Thread: Is straight razor shaving for everyone?

I would think the percentage would be too small to measure . Most people must think we're a little crazy .

I live in a town of about 7000 people, and I'd be willing to bet I'm the only one in town using a straight. I know a guy in town who collected them but has never shaved with any of them. So I guess I'm finally unique, at least in this way (and that's about it).

I live in a town of ~60,000 people, and besides rumors of the occasional older barber who will still give a straight shave, I haven't heard of anyone else using one. The knife store at the mall carries a few Dovos, but I don't know if they ever sell. So far I haven't convinced any coworkers to try it out. It can be a lonely hobby. There's another reason for us to be thankful for SRP.

Originally Posted by Knife

I haven't been straight razor shaving for too long, but I love it, I find myself wanting to shave more than once a day. So I want to spread the word, but I don't know if its for everyone. So a few questions:

How many people in the world, percentagewise, would you say straight razor shave? And if its not proportional among the different countries, expand on which or where its more prevalent?

Ignoring the potential for spending a lot of money, the extra time it takes to pre/shave/maintenance, the initial fear of cutting yourself or wasting money or the unknown in general, basically everything except the shaving part. Is it for everyone? What I mean is, is there a face too sensitive for straight razor shaving and is it always a better shave than any other means of shaving, just based on the results?

Now as far as I'm concerned its not only the best way to shave for the results, but the cheapest way. A modest bare minimum set will allow you to shave for less money than any other form. Anything above that is the cost of a hobby and thats how I would advise people. Now considering everything else, potential of spending a lot of money, the extra time....... how many people in the world do you think would straight razor shave? By that I mean what percentage of the world has the right combination of patience, willingness to explore.......?

I got started out of 40 years of unsatisfactory shaves and a chapped face from disposables, cartridges, and electric razors. I hated shaving, so I was open to new (actually old fashioned) ideas. In fact I actively sought alternatives on the internet.

I haven't converted a soul among the people I know, and I think the reason is that they never reached the level of dissatisfaction I did. Plus, the generation after me doesn't feel it is mandatory to shave every work day like I do, so if their face is tender they just skip it until the irritation goes away.

I get the best shaves out of my Merkur38C and 39C DE razors with Medical Personna blades, but prefer to shave with a straight and maintain my own blade. It has branched into a hobby because a shave has become enjoyable and it's fun to try various razors and toiletries. I am not saving money by shaving this way but that is my fault. If you're disciplined, you do save.

If everybody had my shaving experiences or felt like they had to shave every day, I think either the DE or straight would become the norm for everybody.

We are a strange group,lets face it. Out of all the people i know and i know a few after being above ground for 55 years, i can say without a doubt,nobody i know shaves with a straight. And i cant even get someone to try it.

Originally Posted by joebehar

As far as being the cheapest way to shave, I'm afraid you're off the mark....just wait till you want to try new soaps, get a new brush, have more than one strop and heaven help you if you decide you get bit by the collectors syndrome

Your confusing shaving with a hobby. I know they could be the same thing, but I was talking about the cost of shaving alone, not the hobby aspect that can be associated with it. To straight razor shave you could buy one straight, one strop, one honing stone, and be able to shave for the rest of your life and trust me you'll be saving money. Nevermind adjusting the price to comparing the quality of each shave you have compared with the inferior disposables. Just compare cost of shaving and straight is way cheaper. The moment you start experimenting with different razors, strops, brushes....your a hobbiest. That's not a cost of shaving that's called fun.

And by the way soaps, creams, brushes and so forth are not limited to straight razor shaving. Anyone who shaves can use them.

I LIKE the fact that so few people use a straight razor. If everyone did, I'd still use one too, but I like that it's different. I don't know anyone else who uses a straight razor and have never known anyone to use one. Even my father, who is 84 and grew up in an essentially 'middle ages' style village in Yugoslavia has never used a straight razor. And like someone said above, people look at you like you're from Mars when you mention it. I've never had any problems with it for the three months I've been shaving this way, apart from absolute FEAR on the first day. In fact, I must confess, today is the first day in the last three months I haven't shaved.

Originally Posted by Knife

Your confusing shaving with a hobby. I know they could be the same thing, but I was talking about the cost of shaving alone, not the hobby aspect that can be associated with it. To straight razor shave you could buy one straight, one strop, one honing stone, and be able to shave for the rest of your life and trust me you'll be saving money. Nevermind adjusting the price to comparing the quality of each shave you have compared with the inferior disposables. Just compare cost of shaving and straight is way cheaper. The moment you start experimenting with different razors, strops, brushes....your a hobbiest. That's not a cost of shaving that's called fun.

And by the way soaps, creams, brushes and so forth are not limited to straight razor shaving. Anyone who shaves can use them.

You're absolutely right, except for that if I never went to a straight razor, I never would have been interested in the hobby aspect.

Either way, its one of the few things I can think of that has both a utility and a fun aspect.

As for the percentage of people who use a straight razor, I live in an area with a population of about 5 million people within a 40 mile radius and I think I've counted maybe 5-7 people that use a straight. its a miniscule percentage of people for sure, but like so many other comments here, I'm kinda happy about that.

there must be enough to keep stores like AOS in bidness..... cause they are usually in upscale malls and i know they don't give that space away for free....

I suspect that there are more than a few people with complete high end kits with fancy razors, brushes and strops sitting in a drawer somewhere, that wil never be used and that might be what keeps these places in business.

I see the same thing with flyfishing. I've been an avid flyfisher for quite a while now and every season I see guys sporting brand new rods, reels, waders, boots and assorted paraphanelia that must total in the thousands. Rarely do I see them more than once, and I'm on the stream a lot!