No guard...

[Spleener]

Hey guys,

I've been lurking the forums since August. Love the site!

I'm 45, and have been feeling the effects of MPB for about 15 years. I've never been all that bugged about it, but I've never liked the sort of in-between look of thinning on top. I've been buzzing for over 10 years, and getting progressively shorter as things on top got more sparse. For the last year or so I've been at a #2 or #3, and went down to a #1 a few months ago.

I've been thinking pretty hard about going sly; my biggest reservation has been reactions of family and folks at work. I decided going to no guard with the trimmer might be a good first step, and last night I finally decided to do it. I walked into the bedroom after I was done, and my wife said, "Oh, you decided to shave tonight--how come?" I told her I wanted to see what it would look like if I buzzed my hair shorter...her reply was, "Oh, is it shorter?" I told her I've been thinking about shaving my head...she said, "Oh really?" and then started talking about the Norwegian cookbook she was reading.

The exhange helped me realize that A) I'm pretty much already the nearly-bald guy with a buzz as far as my friends and family are concerned, and B) nobody really cares that much. I think everyone else is too busy worrying about his/her own hair to give much thought to mine. I've pretty much made up my mind to go sly the next time I have a week off, or even a long weekend. If I stick with the no-guard look, it would only take a few days to get back to that level of cranial downiness if I don't like it or the neighbors start screaming and hiding their children. The remaining hair is pretty much token at this point anyway.

My other big concern has been that I'm not a small guy (girth-wise), and I don't want to end up looking like Marlon Brando in his declining years. I'm eating clean (mostly) and working out (a lot), so hopefully that's going to take care of itself.

[Razor X]

The exhange helped me realize that A) I'm pretty much already the nearly-bald guy with a buzz as far as my friends and family are concerned, and B) nobody really cares that much. I think everyone else is too busy worrying about his/her own hair to give much thought to mine.

That's pretty much in line with what most of us have experienced.  We get all revved up to make the leap from a no-guard buzz to slick bald only to find that the rest of the world either doesn't notice or care.  A no-guard buzz is the same as shaved as far as the average Joe on the street is concerned.  And it only takes 2-3 days to grow back to the no-guard length.

So, you have officially run out of excuses -- so get your razor and shaving gel and start shaving!!

[SLYinKC]

Welcome to SBG's, Spleener. Glad to have you and happy that you're taking the plunge.  You're discovering what the rest of us have known for awhile.  But this is something that you have to discover for yourself.

Hope you'll hang around and become an active member of SBG's.

Rick....

[R o b 6]

I've pretty much made up my mind to go sly the next time I have a week off, or even a long weekend. If I stick with the no-guard look, it would only take a few days to get back to that level of cranial downiness if I don't like it or the neighbors start screaming and hiding their children.

Been there, done that, Spleener!
First off, welcome to SBG and to your future among the ranks of the SLY.
The long weekend (say, Presidents Day?) is a great idea. That's what I finally did. Take 'er down Friday morning. Tuesday morning, you'll be getting out the razor again. Just know you're a mere 1/8 or 1/16 inch away from the finish line.

[warhawk]

spleener....welcome 2 the sly fraternity.  i say get a quality razor like the fusion, mach3, or headblade and scrape that dome smooooth.  i promise U that U won't regret it.  matter of fact...U will B thanking us 4 encouraging U 2  "do the deed".   stick around  & become an active member of the best site on the internet.

WARHAWK

[Razor X]

I don't understand how anyone, having gotten down to a no-guard buzz, can resist the urge to go completely slick.  I sure couldn't.  When I reached the no-guard stage (which was already shorter than I'd planned on going at the time), I didn't have any intention of taking the blade to my scalp.  I thought about it briefly and thought, "Some day but not right now".

Ten minutes later I was lathering up my scalp and taking that first swipe of the Mach III right down the center.  I was so nervous I was trembling, but the urge to have a completely smooth head had finally overwhelmed me.  It was like I no longer had any choice in the matter; it was something I had to do.  You are cheating yourself out of a great experience if you don't finish the job off with the blade.

[warhawk]

  You are cheating yourself out of a great experience if you don't finish the job off with the blade.

WARHAWK

[JohnMont]

I don't understand how anyone, having gotten down to a no-guard buzz, can resist the urge to go completely slick.  I sure couldn't.  When I reached the no-guard stage (which was already shorter than I'd planned on going at the time), I didn't have any intention of taking the blade to my scalp.  I thought about it briefly and thought, "Some day but not right now".

Ten minutes later I was lathering up my scalp and taking that first swipe of the Mach III right down the center.  I was so nervous I was trembling, but the urge to have a completely smooth head had finally overwhelmed me.  It was like I no longer had any choice in the matter; it was something I had to do.  You are cheating yourself out of a great experience if you don't finish the job off with the blade.

I agree with razorX . ...  I'm finding that having gone from buzzed (like you) to sly; then back to buzzed;  ...  now that I'm back to a .50 buzz; the urge to do a no guard buzz is almost irresistble.   Once I do that  , I will probably; as RazorX  says, get the razor out again.

( and my wife things that she has "won" . ...

[Spleener]

I don't understand how anyone, having gotten down to a no-guard buzz, can resist the urge to go completely slick. 

I'm pretty dang close...I'm getting some Fusion refills at Sam's in a couple days, so who knows...

[wpruitt]

Welcome Spleener.  Listen to that little voice in your head that says "SHAVE IT"

[Tyler]

Spleener, welcome to Sly Bald Guys!

[Paul]

Welcome to the gang Spleener.   You may as well do it now because the seed has obviously been planted and is only going to grow and grow till the sly urge becomes paramount

[joergHH]

I don't understand how anyone, having gotten down to a no-guard buzz, can resist the urge to go completely slick.

I'm pretty dang close...I'm getting some Fusion refills at Sam's in a couple days, so who knows...

Welcome here, Spleener!

Maybe you can use the time till you do the DEED and search for - as my opinion is - the best razor: The HeadBlade Sport.

J

[Stu]

I don't understand how anyone, having gotten down to a no-guard buzz, can resist the urge to go completely slick.  I sure couldn't.  When I reached the no-guard stage (which was already shorter than I'd planned on going at the time), I didn't have any intention of taking the blade to my scalp.  I thought about it briefly and thought, "Some day but not right now".

Ten minutes later I was lathering up my scalp and taking that first swipe of the Mach III right down the center.  I was so nervous I was trembling, but the urge to have a completely smooth head had finally overwhelmed me.  It was like I no longer had any choice in the matter; it was something I had to do.  You are cheating yourself out of a great experience if you don't finish the job off with the blade.

Razor is absolutely right.  Once I did the no-guard, I had to get to the final chapter immediately... to me it was an incredible rush, kind of like jumping off a high dive... once you step off there's no looking back.  Just do it, Spleener.  The seed has been planted, and you won't be happy until you do it.

[Sgt. Pate]

Give it a try bro... you can grow back what you have in a few days if you don't like it!  But YOU WILL like it!