Thread: Straight Razor shaving - worth it?

Hey guys I've been shaving with a straight razor for a little over two months now. I'm starting to wonder if this is going to work for me long term. I expect to give it another three or four months but I'm not really seeing the results that I expected to see.

At the beginning I saw quite a bit of progress. I used to nick myself on a regular basis and that is pretty much a thing of the past. I also was unable to shave my chin for the first week or so and now I can. I have also learned to shave with my off hand which was something that had never occurred to me. On the technical side I also feel pretty comfortable sharpening an ebay razor purchase and have done that successfully with two of them. That gives me three razors in rotation including one that was purchased from one of our vendors here ready to shave.

My main issue is that the shaving process is more time consuming than what I had experienced with either a double edged Gillette razor or my favorites the Gem JR single edged razors - I expected that. I am also not seeing a real improvement in the quality of the shave - I did not expect that. I can get some really really nice shaves off those Gem JR razors. The straights on the other hand require more time and a lot more attention than those other razors and I am not really seeing a closer shave. If you are not paying attention it can be much worse. I have to admit that I cannot get as close a shave on my chin with the straight as I can with the others. I also have to pay a lot of attention under the jaw and a spot on my throat to get a close shave there.

Maybe it just takes a longer time to get the process down. As I said I am planning on putting another couple of months into it I'm just venting here with you.

One thing that I have found interesting is that the straights will ride over facial imperfections - such as an occasional acne blemish without slicing it off. I find that very unusual.

Ed

Ed,

I feel your pain/concern! I have been straight shaving for a little about six months now and the shaves continue to improve. I learn something new every shave.

I will say that I saw very fast improvement for the first month or two and then I seemed to hit a wall. My shaves did not get better or worse, they just stayed about average. My problem areas (chin/neck/stache) continued to give me fits.

I will say that around the five month mark, things started to improve again. My shaves are now as close and almost as comfortable as my DE shaves.

To me, it is not just about the result, but the entire process. For me, shaving is relaxing, fun and enjoyable and I start every day out with a challenge. I look forward to it.

Stick with it. It will continue to get better and better as long as you have the motivation.

I can shave as close with a straight as I can with any other type of razor at this stage of the game. I can also do it from start to finish much faster than I could when I started. OTOH, I never rush when shaving with a straight razor. If time is an issue I would find an alternative that day. Try the cold water shave. That alone cut my shaving time considerably and I get better shaves. YMMV.

Straight shaving isn't for everyone especially in our disposable hurry up world. When Mr Gillette came out with the DE men switched in droves and never looked back.

Having said that I will say using a straight is something you really need to be motivated to do. I find no other shave method can shave as close. You just need to decide what you expectations and priorities are, and if they coincide with a straight to keep using it. If done correctly your shaves will continue to improve.

I think sometimes we see all the guys who seem to pick this thing up and are getting BBS shaves within a week or so. This is not normal. You just need to have patience and of course realize the extra time it takes to shave (which should decrease over time) is something many of us enjoy.

Str8 shaving is going to take more time than the other stubble removal alternatives. Shaving takes more time than not shaving which is why yours truly grew a beard for about 30 years - lazy is as lazy does. I started shaving with a straight razor - went to DE in the Army - went shaveless out of the Army - returned to straights about 6 or so years ago.

Among the reasons for the extra time involved with straight razors is using the traditional strops, brushes, soaps, etc., and then the time consuming caution needed in dealing with that unguarded and marvelously sharp blade you are using. Shaving time will get less as more you become experienced with the razors and accessories, but it will never become as quick as other wet shaving methods. Canned goop and a Bic disposable is about as quick as you can get with shaving wet. Or you can use the Norelco while driving to work - faster yet.

Straight shaving is culture!

So far, you have not described anything that most people do not experience along the learning curve.

It took me 6 months to give up a cleanup pass with a DE, and maybe 8 months to get consistent results. It took 4 or 5 months for my skin to break in.

Then there are the things that help in such an incremental way that they are hard to realize. Such as the amount of pressure you are stropping with or how tight you pull the strop. These things matter, but only experience gets them right for you.

Just get yourself to consistent passable shaves right now. If you are going to give it another 3 or 4 months, you won't believe how much better things are going to get for you.

You have already passed the "I Suck" stage. Stick with it and you will be rewarded.

David

From many threads, I know many of us find the zen or essence of the experience the payback, maybe more than the shave. I relax best when I walk or drive or do something that is rhythmic or mindless, but nonetheless occupies some part of my brain so the squirrel on the wheel in the other part of my brain can slow down.

If the straight razor shave doesn't feed that part of you, if you are in it only for the shave, the payback will still probably be there. But, as others have said, it might take longer.

Originally Posted by eddelgado

... One thing that I have found interesting is that the straights will ride over facial imperfections - such as an occasional acne blemish without slicing it off. I find that very unusual...

I think your observation is significant, and is related to my reason for liking straights. My theory is that DE and safety razors slice off the top layers of dead skin cells while shaving, and that straights float on top of the skin, pushing the skin down on the hair follicle slightly before cutting. Both give close shaves, and maybe the DE is even closer. But, not all close shaves are created equal!

I just like the feeling of a straight razor shave. I think it is less traumatic to the face, and leaves better feeling face throughout the day.

Yes I am planning to stick with it for several more months at least but just felt a need to vent today.

I estimate that using the straight probably takes about twice as long as a DE or Gem does and I always made two passes with those. Part of that has to do with the stropping and part of it has to do with the additional concentration and different passes - WTG, ATG, etc.. The Gem used to provide a closer more reliable shave than what I am getting from the straight. I'm not saying that the GEM shaves closer everywhere or maybe anywhere but overall it makes the whole face a lot smoother - in hard to shave areas significantly so.

I'll keep plugging at it. It's the harder to shave areas that are the real challenge.

Ed

I feel proud after I'm done shaving with a straight. It took time to be able to get a decent & comfortable shave with a straight razor, whereas I was able to shave well right off the bat with a cartridge razor.

I'm pround of being able to do some electricity, plumbing, construction, etc.., all by myself. It would be alot faster if I called a pro to do the job for me, but I find it important to find pride in the things I do.