Thread: Why do people so afraid of straight ?!

Hello
It seem that many people too afraid of straight, is it that risky ?!
I don't think so, and probably most of you don't

But I think the reason people think so is because the miss-knoweldge

My momma really afraid of it, she say I will cut my self and she will need to drag me to the hospital - What do you think of that?

Why are people think these way? and how can we change this?
I know some guys here enjoy the "mystery" about straight, but is it really necessary ?
Can't we do better to spread the word and try to make the mass to at least it not using it, appreciate it and not afraid it?

Just my thoughts for today, hope you will give me some good things to think about

Yeah I think it's a common misconception, it's certainly what I always assumed before I knew better.

I guess it's like a lot of things, in the wrong hands or used without proper care or training they can cause pain or injury - but then so can a lot of things like automobiles, lawn mowers, guns, medicinal drugs etc etc.

Once my family saw me routinely using a straight razor day in day out, and (now) very rarely even nicking myself, they came round to the idea that it's not as dangerous as they first assumed. But when I started, they wanted to have me committed for insanity.

When ever I talk to some one at work about it, The first words out of there mouths is "I would cut my face off", does gillette have the masses that well trained? I was talking to a Korien war vet who told me that in Korea, they considered them a wepon, and the military outlawed Them, Give you a gun with ammo, gut you can't have a straight. Makes since to me!
Phil

I wonder if the marketing of DE razors as "safety razors" gave generations of people the impression that straight razors must have been dangerous. I'm guessing not many people alive today ever experienced a straight razor to form their own opinions about how safe or dangerous they are, so impressions were formed by other means.

There is some trepidation when it comes to straight razors. I am new to str8s

When I started wetshaving my first instinct was to STAY AWAY. I do not want an open blade as sharp as a surgeon's knife on my throat.

Now after taking the plunge I feel that a str8 does pose a minute amount of risk, but not as much as I initially thought, and it gives me a better shave than a Fatboy with a feather.

When used properly and with some practice you can avoid nick and cuts with relative ease and you would have to be REALLY dumb to seriously injure yourself. (IMO)

yeah... i can't see anyone cutting himself so bad that he has to go hospital

It has a little bit to do with how it is even advertised by well intentioned people. I think I've seen articles that say something like "nothing more manly than to shave with a device that can take your head clean off" --- and some of us don't mind propagating that stuff --- well so on one hand we want to inflate our masculinity by implying that it's dangerous but we get a little bit perturbed when others question our sanity and worry about us -- if we are being brave and ubermasculine than maybe others have the right to worry and wonder --- or maybe we're not being that manly after all --- which is it? I'm for the brave and manly --let them worry .


Justin

When people don't understand something they fear it and shun it and anyone who advocates its use. Mr Gillette was successful with his new razor because he was selling convenience and safety and it was the turn of the 20th Century and people in that era put great faith in the technology of the day (just like the Titanic) so this new razor was a machine and remember it was a DE and DE's do give great shaves. Most people think of Mr Gillette and his new razor in terms of these multi blade systems of today and that isn't true.

And lets face it we love straights because they are quaint and different and require skill but they do require much attention and for the general public most had neither the time nor the inclination for these idiosyncrities of the straight. Its like a woman wanting to go boil water and beat the laundry with a stick and wring the clothes by hand. I don't see any web sites advocating that, do you?

When was the last time you saw a straight razor being used in a film that didn't result in massive blood loss? If it wasn't Jim Carrey being stupid (Dumb and Dumber), then it was Arnold Schwarzenegger getting slashed in True Lies. The last time I saw someone using one to actually shave was an old Hitchcock flick (North by Northwest, I think...maybe Vertigo?).

Most (younger) people today haven't seen anything made before 1985, so if the public only sees their use as weapons or inflicting major damage, that's all they will be known for.

I agree what Jaegerhund said about this article, and that most people see it as extremely masculine, or dangerously stupid (I've been accused of both). I switched just 'cause I was sick of shelling out $30 every time I had to buy new Mach5 cartridges...but I don't mind the stigma (Ha! pun) attached, you might say I even enjoy it.


-Erik

Very well done Demons ol' boy --- (first name?)


Justin