Thread: Why do you shave with a straight?

For the Zen of it.

I grew tired of the canned foam and asked my wife to buy me a soap & mug and brush for Christmas. That was a revelation, not because the lather was so much better (it was, of course!) but because I found myself really enjoying and relaxing during the lather-making process. It was a moment of calm in my bathroom, on my own. I didn't expect that.

Then a friend bought me the Anders Larsen book as a light-hearted joke to compliment the mug and brush my wife bought. I read that over the Christmas holidays and found myself thinking "If making lather can be so relaxing, maybe I should go the whole hog?"

Next thing I know I'm on the internet, reading this forum, researching what to buy.

So now I'm completely hooked. And it's not so much the quality of the shave (I'm still not proficient enough to beat my Mach 3, e.g. top lip), and it's not really the whole pampering thing (though I do admit to enjoying that too), and it's not the honing, stropping, pasting, etc. It's the TIME. To myself, on my own, in peace.

With two kids (4 and 1) and a four-hour commute to work and back everyday it can be challenging finding a moment to unwind. Shaving with a straight (and all its connected activity) does it for me in the best way. And at the end there is the satifaction of a tangible result.

(Even if it's not a good result, it's not disparaging. Like when a round of golf doesn't go well, or your soccer team plays badly that week... you take the rough with the smooth but the path there is always rewarding.)

Excuse me whil I go and meditate... Ommmmmmmmm.

I was attracted to straight razor shaving, for a bunch of reasons. Concern about the rising cost of cartidges and the waste I was creating with the empty cans and used mach 3 miter saws.
Then it just so happened that one of my friends said that he always wanted a cut throat, so I set out to get him one for christmas. I thought about it, and gave him a brewing kit (he's likely to lop off a finger, big goob).
Kept the shavette for myself and started to research via internet. Found the same article you did and then this forum. Now I'm hooked, even though I have much to learn.


"there is nothing manlier than shaving with a tool that can take your head clean off"

It all started when my friend was talking about wanting to get his father an "old style" razor (straight) - but he was disappointed b/c he was under the assumption that one needed a barber's license to purchase and use one. I was interested and started doing some research. It led me to the same mensessentials article Kentriv cited, as well as Dr. Christopher Moss's "The Art of the Straight Razor Shave". He cited the Yahoo group, which sent me here. I quickly joined and have been learning for approx. the last 2 months. I have made my initial purchases and am now enjoying learning the art - I am not yet "there", but learning something new everytime I pick up my straight or lather up.

Oh, yeah - as the name states, razorburn was a huge factor in wanting a smoother, less irritating shave!

I shave with a straight to save money. I looked at the cost of the Mach3 in a year and the straight razor that I bought off the forum cost less. A lot of times I would forget to buy new cartridges and have to shave with a dull cartridge which would cause me a lot of pain. Also since I usually don't have time to shave I have nice long wiskers that get caught between the blades of the M3 which make shaving more of a pain.

With the straight I get a closer shave so I don't have to shave as often. I also like trying different types of soaps and aftershaves which is driving my wife crazy because of the money I spend on it. I try to get samples before buying the product but she is embarassed to be with me when I do that.

I found the foam in a can to be really messy and like the brush application. I find it relaxes me and makes it a lot more enjoyable. I still have the M3 for when I am in a rush because shaving with the straight takes me about 30 minutes from stropping to washup but I keep my face properly shaved so I don't need it much since I started to use the straight.

I started as a way to save money, but that was a red herring. I've continued because it is fun.... Well that and the enormous, testosterone laden cloud of machismo that surrounds me when I use one..... AND the looks that progress from horror to curiosity to jealousy when tell other guys I shave with a straight.


Oh yeah... the shaves they give are pretty damn nice, too.

Originally Posted by Scrapyard Ape

I started as a way to save money, but that was a red herring. I've continued because it is fun.... Well that and the enormous, testosterone laden cloud of machismo that surrounds me when I use one..... AND the looks that progress from horror to curiosity to jealousy when tell other guys I shave with a straight.

I agree with the first part but I have yet to note any of my friends being jealous about this mode of shaving. They are still at the horror stage..

ummm....I like sharp things...and they don't get much sharper than this...

I suppose you can throw in a dash of "saves money" but to be totally honest I never thought about the cost of Mach3 carts until the Fusion came out (I was already straight shaving by then) and I realized they were asking $15 for a 4-pack of blades that you're just going to be throwing away anyhow. That's $3.75 each down the tubes...I was never happier to be a straight shaver then when I made that realization.

About two months ago, I was using my (gasp) electric razor that I had for literally a decade, and when I took the foil top off to bang it against the side (to knock off someof the stubble inside) pieces of plastic began to fly off - and I thought I needed to start searching for a new razor, and I was dreading it - everytime I get a new razor, the damn thing tears the hell out of my neck, and as I wear a tie every day, the collars finish the job - really very bad burn; blood and bumps and the whole thing.

But, I had to do it, so I started shopping around and the latest new fangled razors were like $200.00! I said, no-the hell-way was I going to buy one of those, and my Bic days are long over - so I started researching, and hard - grew up with straight razors (long story, family for generations were accomplished wood carvers, and we would buy up old straights by the dozens -when they were cheap- and grind them into knives and delicate chisels-best steel in the world - just a travesty now that I think of how many Wostenholms and Ducks were crucified) - so, I researched over Christmas (while not shaving a lick) - bought a kit from Tony, and haven't looked back since, until two days ago, but that is another story...7 razors, 6 or so soaps, 5 creams, five aftershaves (nto including balms), four brushes, three bowls, three strops, a water heater, two styptics, an alum block and a Moss scuttle later...I would say I am off to a running start. Spend well over the original budgeted $200.00 but I am getting better shaves and no irritation, and enjoying the learning curve.

YMMV

K

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....