Why do you shave with a straight?

So I have heard some stories about guys finding family razors or reminiscing about how they would watch the barber shave their dad, and this has gotten me thinking.
Why did you guys start shaving with a straight razor?

Mine all started with a bad case of razor burn and stubble. It wasn't on my face.

Well, in search for some sort of relief I did a search which resulted with this article
http://www.menessentials.com/oxid.ph...ght_razors.tpl

This really spiked my curiosity and so I started doing more research, I found Tony Miller on e-bay. Saved up a little, and here I am.

Who's next?

I documented some of the catalystic events for me in my blog last December. I think the real reason was that I wanted to save my money from Gillette. Sure I've spent a lifetime's worth on straights, but they'll last a lifetime too, or more. I was also real keen on the idea of saving hundreds if not thousands of disposables from going to the landfill. Of course, the reason I stick with it is the great shave and the sense of accomplishment. A Trak II never gave me that. Not once.

X

Yeah the "savings" was a big reason for me too. Didn't like the idea of spending a ton on something I was going to throw away.

Ahh Wordpress, good man good man.

I always thought it looked cool and was interesting to use, but used a 3 bladed gilette because I couldn't find a straight (this was pre internet).

My mother gave me a shavette when I was 18.
I used it for several years.
Then I bought a real straight that was never comfortable because it wasn't truly shave ready. After a month or 2 I switched to gilette.

Then half a year ago I rediscovered it when I was moving all sharp objects in the bathroom from the cupboard to an out-of-toddler-reach shelf.
My interest rekindled. I wanted to do it right this time so I serached on the internet for more information. I found this site, and the rest is history.

Incidentally, my wife really likes the fact that I shave with a straight because
- my face feels smooth for a longer period of time.
- stubble is not as sharp as with gilette.
- I shave more often because I actually like shaving now.

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. :D


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

Quote:

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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. :D

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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..:eek:

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.

The spark was the article you mentioned Matt.

After that, the Zen, challenge and pampering grabbed me. I also love the look of razors. Last, I love shaving with something that gives me a great shave and probably gave someone a great shave 75 years ago.

Cheers - John

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

Like Gawker, I was into sharp metal -- knives (got a huge collection since I can't buy firearms over here).

The catalyst was my electric shaver's batteries wearing out -- they were soldered into the unit. So, I either had to buy a whole new one, get the old unti maintenanced, or go back to a Mach 3. A straight razor at least tied back to my collecting/hobby of knives.

So, a year and a half in, and still going strong.

Because I can .... no, originally because I hated the money and waste of the Gillette disposables - but as someone said, that's out the window what with RAD and all...

James.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimbo

=originally because I hated the money and waste of the Gillette disposables -
James.

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Amen Brother Jimbo! In a very dull moment me and my friend Excel worked out how much Gillette and Co were going to cost me for the rest of my life! I then naively decided a straight would be much cheaper and kind to the environment....so I was kind of right on one count!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bradford Si

In a very dull moment me and my friend Excel worked out how much Gillette and Co were going to cost me for the rest of my life!

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What as the final total?

I started shaving with a straight because it is such a manly way to shave. I also liked that men have been shaving with straights for centuries, and I could pass down my straights to my children and grandchildren (though I don't have any at the moment - and hopefully won't for a while :nono: ). I keep shaving with straits because they give me the best shaves I have ever experienced.

Shaving for me is a ritual, always has been. From the moment i watched my dad shave, i would put soap on my face and shave with a custom made, LEGO razor. I was of course only scraping the soap off, but it felt so good. I couldn't wait to shave for real. I even locked myself in the bathroom at about 8 and shaved 'properly' with a bic i found in the airing cupboard. I did it because i thought the stubble would appear faster!!

The straight is the pinacle of shaving to me, and i am loving every minute i have a straight in hand.

This place had a great influence on me too, and has gotten me where i am now, quickly, and with little razor burn!!!

THANKS GUYS.....GROUP HUG

pea

My pivotal moment was when the Fusion was released. I rushed out on day 1 and bought one, hoping that my problems of not being able to get a close shave with Mach3 were solved. It was about the same as Mach3, except more expensive - I was gutted.

I started searching online to see what I could do to improve my shave, technique wise, and stumbled across B&B. I was amazed to find people still used DE razors, and dived straight in with a DE and a badger brush with proper soap. The DE gave me a way better shave at considerably less cost than a Fusion, so for a while I was happy.

After a while at B&B I become more curious about straights, surely people didn't use those any more did they?! The more I researched, the more interested I became.

I love the fact that I'm not throwing blades/cartridges away each week. I love the closeness and comfort of the shave (after the learning process. I love the ritual each morning, and the fact that I learned/mastered a skill that has almost died out. I'm pretty geeky and like to fix my own cars, build my own computers, cure my own sides of bacon etc - so caring for straights with all the honing, stropping etc was just the sort of thing I'd be interested in.

I just love the whole thing, even the folks who are into straight razor shaving all seem to be pretty decent likeminded chaps. :)

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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kentriv

What as the final total?

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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 :mad: 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.... :D

I'm the sort of person (in his mid 30s) who writes with an antique fountain pen on cotton rag stationery, fishes with a cane fly rod, owns a 40 year old car and skippers a 46 year old 40ft wooden John Alden yawl. Oh, and I really like a good single malt, but that's another story.

I found that my mind was in a Zen place sailing an old and characterful boat to Brittany (out of sight from land and alone on the water) and particularly when I was casting that fly rod on a small stream going after that wild brown trout I could see but not get to rise to my fly. You can't think about anything but the moment or it all goes to pieces (for me anyway) and I wanted another way to create it - at least more frequently that I get to go sailing and fly fishing!

It's another way to take time in an increasingly hectic world. Don't get me wrong, the modern world has plenty offer, some of which is a vast improvement on the way we used to do things (medicine, communications; to name a couple) it's just that shaving isn't one of them.

It started when a member of the herfersparadise cigar forum told me that the way to shaving perfection was to use a str8. The yahoo group and some research led me to enjoying the best shaves ever. It helps that I have a trimmed beard & mustache to reduce the shaving area, but none of my other shaving implements (DE, injectors, Gem, etc) leave me stubble-free for as long as any str8 shave. The hardest part about the shave now, is deciding which blade/soap/cream/brush combo to use that day.


Wayne

Because it's a little difficult and it takes skill to do it correctly. You can't take pride in using a cartridge razor.



Justin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jaegerhund

Because it's a little difficult and it takes skill to do it correctly. You can't take pride in using a cartridge razor.

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I thought it was because your family would beat the living snot out of you for doing anything deemed unmanly.;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Scrapyard Ape

I thought it was because your family would beat the living snot out of you for doing anything deemed unmanly.;)

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That might be true too --my sisters use straights to shave their beards also:D.
Actually, I come from a great family -- a little old school and that's alright by me.

Justin

I like the straight because I get a nice strong satisfaction of keeping a fine blade wicked sharp and then following it up with a wicked shave. Shaving with a straight is just plain classy and full of character.

I like to be able to control my own blade sharpness. I prefer smooth edges over the hyper sharp rough edges of the DE blade.

I am also enamored with the idea of learning the "art" of straight shaving.

Finally, I have this weird quirky feeling that DE blades will sky rocket in price one day. I can imagine a worldwide steel shortage one day.