Thread: Why did you start using a straight razor?

I had to go with "other" on this one. There are many reasons, some only just being found out.

First off I hate cartridge razors, i have some nerve damage on the left side of my chin and even the Mach3 hurts like hell when I shave. My staight razor feel like a dream on the bad part of my face.

Thinking about straights as "old timey", and the way my great grandfather and my grandfather used to shave.

I love learning old school skills, and being able to do something few people do.

The hardcore factor, straight razor shaving looks hardcore.

As it turns out, the wife loves the results much better than the Mach3. And she is happy that I have found something to look for when she wants to go antiquing.

How it all began. I have wanted to try it for a while. My wife is interesed in Johnny Depp and the Sweeny Todd movie he was working on. She asked me if knew about staight razors. This was June of last year. After lurking here a while. I joined in early August, had my first shave late August. Had a few rough shaves but I have never gone back to the M3. A bit lengthy sorry.

Other: I was remembering my dad and the great pride he used to have in working with his hands. He was a true craftsman. I see the art of Straight Razor Shaving as a homage to him and the gradual disappearance of Craftsmanship everywhere. I'd go on but I don't want to sound like an old codger.

Pretty much all of the above. History, craftmanship, effort, closeness of shave, apparent danger & subsequent allure.

But most of all I like the way the local denizens get out of my way when I leave the house after they've seen me stropping & cursing heartily in the yard

For me, it's largely a rebellion of sorts.

The whole Gillette business model annoys me. Like with inkjet printers and Polaroid cameras, they make the original appliance cheap, then charge a fortune for the consumable parts. In buying into it, I feel like I've been SUCKERED.

Shaving with a straight is my way of flipping the marketing guys the bird.

Of course, there are lots of other reasons. But refusing to buy into the disposable, "must have the latest" mentality gives me great satisfaction.

Before I started straight shaving I thought I would stop funding Gillette for the rest of my life.
Of course, the primary reason I stay with it is because it provides a superior shave.

X

My father used an open razor and so I just assumed that was the way to go.

I then discovered electric razors, DE razors and disposables. These new methods all offer convenience but for me it was always at the cost of the quality of shave.

Yes I still nick myself occasionally but nothing I have tried comes close to a good quality shave with an open razor.

Originally Posted by RetroGrouch

For me, it's largely a rebellion of sorts.

The whole Gillette business model annoys me. Like with inkjet printers and Polaroid cameras, they make the original appliance cheap, then charge a fortune for the consumable parts. In buying into it, I feel like I've been SUCKERED.

Shaving with a straight is my way of flipping the marketing guys the bird.

Of course, there are lots of other reasons. But refusing to buy into the disposable, "must have the latest" mentality gives me great satisfaction.

I have a laser printer and I get the cartridges refilled for cheap

Anyways, I got into it mainly because I keep having problems with commercial razors. Essentially I would blunt a Mach3 in one shave, which would inevitably lead to razor burn and the like. Dry shaving is all right, but I keep missing bits because of my blonde beard- plus it's not that close either!

Strict Orthodox Jews believe that God doesn't want them to shave. Liberal Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jews believe that God wants them to blend in more with the local population and that, with typical Talmudic hair splitting, the prohibition was specifically against shaving by scraping the face with a knife, so electric shavers are OK because, technically, they are scissors ... are you following me here? In any case, I believed that God wanted me to get the hell out of that fanatical tribe and scraping my face with a knife is just one of the many ways I put distance between me and my oppressive family. If I may digress for a moment, I simply die laughing when I hear talk about Islamic fundamentalism. The only difference between my father and the Ayatollah Khomeni is that my father wears a suit.

My dad told me when I was younger that there's one thing that every man has to do before he dies, and that's to get a straight razor shave from a barber. Well, as many of you are likely aware, it's tough to find a barber who still does straight shaves. I stumbled upon an ad for The Art of Shaving in a Men's Health article a few months back, and that led to more research until I found myself at the SRP. I decided that the best way to find out about the benefits (and pitfalls) of a straight shave was to jump in and try it. So here I am.

Also, my fiance really likes the scent of the soaps and the closeness of the shave...everybody wins!

1) Because I didn't know how to.
2) I have a host of seemingly archaic skills including tying a bow tie and using a slide rule, wanted to add using a straight razor to the mix.
3) I was shaving with a disposable one day and I replaced my blade (as I had done countless times before). For the first time, I thought "Holy Monkeys, I just threw away three bucks."
4) I like sharp things.
5) I like doing things in ways that require more skill than the way people usually do them
6) I got a straight razor shave once while I was in the middle east and it was hands down the best shave I'd ever had.

I'm about 6 shaves into using a straight and I'm pretty close to doing what I can do with my quattro. It takes longer, but the whole experience is way more satisfying.