Thread: Why did you start using a straight razor?

It looked dangerous, and I have an attraction towards danger that borders on sexual.

Once I found out it wasn't dangerous my first time shaving, I liked it so much I kept it up.

Originally Posted by bevansmw

It was on a watch at work that I was fumbling about on the internet looking at straight razors and ended up finding this, which brings me to ask does the guy that wrote that pdf hang around here on SRP? Think it's Christopher Moss. If so feel free to say something. Well I thought why not, no ingrown hairs, a closer shave hmm... maybe it's worth a shot.

Dr. Moss is on here and a regular at SMF. He has generously offered to hone my first straight so I can give it a whirl.

Originally started shaving with a DE (fathers influence, though he went disposable in later yrs.,). Then slipped into the disposable realm to save time (ruined my skin) back to DE's and the natural progression although some would see it as a regression to straight razors. I can tune my shave for both my head and face exactly to my liking. The DE experience is Manufacturer (blade) specific in my opinion, straight razors that are self honed are a one off experience.

Kind regards,

Well, I fit squarely into the "Other" category even though my dad was a barber and made a decent living giving people straight shaves. To be honest, he never used a straight for shaving himself, but rather used an old Gillette safety razor with Wilkinson blades once the Gillette Blue blades became impossible to get.

No, for me it was the *usual* reason..... I started with straights because I COULDN'T shave with a straight! Nothing motivates me more than knowing I don't know how to do something...... I'm always trying to learn new skills, whatever they are. As long as it only demands skill, determination and practice, I'm game. If it involves being able to endure long periods of boredom, I can't be bothered. Happily, straights fell into the first category for me.

Regards

Christian

My grandfather was a barber. I have no memories of his shop he had retired from barbering before I was born. I do however have a fist full of his razors. Nothing too valuable from a collecters view but priceless to me. I kept these razors in a box untill a couple of years ago and decided I was going to use them or bleed to death trying. Well pert' near blead to death trying. I then found Classic Shaving which linked me to this sight. I bought a new Lynn honed Dovo to learn with. I have now honed and used nearly all of the old razors. Some I only use once and put away others like an old Union Spike I love and use regular.

Don

The reasons are several:

• The same reason people climb mountains- because it's there
• It's the best known shave
• The lore surrounding the straight razor
• It intimidates the uninitiated
• The razors are well crafted and attractive tools
• It's a very satisfying daily accomplishment

I originally used a str8 because I did blackpowder reenactment of the Fur Trade Era. I didn't like whiskers between the rifle's stock and me.

Later it became my only shaver because of the quality of shave and as a refusal to pay for cartridges.

Hi,

I voted for the type of shave it provides, which is superior to the cartridge/DE shaves (when I get it right - still learning). But it is something I have always wanted to do ever since I was a child. Also for me it is that it just looks so cool when you shave with a straight. I have also noticed that my wife finds more and more excuses to come into the bathroom when I shave with a straight.

Thanx

Nath

Being something of a history buff, I switched because I like the old-timey aspect of it. I've been using (almost) exclusively straights for the past month. I had to go to court to testify this AM, and since I normally work afternoon shifts, I was a little tired, so I used my '61 Gillette Slim adjustable.

I've found that the DE gives a really, really good shave, as does the straight. However, the straight shave seems to last a little while longerthan anything else I've ever tried. I can say that I prefer the straight shave because it seems to be a little more comfortable in the long run, if that makes any sense.

Sorry to ramble, but that is my 2 cents.

Kenrup, I too, am a blackpowder enthusiast. Are you a flintlock or caplock kinda guy? I use flintlocks whenever I go out with a blackpowder rifle.

I started because I hated shaving.

In fact, I put off shaving to once a week, and once I did get around to taking off my week's growth, I had to use both an electric and a disposable in order to get the job done. Then one day I had this thought after watching a movie where a man shaved off a full beard with a straight (The Hiding Place): Hey, if I got a straight razor, I could shave once a week and it would take it off in one step without clogging the razor blades.
Well, needless to say, I soon began shaving much more than once a week.