Thread: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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!