Thread: The SR resurgence

A day without a chess-match with death is a day wasted. That's my mantra.

A chess match with death! Holy smoke is that what str8 shaving means to the blissful male masses? Still from time to time the movies will show a man with a faceful of lather waiving a straight razor in the air.
It takes an appreciation of tradition and a rejection of the multibladed plastic contraption kept under lock and key at the pharmacy to motivate one's entry into the historic world of wet shaving with a straight. It will be a highly pleasurable experience when guided by experienced men whom have journeyed before.
So I think others will follow into our chess match. The reward out weighs the risk. Any thanks to those for the encouragement given to me to enter upon the journey.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Holy Cow - just found an article from, "The Telegraph", in the UK, talks about a guy trying straight shaving, and he's used Lynn Abram's video tutorial in it....we all knew Lynn was a star!!!

A close shave: my cut-throat razor disaster - Telegraph

Laughed at this line, we're awesome:

"While there is no more authentically manly act than shaving with a straight razor, the downside is that the straight razor also turns the most repetitious act of grooming of all – the wet shave – into a chess-match with death."

I read this several months ago, very funny piece but I think a healthy dose of exaggeration was employed to comedic effect.

It is nice to see a growth in wet shaving supplies online...including new producers of straight razors. I think it is basic economics...supply and demand. Right now there is a demand so the supply is growing to meet that demand. I think, however, there are limits to growth. My sense is that traditional wet shaving with a SR is more for the older guys who do it in part for the nostalgia of it all. There are some young guys...but truthfully most of the young guys I know prefer not shaving at all...or prefer the convenience and safety of a cartridge razor. SR shaving is and likely always be a niche market...albeit a growing niche market. Just like in any growth area there will be new producers and as competition gets tough, some will drop out of the marketplace.

I prefer vintage SRs. I have around 30+ vintage...and one new SR. Even the restored vintage market I notice is growing. I prefer antique store hunting, restoring and honing my own. But for me that is my hobby...it is as much part of the journey as the satisfaction of a great shave on a SR that looked like it was ready for the trash heap.

Interesting thread...thanks for posting. I enjoyed reading everyone's comments.

I expect the reasons for the 'new' interest in SR's will be as many and as diverse as the number of users. There will no doubt be the older chaps who like to reminisce, the younger set that want to attain a particular image of their choice, and the Eco-minded type that views disposables as anathema. While I'm not an Eco-warrior I do subscribe somewhat to the latter category (I'm certainly no Daniel Craig). I have been impressed most by the approach taken by PRC, I think their branding and use of social media is absolutely spot on, and I for one will be watching how they progress with interest.

Here is the outside magazine link:

https://www.outsideonline.com/211645...-start-package

Quote from Outside Magazine:

“[About ten years ago,] we were producing less than 8,000 straight razors per year,” says Jens Zeitvogel of Dovo Solingen, which has been making straight razors for 110 years. “The tradition of straight razor manufacturing had almost come to an end.” Now, the brand has orders for 110,000 products. Lead time for production is three years long.

Even those seeming impressive current production numbers from Dovo would seem extremely weak compared to the large number of producers output in various countries in the 1930s through 1950s. At least this niche segment of wet shaving is healthier now than before.

Bob

It's headed in the right direction however. I cannot believe that with a little education and a lot of savvy those numbers cannot be improved upon.

Originally Posted by TomP30

It's headed in the right direction however. I cannot believe that with a little education and a lot of savvy those numbers cannot be improved upon.

Yup, those numbers are likely to improve but you will never convince a huge chunk of the literally billions of males out there that shave to go with a straight razor.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

Yup, those numbers are likely to improve but you will never convince a huge chunk of the literally billions of males out there that shave to go with a straight razor.

Bob

.5% of a billion is a much larger number than 100% of a million......