Thread: Why do you shave with a straight?

Somehow my addition doesn't seem necessary lol.

I also used a mach3 for several years. I went the way of buying blades off of ebay to save some money. Prior to using the m3 I had shaved with a DE Gillette,. I have quite a few DE's in my collection (yep, I suffer from RAD as well), and when I ran out of M3 blades I figured on going back to DE's due to the cost of the M3 blades. So the next time I was at our local Wal-Mart I started looking for DE blades and was unable to find them. (they like to hide the DE's, if you can't find them guess what you're more than likely gonna buy?) After not being able to find DE's locally I decided to dig out my straights.

Now I've never (until a week or so ago) shaved with a straight, but how hard could it be? lol Well, one thing led to another and I started researching straight razors on the net. Somehow I didn't find SRP until it was mentioned in the Christian Pipe Smokers forums (thanks again Dennis), anyway, I signed up and started asking questions. My first problem was where to get a strop on the cheap. (I'm disabled and fighting Social Security to become classified as such), Fud offered to hone my 2 razors (actually 1 good razor come to find out) and made me a strop.


I haven't perfected the art of shaving with a straight, but my first shave went well, I didn't lop off an ear or add another hole in my face but my technique in building a lather has greatly improved (and I'd wet shaved for years even with the M3). So I guess I'm making progress, and I think the mystique of shaving with a straight is enough to keep the fuel fired until I do perfect the technique, then maybe I can get the "zen" feeling that most everyone has, and I won't make any more changes for a long long time. (other than feeding my RAD, SMAD, SMIRAD(shaving mirror acquisition disorder), SBAD etc)

I was searching through an old antique store when I ran across my first straight. I began to wonder how one would shave with such an instrument. I'd come back once a week to stare at the straight and in between I would watch old movies trying to figure out how to use it. when I told my Mom of my interest she told me that her neighbor was a retired barber so I paid him a visit. He taught me a few things and gave me his first barber strop ( which was used when he received it ) . Needless to say I ran right down to that antique store and picked up that razor..... And the rest, as they say, is history!

Keep sharing guys, this is fun.

Matt

Originally Posted by Kentriv

What as the final total?

Ok so making many assumptions like the blade price remains the same, I have 275 shaves per year and the Good Lord allows me another 45 years on the planet than I am looking at £3582.56 or $7129.30.

If I buy the Fusion then that becomes just short of £5000 or, deep breath every one, $10,000.

The final assumption is that those evil, nasty Gillette baddies don't sucker me in to the next generation Gillette Fission Thermonuclear 8 Blade Laser cut smoothest ever shave that's guaranteed to have that lady in leather at the race track purring whilst the shave turns me into an irresistible, invincible, ruggedly handsome, 6ft 6in Porsche driving speed demon with 1.6 million notches on my bed post...but cost £5.99 for each cartridge.

Wow, that is quite a figure. Obviously, yes, it could vary a bit from man to man, but still. I could probably spend that on Straights pretty easy in a lifetime, but as Xman has put, they last a lifetime as well.

Important thought, even if you spend quite a sum on straights;

You don't see used cartridge razors on eBay. And you certainly don't see them selling for more than you bought them for.

'So you see honey, they're an investment'. Practice that in the mirror a few times to get the delivery right.

- John

I started shaving with a straight (well, a real nice shavette type thing with Merkur blades) about 2 months ago for 1 reason.

I wanted to offer straight shaves in my barber shop. Simple as that.

I thought it would only be fair to practice on myself first so I could experience any pain or irritation and get a true feel for the way a straight moves and sometimes doesn't move OUCH! and to get some knowledge of how different creams and soaps and brushes behave and influence the way a shave goes. All this before I ventured onto other peoples faces.

Now I am a convert. After years of shaving with twin blade cheap disposable razors and horrible gels I now couldn't bear the thought of going back to that. I love the shave I get with my little shavette thingie. I love the hot towels and the pre shave treatments. Slapping the warm lather on is such a relaxing feeling. OK it takes me 40mins to shave myself now instead of the 2mins it took a couple of months back but it is no longer a chore. I now look forward to my shave.

Those 40 mins locked in the bathroom are the most relaxing 40 mins in any day.

Cheers

Mat

Most definitely some of the best spent time of the day.

More than 2 words.
History of shaving according to me

In the beginning:
Started out with Track II, Mach I w/ aerosol cremes. Shaved in the sink, every other day. Ingrown hairs, razor burn. Contributing author of the I hate to shave book
Next 30 years:
Tried various electrics, Not. Disposables, Not. Eventually moved to the shower to shave, methol-based shave creme and a heavy Track II handle with Merkur blades. Single pass shaver. Now sporting the GQ trimmed beard, moustache. Still shaving was an unplesant chore.
Epiphany
The cutlery shops aound Chicago, from which I bought Merkur Track II, closed. I e-wandered to Classic Shaving and talked to Ray DuPont (bless you Ray). His patience, knowledge and advice led me to soap, brush, DE razor and double pass shaving back in the sink. OMG. Shaving time became enjoyable, baby butt smooth skin, even fewer zits.
Ascention
Called Ray back for a supply refill and he suggested I might want to try str8s. I thought what a shrewd marketer. I just dropped $269 on the whiz-bang DE set and these straights seem to hit at $150. Ray, a razor merchant, suggested e-bay and his sharpening service (Lynn). I e-bayed a 5/8 round goldedge, a 5/8 square FWE special and a 5/8 Henkels. I sent them to Ray, who sent them to Lynn, who sent them back to me and life has not been the same.
Lynn sent me to Tony for a Latigo strop and it was all about the shave. Somewhere around hone time, it shifted from the shave to the perfect shave. So, from ebay came a Wonderedge, from Ray's daughter Danielle, a Dovo Bergisher Love w/ Lynn's DVD and from SRP a new way to channel a collecting compulsion.
Shaving Heaven
Don't know yet. I'm still en route. I've e-bayed out some stuff and e-bayed in more. I've picked up Norton hones, a travel and pasted strop, Shavemac travel brush, an ivory scaled W&B, an ivory tanged Boker Joe C. is rescaling for me (e-bay surprise). Colleens soap and creams and a B&B Finest Silvertip are on the way.
Straight razor shaving is a greater joy than a Cohiba and a 30 year-old single malt. I suspect my tools are better than my skills. I hope my skills grow and my collection doesn't. Although one of those galatic virgin badger brushes, a heavy custom Thiers or Maestro Damascus might just.....
Thanks Y'all all.
-DRazz

Wow, while your at it, I could use a....