Thread: straigh razors are rubbish

Adam,

Well sure, straights are not for everyone. Otherwise this forum would have millions of members, and disposables would never have been created etc.

But can you be honest? Do you really think several months is long enough to make an informed judgement on the performance of straights? More to the point, do you really think your opinion is of equal weight to that of people who have spent many years using straights?

My personal opinion is that if you are good enough to use one properly, an open blade will always give better shaves than an enclosed blade because of increased flexibility in angles etc. It is just logical that this is the case. Then there is also the peripherals like honing and stropping, both of which put you in complete control over the smoothness and closeness of the shave, if you have the skill to do so effectively.

It is the minutiae of the straight that generates superior shaves. And it is the minutiae that takes years to master properly. At the moment your statement is the equivalent of a first year college student telling their Nobel prize winning professor that their research is rubbish. It may well be true, but you are certainly in no position to tell.

James.

Originally Posted by adamround

im going against what this whole website is about

Now why would you want to do that?

Originally Posted by adamround

Ill keep checking this thread

Me too, I can't wait to see what's next!

Originally Posted by adamround

Thats what im trying to say! I think maybe everyone is!? its just because you take more time and care over it with a straight one. suddenly going to spending twice as long shaving and going over more than once is clearly going to give a closer shave wether its with a straight razor or disposeable.

The difference is that many (more likely most) people who are using a disposable cartridge razor are looking for the quick-get-it-over-with shave whereas those using a straight (or DE), while having the ability to shave quick, do it more for the enjoyment of the shave itself (i.e. shaving for me whether using my straights or DE's is not a chore that I dread each day).

Cheers,

Rick

Curiosity was the reason I started. Interests in history and historical artifacts. I questioned one day "how did man live day to day shaving with a straight. I wanted to experience it. I thought 2 weeks of straight would give me a good idea, that was over 5 years ago.

has anyone mentioned that they are waste friendly (i won't say environmentally friendly as it is an annoying catch phrase that usually ticks people off). why throw away all those disposables which in time do add up. even a DE is better since the blades can easily be recycled and there is no other waste.

so if for some reason you are still not convinced that they give a better shave even though you aren't using a real straight and don't have the experience and practice needed to make a real comparison (please don't be offended by this as it is meant to be half kidding half serious ), then consider it a waste savings. i doubt this will convince you but it was a major consideration for me.

i run a health food store and have a lot of people who like to argue about whether organic produce is actually better for you or not. or they argue that walmart brand supplements are just as good as the ones i sell which are as natural and as whole food as i can find. the problem is that they have already made up there mind so even when i give them my research and reasons they still quite simply say "i am still not convinced". which is what what you seem to be saying adam. which is fine, no harm done (and hopefully none done by me).

but if you are going to read all these post and still try to tell us we are living in a fantasy land then i might start to think you are just doing this for fun. and yet we will still respond.

good luck

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

You come across as a rather young person with a mild case of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Cripes! You've known adam for what... four posts and whatever PMs you've exchanged. Already you can tell he has ADHD.

Hmmm.... I wish I found it that easy in my professional life to diagnose.

Straight razors are not for everyone, be they disposable straights or the old fashioned type of straights that are honed on a stone and used with a leather strop.

I use old fashioned straights that are honed and stropped and I like them because it is like having a new edge for every shave, but without having to buy a new disposable every day, which I could not afford. Straights in about 15 minutes shave me as close as the best modern disposables, but sometimes when I am pressed for time I will use modern disposables that are faster for me.

In the old days when straights were the only blades available, people used a term called learning to shave. Modern disposables do require some learning but not as much as a re-sharpable straight. There are different beard and skin types that may never get good results from perfect straights used with perfect techniques. Some people grow beards because they simply cannot get comfortable close shaves, even from experts, no matter what kind of blades and techniques are used.

Originally Posted by adamround

Will anyone openly admit to me that you like it more beacuse of the badassness and fun/relaxation!?

Adam

I would doubt it. Of course it is fun and it is relaxing but only when you have got to the stage where it works. It is hard to master a good shave with a straight and unless you are unusually talented (which appears not to be the case) you are a few months away from regular good shaves. A straight razor in the hands of a seasoned user shaves better than anything else. Once upon a time there were few alternatives to it - now there are many that do not a bad job and in a much quicker timescale. The thing you are wanting is what many people of the most recent generation want - instant results (I'm sounding old here but only just slipping into middle age ). It's the price we pay for so much of our recent technical progress. SRP members are not, in the main, luddites but people who have a slightly broader appreciation of the benefits, physical and mental, of perseverance and prioritisation of time.

If I compared it to eating out - once you know good food and can understand the effort involved in creating a nice meal and the choice ingredients used you appreciate the wait involved and savour the experience. Otherwise you grab a box of chicken drummers and get back to your Xbox.

It's nice to be able to think about the 'why' of using a straight now and again - putting aside collecting or peripheral added joys such as 'macho' or 'sustainability'. The truth is that it is simply better than any other method when mastered and worse than most when not. I would say, from purely a shaving perspective, give it a chance or stick with the Xbox.

I used to hate shaving. Now that I'm proficient with the straight razor I find I can get 2 or three days in between shaves. Because I enjoy shaving now, I wish I could shave more.(grow beard faster) I also find I dont get razor burn like I used to.

If you stick with it there will be benefits, but it might not be for everyone.

Fellow ADHD member and str8 shaver,

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

On a tangent, badassness is frowned upon in my generation, and I severely doubt that you will find more than the odd specimen in this community admitting to the social equivalent of disposable cartridge razors.

I believe I'm about to change my sig line...