Thread: Str8s for Young Shavers?

I have to agree with Utopian. Even at 13, if you teach him how to handle the str8 he will be fine. He will also get a huge confidence boost by having his father trust him enough to let him shave with a str8

Originally Posted by The Topher

Eh... Well ok here come my thoughts. They are not mature enough.

Straights are very dangerous and when people were using them at the turn of the century they had already been forced to grow up and start working from a very young age. Life expectancies were in the early to mid 50's then too so there wasn't any of this coddle the kid till they are 22 crap. When you hit puberty you were a man. You should be cause you were working the fields at 8.

Today, kids are not responsible until much later. Teen suicide rates are super high with 20% of kids contemplating suicide at one time or another. Additionally they will want to do stupid things like take it to school to show their friends or "play" with it.

Add to that the fact that this takes alot of skill and a 13 year olds face is very soft and fair unlike ours and I think that while your kid is probably a well adjusted kid free of the serious problems mentioned above, it might not be the best route for him physically. May I suggest you start with a DE and keep an eye on the extra blades until you know that he is acting responsibly with it. These still need the habits that a straight does like good angle and soft touch but is less likely to cause major problems is a childish idea gets into his mind. Lord knows I did some dumb stuff =>

+1 on Topher.

I think he is in the right here. It always pays to look at the plusses and the minuses in this case. what are the plusses to a kid using a straight what are the minuses. I would have to say that the balance would swing strongly twords the negative.

Originally Posted by stupidyank

+1 on Topher.

I think he is in the right here. It always pays to look at the plusses and the minuses in this case. what are the plusses to a kid using a straight what are the minuses. I would have to say that the balance would swing strongly twords the negative.

I'm not sure why anyone on this forum, presumably people who use straight razors, would recommend something else for their sons. If you think it is the best choice for you, then why not for your son? If you trust your kid with a car, why not with a blade? Granted you shouldn't put the kid behind the wheel of a muscle car, but at some point you have to trust him to go out on his own in traffic. You have to teach your kid to have regard for the dangers of the road and you can also teach him to have the proper respect for a blade. Again, I think teaching by example works best.

That's just my opinion. It's worth the paper it's printed on.

Today, kids are not responsible until much later. Teen suicide rates are super high with 20% of kids contemplating suicide at one time or another. Additionally they will want to do stupid things like take it to school to show their friends or "play" with it.

I don't think this is a "fair factor" to consider in making this decision. Whoever wants to commit suicide will find a way to do it. In my opinion, a straight razor is no more of an "incentive" or a "tool" to go on with such a decision then a kitchen knives, a cars, a table saw, a gallon of liquid plumber or a few tylenol bottles..

People have to talk with their kids, not try to tie there hands and leave them in a rubber walled room until they are "old enough" to think for themselves...

As far as using a straight, i think its a case by case decision. In different states, kid are allowed to use a gun and go hunting starting age 12. Is that any less dangeous than using a straight?

I thing personality is the issue here. If they can handle themselves, they can probably handle a straight blade, or a chef's knives to make spaggethi sauce...

+1 to the if he wants to camp.

Personally I plan to make a plastic straight for my son (now 2) and when he wants to copy daddy and shave then he can. Hopefully he'll know how to shave and have the appropriate respect for sharp objects before he actually gets anywhere near one.
As someone else said if it is treated as everyday behavior to handle sharp objects/razors then when he gets older it wont be something he needs to show off to his cohorts.

Barney