How many of you started out with (or still periodically use) a DE?

I'm curious as to how many of the straight razor shavers here started out with a DE, and if so, whether or not you think it helped you to prepare for ultimately moving to the straight (technique, etc.). Is it more forgiving, or did it possibly help due to removing one of the big variables (knowing that you have a sharp, ready-to-go blade?) Also, I'm curious as to whether or not you solely shave with a straight now, or still use a DE from time to time.

I realize this is a straight razor forum and I am still very much interested in learning to shave with a straight, but I'm also wondering if DE shaving is a good stepping stone for some folks instead of simply going from Mach 3/Fusion -> directly to a straight. Again, no offense intended to the straight razor gods! :) Just looking to hear about your experiences on the road to shaving with a straight.

IMO, the best thing you can do is to jump right in. I also would advise you to not use a shavette or feather with disposable blades.
I have used both, and regular straights are much more forgiving of imperfect technique. With disposable blades, any mistake however slight is a cut.

I have never shaved with anything other than a straight or a feather since I picked up straight shaving again.

For traveling I have the feather because I don't want to deal with stropping and moisture in hotel rooms.
No cartridge will touch my face ever again if I can help it. I'd rather shave with a sharpened spoon or clam shell.

I went from a Mach 3 to a DE, and then to a straight. I still shave with a DE mostly, because I just can't seem to get the technique down with a straight for my neck, where the hair grows in such a way that I can't manouver a straight to cut it really close. I always end up with stubble in some areas of my neck. I keep telling myself it's just a matter of practice...

I think the DE helped me in that I had the basics down already when I started with the straight, i.e. little or no pressure, letting the blade do the cutting on its own, and knowing the blade to skin angle. But that's just what I personally think. Another observation I have made is that a straight razor is much gentler on the skin than any safety razor. I can't recall ever getting razor burn or lots of tiny nicks from a straight, but that has happened with a DE. Not entirely sure why this is.

The only nicks I have receved from a straight razor have been slightly larger ones, and all but two of those have been due to me losing track of the tip - the proverbial "slicing your ear off"... Not that bad, though. :)

I think it would be possible to successfully go directly from a Mach 3/Fusion to a straight (and many have) as long as you read up on it properly and don't just jump right in without knowing what to do. I think Lynn posted a comment about someone shaving with the blade at a 90 degree angle to the face, for instance. :rolleyes: But I would definitely suggest going with a "real" straight razor, honed and shave ready, from the start.

/Nicholas

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruno

I'd rather shave with a sharpened spoon or clam shell.

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Give us a yell if it comes to that mate... I wouldn't mind taking a look :tu

Greg Frazer

Should be a pole question.

Never. Never thought about it. Never cared.

X

I started with straights, but I do own a Gillette Tech and Feather Portable (see a pattern? :D) I use them maybe once a month either out of laziness or on a whim.

I went straight to a straight! (Well, starting point was cartridge, but I tend to push that into the dark recesses of my mind now.)

I went from a DE to str8s and I only use the DE now maybe 3 times a year. I don't think you should pick up a DE with intention of using it as a training tool. Jump right in. There is enough good info available for you to learn.

Jordan

I went from the Mach3 to a Fromm-clone shavette for about 6 shaves, to a straight. Working on shaving stuff for the troops led me to try DE's so I could field questions if necessary. I still use both the straight & DE, just depending on time & mood. The straight gives a much closer shave everywhere except a couple of spots on my neck, just because the hair grows at a crazy angle and I have yet to find how to tackle them. The DE knocks these areas down easily, but the shave isn't as close and doesn't stay smooth as long.

I switched to a DE in 1993. Then got the whim to try a last winter so switched to a focus shavette type for a month then got my real straight. If you have the desire for a straight razor shave go to a straight razor the DE would help you just about not at all, while a shavette isn't as forgiving or as much fun as the real thing Its easier to learn with the real thing.

Wet shaving with soap/cream and cartridge razors for about 20 years. I never was a fan of canned goo. It was body shop cream, wilkinson soap or Florena cream.

Switched to DE of January of this year then permanently to straights in April of this year. I haven't used a DE in about 4 or 5 months.

Switching to DE introduced me to the following:

- reduction/multi-pass shaving
- blade angle/pressure
- lather making
- beard prep and post shave care (alum/witch hazel/AS/balms)

All this let me focus on shaving with a straight without all the other variables. Also, I found that making a clean switch helped me. If I didn't have a good shave, I didn't clean up with a DE.

Started electrical shaving, then switched to the Gillette Mach2 (yes, that long ago there were only 2 blades) kind of rakes, couldn't stand those and shaved a long while using Wilkingson Protector blades. The recent switch, couple of months ago, to the straight razor went without any problem. Somehow the straight razor doesn't attack my skin as the Gillette type razors used to do. Havn't had any major injuries (touch wood) . . . yet.

I don't think DE-shaving is a good stepping-stone. It's a different thing altogether. But I am of the camp that thinks a DE is a respectable razor in itself, nothing like a cartridge razor. I've only ever had one DE, a gold Gilette "tuck-away" from 1914, but I like it as much as any of my straights, and it's what I take with me when traveling.

I used to do "clean ups" with my adj. Gillette DE after the str8 shaves. Many times I pushed (litterally) too much and suffered greatly all day long. My skin would be on fire. I kept creaping back to the bathroom, putting on many applications of Coral skin food or some of my balms.

Since my shaving techniques and honing skills have improved greatly, I haven't used the DE for many months now. With my str8, I get a BBS whenever I wish with no burns or irritation; + the close shave lasts much, much longer.

Steve

I went from a mock 3 right to a Dovo str8. Once I could shave without butchering my face I haven't touched a mock3 3 again.

Same as Rich - Mach 3 to straight. I actually threw away all my Mach 3 stuff as soon as I bought my first straight so that I had no choice but to quickly (sort of) come to grips with straights.

James.

I went from a Braun electric to str8s. Since then I've also diverged into picking up a few 'safety' razors, both SE and DE, just for variety. I've also got a Japanese style Feather, again for a change of pace. The best shave I've gotten from these was BBS for less than twelve hours vs. sixteen for the best str8 shave. The Feather would be the worst razor for a newbie, IMHO. Due to extreme sharpness coupled with no feedback, that razor could easily do severe damage in inexperienced hands. Regular str8s are the way to go for a comfortable bloodless shave!



Wayne

My first razor was a DE , a Gillette adjustable I bought back around 1969 . I didn't like the DE so I bought a SE . Then I went to a Shick injector , which I used until Gillette came out with the Trac-II , and I used the Trac-II until they came out with the Mach-3 . Out of all of those razors , I think a SE or an injector razor is the closest to shaving with a str8 , but there really isn't any way to compare them . IMO , it's like asking which fast food hambuger is the closest thing to a porterhouse steak .

first DE shave was at grandma's when i forgot my mach 3. never used one, no research, foam in a can. when i was done, i wanted to stick my head under water and freeze the water. my neck and cheeks were so burnt, and they itched and hurt for 2 days. good thing is i had no problem staying awake in church that morning. couldn't concentrate though. swore i would never use one of those evil things again.

now that i have some knowledge, i would love to try a DE again if the opportunity arises, however now that i have a couple of str8s, i don't see that happening. i am to happy in utopia to go back.

vgod

Went directly from M3 to straight here...

Went from Mach3 to Merkur DE to str8. Still occasionally use the DE for a touch up of a spot I missed or have a hard time getting to with str8. Not too often though. The other day I went to use the DE and it felt really strange in my hand.