Wives and new straight razor users... The horror!!

In learning to use a straight, there's the obvious occasional cuts. My wife loses her s**t whenever I cut myself. Personally, I'm resigned to it. Part of the process and if it's sharp it's not like there's any pain involved. As a military guy, it's kind of funny - I've spent time in Afghanistan getting shot at and rocketed, yet me knicking myself with a straight freaks her out more than the fact of what happened downrange. Go figure. Straights are definitely a "guy thing" (in my opinion). Half the reason that I like straight razors is that I like knowing (learning) how to use a straight razor. But with knowledge comes a little blood. Same downrange, same here. I don't think many wives get that about guys.... we do things because we want to know/understand.

Well I will start by saying Thank You for your service.

While I do not have a wife, my friends and family find it a little crazy that I use a straight razor, well a Shavette with the long green insert and blade for now, and that I occasionally cut myself with it, much more then you would with a Mach 3 or Fusion, or whatever other crazy names they have, or with an electric. I keep telling them it is a better shave and that holding a straight razor to ones throat in the morning is the best way to wake yourself up. I love it though, turning the morning shave into an enjoyable experience rather then something to despise.

Side question, did you use a straight razor while on base in Afghanistan or just a traditional modern blade for the sake of convenience?

My wife had some concerns when I first started shaving straight, but she got over it in time as my proficiency increased. Now the only time I nick myself is if I rush a shave or lose focus for a moment. Besides tell her how much money you'll save in the long run.:w

yeah, my wife doesn't understand my interest in shaving with a straight either. she's even more disgusted with the time i spend on SRP.

Sometimes I think my wife roots for the blade.

I've never nicked, let alone cut myself, except for ONCE WHEN MY WIFE SNEAKED UP ON ME (she says she didn't), and didn't speak, thus announcing her presence, until she was in the open bathroom door, AND I JUMPED. Just a minor nick, and I got a lot of 'make-up sympathy'.
:beer1:

Tintin - yea, my wife thinks I'm crazy. I keep telling her, it's about knowing how to do it. I'm a military scientist - meaning I like both danger and new knowledge.

Major,

That cutting will soon diminish as you hone your skill with the straight razor. The best way to avoid it now is to take your time and shave slowly while paying strict attention to keeping the proper angle and applying no pressure.

Also, try not to choke the blade in your hands by holding an iron grip on it. Think of the razor as a bird: that if you squeeze it too hard, it will perish, and too light, it will fly away. This will also help you maneuver the blade better.

I dunno, never had too much blood letting learning to shave to give the wife something to be concerned about. She is ambivalent to me using a straight as she grew up watching her Grandfather and Father shave with one. It is nothing too out of the ordinary for her. She may not understand why I want to do it but it is no big deal.

I would follow Obie's suggestions if you are not already doing so.

Bob

Obie - tonight was the first time I cut myself in weeks. I find that as I get more confident/go quicker, I cut occasionally. It's a trade off. I didn't cut myself on my first shave, but as I use a straight for daily I try to get quicker so accidents happen and lessons learned. Funny that I can go for weeks with no cuts, but the first time I do, I get the *glare* when my wife sees blood. I feel like I'm trying to hide liquor when I hide that I knicked myself shaving.

I've got the double whammy effect. First my wife doesn't like me to shave, she likes the hair while I hate it. And then yes there is the whole she doesn't like the idea of me using a straight but hopefully that will work itself out a little as I get better with it and in turn she gets more comfortable with it.

P.S. Should I be concerned that she just took out a extra life insurance policy on me? :dropjaw:

Major,

The straight razor is sassy, because the moment you take it for granted, it will bite you.

My ex thinks it's great (love the post above saying she roots for the blade!) and got me started in part by wanting me to use nice smelling shaving creams. However, I recently dated a women who called me psychotic (changed later to quirky) when she learned I used a straight. She immediately googled "is straight razor shaving dangerous". It's just not practical was her reply. Needless to say I am seeing someone else now who likes the idea and history of the blades but has not as yet seen blood!

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Originally Posted by MajorEthanolic

Obie - tonight was the first time I cut myself in weeks. I find that as I get more confident/go quicker, I cut occasionally. It's a trade off. I didn't cut myself on my first shave, but as I use a straight for daily I try to get quicker so accidents happen and lessons learned. Funny that I can go for weeks with no cuts, but the first time I do, I get the *glare* when my wife sees blood. I feel like I'm trying to hide liquor when I hide that I knicked myself shaving.

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There is your answer "I find that as I get more confident/go quicker, I cut occasionally". Maybe too confident and a little too quick. Can't do anything about the "glaring" bit.

Bob

Am retired.live in a gated community,thank god my wife cannot get thru the gate anymore:)

Thank you for your service and welcome to SRP.

Don't tell SWMBO this: Ladies Corner
And definitely don't show her videos like these:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/ladie...-straight.html
http://straightrazorpalace.com/ladie...e-contest.html

And, we do have a wonderful female mod who has more time behind the 3" line than I:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/ladie...emale-mod.html

Welcome Major. My wife doesn't mind me shaving with a straight at all. But I also have hobbies like homebrewing and metal detecting. But she also tells me spend the money to buy my guns with the toys allready on them so I don't so I don't spend more later.

Welcome! Let's see less talk of cuts and blood. soldier! :D Should not be happening! Tell us about your shave regimen. Products : Razor, condition thereof, strop, lather, Hones/honings, etc.

I'm the sensible one...

She's a bugger for removing guards and demanding sharper kitchen knives.... She also has a motorbike. I do as well but lets talk about her!

She took the guard off the petrol strimmer because it got in her way.
She took the chain guard off her motorbike because it rattled.
She took the bimetal strip out of the tumble dryer because it would trip on half loads.

The least of my worries is me locking myself in the bathroom to shave! To be honest I don't think she even knows I shave with a straight.

my wife started using straights long before i did. whenever i cut myself, she just points and laughs. then she complains why i am taking so long to shave.

that's because when were in the land of bad things they don't see us bleed , they love us and don't want us hurt ,, but when you slow down a bit you wont cut yourself much tc

I live with 3 girls and they all thought I was crazy until I shaved one of their boyfriends after his weekly haircut. Now if they know I'm shaving I have an audience.

My wife loves the idea of me using a straight razor. Maybe she's secretly hoping I will fatally cut myself ... I don't know. She does oft times make her way stealthily into the area and startle me while I am shaving though. I just get so deep into it that I do not realize what is going on in my immediate surroundings.

As being a former enlisted member of the U.S.Army myself , I thank you for being a brother in arms. /salute

My wife never commented much, just laughed when another package came in the mail. I recently found out she has brought it up to friends/family members, so she seems to like it. I know she likes that I am more clean shaven. I don't know if she likes the novelty of it or if she is secretly rooting for the blade, she knows how much life insurance I have:dropjaw:

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Originally Posted by ReardenSteel

My wife had some concerns when I first started shaving straight, but she got over it in time as my proficiency increased. Now the only time I nick myself is if I rush a shave or lose focus for a moment. Besides tell her how much money you'll save in the long run.:w

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Save money??? How's that working for ya?

Mine feels that the whole thing is "strange". ( not really the word that she uses(;-(. )

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Originally Posted by MajorEthanolic

...My wife loses her s**t whenever I cut myself.

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Mrs. Moo, to the opposite, is odd that way. She saw me nick myself a couple of times (tiny one-drop square point dings on my neck were not uncommon for a while) and said, "I guess that's what it takes to learn a new skill, isn't it?" And that was that. She also likes long motorcycle rides; she is hell on targets with her .380 Walther and a .22 rifle; she loves going to guy-type action movies with me (most of the time); and she will beat the snot out of copperhead with the right shovel. Carolina mountain girl. Go figure.

Nicks won't last long. Keep some styptic powder close by if she's in the bathroom; move fast when you have to. Thank HER for her confidence in you. They like that. ;)

My wife saw me laying out all the stuff and razor for my first shave shesaid you are going to bleed to death with that thing I ended up with 4-5 weepers which looked a lot worse than they were I got an I told you so and she put a feminine napkin on the vanity top and left the bathroom giggling. Never fails they are always right.

Just takes practice and time. I have not cut myself for a couple years but I have been straight shaving for many years. My son is to the point of needing to start shaving so I just made a full shave set for him. Restored an old W&B barber notch and turned him a brush. Wife thought I was crazy. 'You are going to start him shaving with a straight razor? He will cut himself!'. My reply, Yup, but that is part of learning.

Once again, Thanks to All who serve.
Being a bachelor for many years shaving was done nude. When girlfriend moved in this continued with DE razors. I told her I was thinking of learning to shave with a straight her reply was "I sure hope your going to put on some shorts". She didn't have to say that twice. lol.
Now my most enjoyable shaves are with the bathroom door open, GF, her 3 daughters, her son and my grand kids running around the master bedroom. Laughter and noise. The boys watching intently while the girls ask questions endlessly. Family. Now it's me that gets teased about taking too long in the bathroom. Stuff you just can't find on line.