billy
 
A Guy at 20 a Kid..Mentally Challenged..I have Gotta Laugh at the Good Samaritan Stuff..By the Time I was 20 Years Old I had been in Active Service Twice & Been Shot & Blown Up & Seen Guys Splattered to Hell & Back..:eek:

I was a Dangerous Killing Machine & a Mental Nut Case..You Would think a Razor the Way Folks Talk about them Around here was Some Sort of Dangerous Challenging Tool to Use that a Lot of Folks around here Appear to Find Mentally Challenging.;)

Billy
You "was" a mental nut case? :)
 
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...And I noticed - although I try not to pigeonhole people or make too many assumptions about them - that he appeared to be just a little mentally challenged. (Having been a pediatrician at one time, I learned well how to recognize the subtle and not-so-subtle signs of developmental delay or mental "slowness" in kids and young adults.)...

You have just successfully quantified at least half of the general population. :D ;)

I concur that your advice was the best for the situation.
 
I joined at 15 and amongst my issue kit was a cheap and I am talking cheap DE razor. One of the lads who looked like he had been shaving from the cradle kept us straight, a proxy dad. However we are in a different world now and I think you did the correct thing, guessing there was nobody there to advise him. You have to try very hard to screw up shaving with a cartridge razor, but they do work.
 
You did the right thing and your advice was sound. But, may I ask, why are you apologetic about recommending a cartridge razor? I've been shaving for over 50 years and I've used many different cartridge razors, DEs and SEs, but after all that I've found I get the best shave, in terms of closeness and lack of irritation, from a Mach3 and Sensor. Many people are disdainful of cartridges, usually because they don't get close, irritation-free shaves from them, but I've limited my use of DEs and SEs for this reason. Nevertheless, it doesn't make less of a 'wet shaver' than those who swear by DEs, SEs or straights...as we like to say, YMWV.
 
I joined at 15 and amongst my issue kit was a cheap and I am talking cheap DE razor. One of the lads who looked like he had been shaving from the cradle kept us straight, a proxy dad. However we are in a different world now and I think you did the correct thing, guessing there was nobody there to advise him. You have to try very hard to screw up shaving with a cartridge razor, but they do work.
Can you remember what it was you was issued with? In the late 70s early 80s you had to supply you're own shave kit, ha, still had a cheap OC from Woolworths and a boar brush and a stick of soap but I can't remember what it was! Quick cold water shaves and out on parade!!
 
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