Want to try a straight razor but am concerned...

I'm really beginning to get the urge to learn to shave with a straight razor but am a bit hesitant...

About 10 years ago or so, after years of seeing other guys getting straight shaves at the barber's, I decide it was time to splurge a little and try one myself. Now, I should mention that I was about 28 or so and he was my barber since my very first hair cut so I really trusted him and had no doubt he knew his stuff.

Well, when I sat in the chair and asked for a straight shave on top of the hair cut his immediate response was "You'll bleed. I can do it but I don't recommend it. With your type of beard (I have a very course, fast-growing beard) a straight razor shave will make you bleed. Stick with the cartridge razors." I took him at his word, skipped the shave, and went on my merry way believing I'd just never get to experience one. (I moved soon after and haven't been back to his shop since.)

The significant tugging and slight-but-very-short-lived irritation I've regularly felt when other barbers have used straights to trim under my sideburns after shortening them with the clippers seemed to confirm his words.

But the more I think about it the more I wonder, if he was right, then:

• What did all those guys the world around with course beards like me do before safety razors were invented? They couldn't ALL have just let their beards grow...
• Why shouldn't a straight razor be able to shave a course beard w/o problem if a DE blade can? Is there really that big a difference in the sharpness each can achieve...
• Maybe his razor was never quite sharp enough or his technique not quite right and he'd been doing it that way for so long he just came to believe it wasn't him or the razor but that course beard simple weren't straight-shave material...

The thing is, I don't want to spend a couple hundred dollars, 1-2 years of time, and countless harsh or even bloody shaves only to find out he was right.

SO, I'd really appreciate any confirmation, debunking, insights, etc. you guys - particularly those of you with course beards - can offer... or any answers to the following questions you can give:

1. Are some beards really just too thick/course to comfortably shave (after gain enough experience) with a straight?
2. What blade type, size, brand shave-ready razor would be a good starting place (I recall reading somewhere that wedge or 1/2 hollow grind is needed for a course beard)?
3. Are there any special things a course-beard shaver should take into consideration aside from the general getting-started tips and info found in all the first-shave-read-first threads?

Thanks.

There are three major factors in a good shave; beard preparation, blade preparation and technique. If you can get these three things down, you can get an excellent shave. I would suggest a blade no smaller than a 6/8ths, be sure it gets professionally honed and bone up on the three factors mentioned above and you will easily prove your barber wrong. Welcome to SRP, if you need anything we are here for you.

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Originally Posted by nun2sharp

There are three major factors in a good shave; beard preparation, blade preparation and technique. If you can get these three things down, you can get an excellent shave.

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Is that your personal explanation, Kelly? If so, that's the absolute best and most succinct description of the requirements that I've EVER heard. Seriously. If I didn't like my Chesterton quote so much, I'd be asking you if I could use that for my signature line.

Chris L

ChrisL, there may be tons of different variables within the three major factors, but they all fit into these three categories, very similar to the fire triangle which dictates that you need heat, air, fuel. Any time I do a shave demo for a group, newbie or the curious, I give them that little lecture, as far as I can tell all razor truth lies within those parameters. BTW, there are a number of people here with multiple sig lines, if I had the savvy(and a little more inclination) I would be one of them.;) But don't give up the Chesterton.

First of all, get Lynn's Video (World of Straight Razor DVD):
World Of Straight Razor DVD - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

I'd recommend getting a good badger brush & soap second, this is what lead me to a safety razor, then to a straight. Read as much as you can while you learn from the video & gather "what you need". Watch the classified's & buy a "shave ready" used razor. Most of the "honemeisters" don't want you to do a thing to a razor they have worked on besides shave with it.

I don't have a coarse, wire-like beard, I'm pretty much in the middle on coarseness IMO, so I really don't have a comparative opinion for you on what razor. I'm sure someone will chime in before you are ready for the actual purchase. Then, if you don't like it (I find this doubtful), you can resell it. Then you can still use the soap & brush...it will spoil your skin. One more thing, get some good aftershave that's not 80% alcohol.

If you educate yourself first I'm sure your first experience will be quite pleasant & you'll be hooked like the rest of us.

Thanks for the input guys - if any one else has more to add please continue to chime in.

I'm in the midst of getting use to a DE right now so I've got the brush, soap, and post treatments (milks, balm, etc.).

My desire and game plan has been:

• to get the hang of the DE so I can totally ditch overpriced, lackluster cartridge razors and actually begin to enjoy shaving

• then, once I have the DE down, get a straight and follow Lynn's suggested steps for progressive learning while using the DE to finish up and/or take care of the shave on morning when I'm to rushed to take my time and learn (e.g. basically dedicate Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesday shaves to learning the straight razor)

The only thing that was holding me back from step two of the plan was that comment my old barber made as it somehow became ingrained in my head...

Based on your responses so far it looks like it was a unfounded fear. So, while I'm getting my DE technique down, I plan to continue to reading up, watching vids, and keeping my eyes open for and picking up some good starter gear, and then begin using it in a patient, steady, unrushed manner.

I wonder if there is possibly a reason the barber would have said something like that about your hair? I hear people on this site all the time talk about how thick their beard is and they straight shave (although I have no idea how anyone's face compares to yours).

is it possible that the barber felt a disposable blade would not do well on your face (I hear health laws force barbers to use those for health reasons in some areas)? Maybe he was just feeling lazy and trying to get out of the work your beard would require.

I'm no expert here, I'm just saying even though I have never seen your face I still have a hard time believing a straight razor could not cut your face hair as well as a disposable.

I have to agree with TheBaron. Unless you were infused with atomantium (sp?) at some point in your life, hair has no match for a well honed straight razor. If your beard can be shaven, then it can be shaven with a SR, that's just the facts. Your old barber just didn't want to give a shave at that time for whatever reason he had & gave you his excuse, it could have been you, me, or Joe Blow. You are on the right track & once you take the time and do get that first shave you'll want to kick yourself for waiting for so long.

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Originally Posted by Malacoda

The significant tugging and slight-but-very-short-lived irritation I've regularly felt when other barbers have used straights to trim under my sideburns after shortening them with the clippers seemed to confirm his words.

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I used to experience the same unpleasantness when I was a kid whenever I had a neck shave & trim. Of course I had no stubble then so I'd say the barber just didn't have a properly honed razor.
You may do better to start with a stiffer grind rather than a full hollow razor but you'll do just fine with practice & the right gear.

All the advice given above about beard prep, having a well honed razor, technique, good soaps and creams, brushes etc... is bang on. This is 99% of the battle for newbies and if you have, as Nun2Sharp says, good beard prep, a shave ready razor and good technique you are basically there.

There is one other thing you might also try if you are still concerned. I have read other posts where people have said this worked for their tough beards.

A thicker beard might respond much better to a more wedge like razor (such as a full wedge or a quarter/ half hollow ground) than a full or extra full grind.

The full and extra full grinds are obviously thinner metal over the whole of the blade and tend to be more flexible and so are maybe slightly more likely to get caught up in the stubble. A wedge is much thicker and so will just plow through it all..!

I would say that there is not a beard out there that cannot be tamed with a straight razor. As you said yourself, what did people do before the safety and cartridge razor was invented? What it really comes down to is finding the right razor for you and making sure you know how to use it.

Read the WIKI site as well, it has loads of good advice and information.

Straight Razor Place Wiki

Give it a try and I'm sure you wont be disappointed! Good luck!

It's sad that there are barbers out there who are giving people bad advice. I would think that if you have a tough beard then a straight should be recommended.
Having said that, when you first start you will cut your self, you will experience pain, and you will bleed. But once it starts to come together you will be getting the best shaves you have ever experienced.

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Originally Posted by Malacoda

... The thing is, I don't want to spend a couple hundred dollars, 1-2 years of time, and countless harsh or even bloody shaves only to find out he was right. ...

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You already have lots of good advice on how to get a good shave but let me address that part.

You can spend less than $100 to try it out. See RupRazor - Gold Dollar Razor and Filly Strop. Hunting around the classified section here can also get you good deals.

It won't take two years to figure things out. I consider myself to have a bit more than "adequate" skill and have been at it for only about six months. I did go through a period early on where I wondered if all this talk about how great straight razors were was just a bunch of hogwash, but it did come together. There are others who ramped up much faster than I did.

Now for my newbie's how-to hint: I believe poor stropping technique dulled my razor and prevented me from making good progress. The day it all started to come together for me was when I got a freshly honed razor and realized that my technique *had* improved but the dull razor was masking that. I bought and paid for another razor, increasing my actual overall cost but I didn't *need* to do that. Ken at RupRazor would have re-honed my razor for free -- a free second honing comes with his razors.

Second hint: I believe one learns to strop in two stages: First, you get to the point where you can strop the razor without chewing up the strop. Second you get to the point where your technique is actually maintaining the blade and not dulling it. That all takes practice, like any physical activity. Reading about it lets you know what to practice, but the practice itself is what counts. That goes for the actual shaving techniques as well.

EDIT: OK, you will need to put up with those harsh shaves! And like the title of the move, "There Will Be Blood" (just not all that much to worry about).

Thanks guys, your comments have confirmed my suspicions that it was merely some type of problem with the situation/barber that day and not my beard in general.

My concern now being eased, I definitely plan on pursuing straight razor shaving as soon as I've gotten my DE shaving down and have, in the meantime, read up a bit more on shaving with a straight and obtained some starter gear. Will probably be ready to go right after Xmas (gives me a little time to save up a little cash and get the gear).

Glad you're gonna give it a try!

Like was said, make sure you get the beard prep going real good. Hot shower, hot towel, maybe some pre-shave oil/astringent and good lather.

I ditched my cartridges as well. Most of the time, it's nothing but straights, but if I'm in a hurry, I'll use a DE.

Look forward to hearing your experiences :)

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Originally Posted by Malacoda

Thanks guys, your comments have confirmed my suspicions that it was merely some type of problem with the situation/barber that day and not my beard in general.

My concern now being eased, I definitely plan on pursuing straight razor shaving as soon as I've gotten my DE shaving down and have, in the meantime, read up a bit more on shaving with a straight and obtained some starter gear. Will probably be ready to go right after Xmas (gives me a little time to save up a little cash and get the gear).

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If shaving with a DE is going ok, a straight should be no problem. I took another step in the learning curve and used a Gem SE razor as these are a little closer to how a straight feels.

I've got a fairly tough beard in places and after a year of mostly straight shaving I get a MUCH better shave with a straight than anything else. The pulling or tugging is about the same as a DE or a SE and much better than a cartridge.

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Originally Posted by nun2sharp

There are three major factors in a good shave; beard preparation, blade preparation and technique. If you can get these three things down, you can get an excellent shave.

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Do you mind if I quote this in my sig? Been looking for something good.

One possibility is that your barber may not be as confident in doing shaves as he is doing haircuts.

I've heard of some barbers warning people off rather than risk cutting them if their equipment or technique is not up to scratch. The last straight razor shave I had at a barbers was not very close, I asked why and they barber said they preferred to err on the side of caution and not risk nicking the skin or causing razor burn. They also told me I'd probably be able to shave myself closer as I know the contours of my face better, since I shave myself every day, and they don't.

Yes your barber was correct and all the guys with really coarse tough beards either grew full beards or tried shaving and bled to death. Therefore only the guys with the full beards could pass on their genes for tough beards so your probably related to one of those full beard guys and should grow one too. Har har

Count yourself lucky that barber didn't give you a shave. he was probably incompetent and lacking confidence. You are correct that at one time everyone had to use a straight if they shaved so that's the rest of the story.

I'm also a newbie, and just ordered everything I will need. What I realized was I really wanted to try this without going broke, and it can be done on a budget, so if you want to give it a try you can get really good stuff on a budget.

Like the other poster said, it's a lot like a triangle, and you need to start out with a good, shave ready blade that's been professionally sharpened, not "shave ready" from the manufacturer. You can change strops and soaps and brushes, but a good razor to start out with is the one thing a newbie really needs so he eliminates a lot of variables, IMHO.

Maybe you'll have to work on your technique and prep, but you want to be doing this with a very capable razor, and that doesn't necessarily mean expensive.

Malacoda, thanks for the post. This has answered many of the questions I have had also. I have been "lurking" for a while preparing to take the SR plunge. This post has been most helpfull.

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Originally Posted by shooter1

Malacoda, thanks for the post. This has answered many of the questions I have had also. I have been "lurking" for a while preparing to take the SR plunge. This post has been most helpfull.

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Glad to hear it's helped someone else as well. Now that I know from experienced SR users that, contrary to what was suggested by my old barber, a more course beard doesn't automatically relegate a person to difficult, uncomfortable straight razor shave, I definitely plan to take the plunge and give it a try - in a patient, step-by-step manner of course.

Good luck to you in your straight shave journey Shooter. Let us know how it goes.

I have a heavy beard and get BBS shaves every day with a full hollow. A wedge might be better, that I don't know since I have only shaved with the one razor. It kind of does make sense to use a wed with stiff whiskers...stiff razor for stiff beard.

That barber did not know how to give a good straight shave. It will not take you 1 to 2 years to find out what a good shave is. I have a beard that is very tough on top of skin that is very sensitive and my shaves after of a month of effort were not perfect, not consistent, but very good. You will get a couple of shaves in there that will be killer good. It will take a while to get excellent shaves every day but they will come if you stay with it. Another benefit is that you skin will feel better than it ever has. There is the chance that you will not like straights and my not be able to acclimate to them, some people do not.

I will say that you will not get a shave that is better than, or as smooth as a straight razor shave that is properly done. Hitting the crisp morning air with a good straight shave under your belt......well there is nothing like it!:rock:

Good Luck,
Richard

Malacoda,

I too have whiskers that are tougher than steel :)

As with any new skill, there is a 'right of passage' for straight razor shaves.

When I started, I looked like an extra from Fight Club; however the nicks were not deep, quickly healed and arose from crap technique !

Wihtin two (2) weeks the shaves I was getting surpassed those from my safety razor, both in terms of comfort and closeness - I need three (3) passes for a BBS with a straight and six (6) for a safety razor.

So please stick with it, you won't regret it :)

Best regards

Russ