Straight vs DE? Sensitive skin, tough hair

I have a super tough, dark colored beard and very sensitive light colored skin. I don't get bumps, but rather I burn and bleed (thin skin maybe?). The shave prep I have learned here gives me a much better shave with my Schick Quattro than I've ever had before but I want much better still. I still sometimes feel burning on my face a day later. Plus my dark beard and light skin makes any patchiness in my shave job really noticeable.

I'm trying to decide between a straight razor and a DE razor. How do these 2 types compare for getting tough hair off with as little irritation as possible? I am very attracted to straight razors for the beautiful blade and the manly blade handling skills that are needed. On the other hand I'm cheap and really attracted to the DE razors because of the price. Plus even if I get RAD, DE razors are much cheaper than straight razors. :)

Has anybody with a tough beard and sensitive skin used both and care to advise me whether one type is significantly better than the other comfort-wise?

Thanks,
- Nick

My opinion would be to get a decent razor of each kind and explore for yourself. That's really the only way you'll know for sure which works best for YOU. It may be a lame type answer but I've foudn that personal opinions and experiences vary widely person to person.

Also, pay close attention to your shave prep. Try things like shaving after a shower, shaving oils, nice creams, aftershave, etc to help with the sensative skin. I know that castle forbes AS balm smells like crap but is simply WONDERFUL! Best AS I have found.

Good luck on your quest!

I definitely am paying close attention to shave prep. I currently have a sample of AoS unscented oil, a tub of AoS Ocean Kelp cream, a badger brush, and some CVS AS balm. So far it has helped tremendously. And I have NEVER been able to shave with a blade unless I take a shower first. I need to get more consistent with my lathering technique. I think I had too much water for my last shave and the cream looked light, fluffy, was too thin on my face, and didn't protect well.

One other thing which I don't know may apply to you is that when shaving using a different razor SR or DE, the skin can be more prone to irriration and will adjust (or get used to it) as time goes by. Castle forbes has a trial sized aftershave balm for a fraction of the normal bottle price. You may want to give it a try and see. I love it!

Keep at it and good luck!

I have fair skin and rosacea with a heavy red Scotch-Irish beard. I've used both and can get great shaves with both with no irritation. DE's have a smaller learning curve but I get a 5 o'clock shadow again within a few hours. With a straight razor, the learning curve is much larger and can be much more disappointing to newbies thinking that the shaves will be magical right out of the box. With patience and proper technique, a straight will be less irritating than other types of razors. Also with a straight, I don't see a five o'clock shadow for at least 10 hours.

That definitely makes the straight razor sound more appealing to me since it sounds like a closer shave. I can deal with a learning curve. I'm patient just as long as I know what to expect. The closer the shave the better as long as there's no irritation (eventually).

-Nick

DE's and straights are really totally different animals so it's hard to compare. In the hands of a skilled shaver you will get no irritation with either. With the straight the learning curve is higher but with the DE it's a matter of finding the right blade- razor combination for you. Also there are DE's that cost almost $300 which is straight territory.

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Originally Posted by nomoore

I have a super tough, dark colored beard and very sensitive light colored skin. I don't get bumps, but rather I burn and bleed (thin skin maybe?). The shave prep I have learned here gives me a much better shave with my Schick Quattro than I've ever had before but I want much better still. I still sometimes feel burning on my face a day later. Plus my dark beard and light skin makes any patchiness in my shave job really noticeable.

I'm trying to decide between a straight razor and a DE razor. How do these 2 types compare for getting tough hair off with as little irritation as possible? I am very attracted to straight razors for the beautiful blade and the manly blade handling skills that are needed. On the other hand I'm cheap and really attracted to the DE razors because of the price. Plus even if I get RAD, DE razors are much cheaper than straight razors. :)

Has anybody with a tough beard and sensitive skin used both and care to advise me whether one type is significantly better than the other comfort-wise?

Thanks,
- Nick

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A DE and a big sampler pack of DE blades may be the way to go.

It will teach you a lot about what is possible. Some DE blades are
just too sharp for my skin. Some are too dull for my whiskers...
some are just right. A good sampler pack will help you find the
brand of blades that works best.

A DE will get you quality shaves that will only improve
as your shave prep and "latherin" improve.

For me a good straight can be honed and stropped to "just right"
but it does take time and practice on four fronts: honing,
stropping, latherin and shaving to get there.

Since faces and whiskers are all different what works for you
may be a long way from what works for me. You may find
that your Quatro is your best hot date razor and the DE your
best and most comfortable go to work razor.