Thread: That's Crazy...I can't shave with a DE

Originally Posted by Phrank

I need BobH down here stat for an intervention.....

You rang?

Shaved all my life with a DE in my right hand and still do. It works why change? I use both hands with a straight razor though.

A good aggressive DE/SE gives me about as good a shave as a straight razor in slightly less time to do 4 passes. Personally, I can't

understand people having trouble shaving with a DE/SE.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

You rang?

Shaved all my life with a DE in my right hand and still do. It works why change? I use both hands with a straight razor though.

A good aggressive DE/SE gives me about as good a shave as a straight razor in slightly less time to do 4 passes. Personally, I can't

understand people having trouble shaving with a DE/SE.

Bob

Thank-you Bob, so darnit, I'm doing fine with my right hand only (my early teenage years agree)!!

Makes me wonder was I ever using two hands for the DE, maybe it was just cross pollination or something.

I did a one pass, needed a quick shave, but not too bad with the DE, sheesh, even face lathered this time and used cold water, that was going back a few years.

Next shave think I'll grab a straight again, but try a nice cold shave (forgot how nice and refreshing they are) and face lather again.

Thanks for setting me straight....

Those DE razors scare the pants off of me. I’ve cut myself good several times too. I will stick with the straights. SE razors are fine, they shave well, I especially like the Henckels Rapide wedge style, but even those rarely come out to play.

I shaved with a Gillette Slim and Fat Boy with one hand for over 50 years, until I discovered the joy of using a straight about six years ago. I learned to shave with a DE from the hours of watching my father and grandfather shave as a young boy, and now wish they had shaved with a straight. The instructional videos that I watched of ugly men shaving with a straight emphasized the use of both hands, so that is how I've always done it. Call it muscle memory or the way my stubborn brain works, I could never comfortably shave with a DE with both hands nor a straight with one hand.

I have been shaving with a DE for more than 18 months, with only the occasional SR shave, I have cut myself more with a DE than I ever have with a SR (although more shallowly)

1. I use the straight exclusively when home. Two hands.
2. I use my DE exclusively when traveling, as I am now. I travel 1-2 weeks a year. I don't like traveling...
3. I trained myself to use the DE with two hands before I started the straight.
4. I have no troubles at all with the straight but I do feel a little awkward with the DE in my left hand since I get so little practice.
5. DE shaves are faster but not as long lasting as the straight shave.

I shaved with a trap door DE for years and years. I still do occasionally if I'm in a real hurry. That's what my father used predominantly. Call me sentimental. I only use my right hand to shave with. It's funny because I'm cross coordinated. I'm left eyed right-handed and left footed. this means I'm partially ambidextrous. I sometimes catch myself eating with my left hand. I throw a frisbee and flick a bottle cap with my left hand. I can shoot with either hand. Sometimes I surf goofy foot sometimes I surf regular foot. It depends on which direction I'm going. But for some reason I've always shaved only with my right hand. I don't know why but I don't seem to cut myself as badly with a straight as with a DE. Sometimes if the knob wiggles loose I'll deli slice myself with the DE.
I too noticed that the shave of the DE doesn't last as long but I also noticed that a straight shave feels different when the stubble comes out. I want to say smoother or less jagged. I don't know how to describe it but it does feel different.

Any razor deserves respect. If you don't give it the respect it needs it will bite you.

The worst I have experienced is the first time I tried a Rolls.

You could have played poka dot on my face and neck..................LOL

Originally Posted by 32t

Any razor deserves respect. If you don't give it the respect it needs it will bite you.

The worst I have experienced is the first time I tried a Rolls.

You could have played poka dot on my face and neck..................LOL

I know I've told this story here before but my dad had a JA Hinckels twinworks straight when I was a kid. I still have it today. RIP dad. anyway when I was about 14-15 years old and had just begun to shave I decided one Saturday night I was going to shave with it. I thought it went pretty well that night but the next day on Sunday morning we went to church and the youth leader looked at me and said, "did you get attacked by a cat?" I had all these tiny nicks on my face that didn't even show up the night before but they were literally all over my face.

Originally Posted by 32t

Any razor deserves respect. If you don't give it the respect it needs it will bite you.

The worst I have experienced is the first time I tried a Rolls.

You could have played poka dot on my face and neck..................LOL

I think that might be part of the problem for shavers who predominantly use a straight razor and only occasionally use a DE. They don't treat the DE with the respect it deserves viewing it as a lesser form of razor.

Bob