Thread: First Impressions

I remember my first impressions of straight razors. When I got my first straight razor out of the case I stood there thinking "Geeze its really not as big as I thought it would be." Then the answer came "Exactly how big do you think a straight razor would be."

I wondered "how am I supposed to hold this thing?" and then I had hot flashes of blood spurting all over the bathroom, and I was being taken to the hospital naked because the towel around my waist was being used to stop the bleeding from my throat.

My first shave went well with just a few nicks, though. No bites or naked ambulance rides. It took me about 1 hour for 1 WTG pass, though.

Using my disposable straight blade, I had a bunch of weepers and a scratch as I tried to shave the whole face and the attempt took me 45 minutes. I thought, this has to get better and if everyone else before me figured it out, I will figure it out!

Pabster

Originally Posted by Pabster

Using my disposable straight blade, I had a bunch of weepers and a scratch as I tried to shave the whole face and the attempt took me 45 minutes. I thought, this has to get better and if everyone else before me figured it out, I will figure it out!
Pabster

In my experience, most of the disposable straights are far more difficult to use than a real straight. They are also much more likely to cut you than a straight.

The disposables most barbers use today for around the ears and back of the neck work pretty well for that job, but that's much easier than shaving your face, and the barbers have the advantage of much experience, plus the advantage that they're shaving someone else, which is generally a lot easier than shaving yourself.

Since you seem to be pretty determined to master this art, I suggest that you start using a real straight instead.

The difference in using a disposable straight vs. a fixed straight was nominal for me. I may have gotten a few more weepers, but a cold water rise closed them up and any scratch cuts I received healed quickly and within 48 hours. Overall, I think in 14 shaves, I got three scratch cuts.

It was nice to have only spent $35.00 on the disposable blade set up as this gave me a multi week trial session to decide if I wanted to plunk down the bigger money ($180) for a new Dovo straight and strop and go long term with a straight razor.

Today, I still use that disposable as part of my rotation with 4 other straight razors.

Pabster

Originally Posted by Pabster

The difference in using a disposable straight vs. a fixed straight was nominal for me. I may have gotten a few more weepers, but a cold water rise closed them up and any scratch cuts I received healed quickly and within 48 hours. Overall, I think in 14 shaves, I got three scratch cuts.

It was nice to have only spent $35.00 on the disposable blade set up as this gave me a multi week trial session to decide if I wanted to plunk down the bigger money ($180) for a new Dovo straight and strop and go long term with a straight razor.

Today, I still use that disposable as part of my rotation with 4 other straight razors.

Pabster

+1. I started on a disposable. It was quick, reliable, and cost effective. It was only when I started getting only 1 WTG shave off a blade that I decided to invest, and, of course, I have never looked back

What was your first impression of a straight razor?

First Impressions:
"This is a dainty little blade"... "Is it really razor sharp" (it was a vintage razor).... a small nick on the back of the hand later... "So it is razor sharp"

Dainty blade, funny that was similar to my first impression of a straight. For some reason I thought that a straight was a rather big thing.