Thread: Cut/Nick Percentage - Straight VS Shavette VS DE

Originally Posted by Firebox

If you are bleeding, its time to reexamine techniques. I've cut my fingers a time or two being careless. I haven't had a facial knick in the last ten or so years with a straight. I almost exclusively use Sheffield steel which seems a little more forgiving than German grinds. All of my Sheffields are pre 1900. In full disclosure, I prefer Sheffield steel. German blades are excellent shavers, but it is about preference.Sharp blades are critical. Semi-sharp blades result in increased pressure and results in more nicks. Good prep, a good soap, and a sharp blade results in good shaves. IMHO.

As far as a DE, I only use them when I travel. A Merkur Slant with Feather blades is a bit aggressive, but again prep, prep, prep! I don't remember a nick with this setup. Light touch and proper prep makes for a nice clean bloodless shave.

Shavettes? why bother?

I bother with a shavette for several reasons. Mainly I can see the edge. My DE blades last longer in the shavette than my DE razors. I can control the blade angle better. It is more familiar to me than a DE razor, being of similar form factor to my straight razors. And just plain ol' preference.

I think my fingers are cut magnets even though I haven't cut my face in a long time. When bevel setting, I don't even like to use TPT or TNT, for fear of slicing off a thumb tip. Okay yeah I do it, but I approach it like you would approach a water moccasin in your duck pond, with some caution and trepidation. I don't have shaving cuts. I have honing cuts. And a shavette blade changing cut I am sure is somewhere in my future. I seldom use my two DE razors so no problem there.

I've actually been using a Focus R21 shavette with Lord half-blades quite a bit over the past several weeks. With them, I get nice, smooth shaves, with rarely a weeper or a nick. This has not been the case with other shavettes I have used, which leave unexplained blood spots and nicks. I think it may have to do with the plastic housing that holds the blade in the razor. It adds a sense of smoothness to the pass for what it's worth. This may run counter to what has been commented above, but I think it may be that the blade is held less rigidly than with a metal housing. Not that it doesn't support the blade, but that there is more give while making the pass, along the lines of the so-called "flex" of a (hollowed) straight-razor. I've been so impressed by the Focus R21 that I recently ordered a Dovo Shavette to see how the plastic housings compare there.

Also, as always, the soap and lather used impact things significantly as well.

It is interesting to me how much more "forgiving" my straights are than a shavette. As I posted at thread beginning, only the Feather Pro-Guard gives me a cofortable clean shave with regard to shavette use. The wound wire design on their pro-guard blades works for me. That does not mean I can't nick myself. I do every so often if I am not careful, but nothing like a regular Shavette. The Pro-Guard percentage of nicks for me is on par with a straight razor.