Thread: Straight razor popularity vs being a small elite group, poll

I hope it doesn't get huge. There is "cool factor" about it and I like that.

But I was totally unaware of that cool factor until I got online to look for information about it.

I became interested in Straight Razor shaving because it was totally painless when I did it on my arm and then on my face.

I never got that kind of shave with a safety or an electric I don't care how many blades or "lubrication strips" the things had on them.

I'm intent on figuring this straight razor thing out because I don't want to go back to using those disposables or an electric.I just don't want people to jump willy nilly into using straight razors hurt themselves and give them more of a bad name. As it is my dad thinks I'm committing suicide by using one already.

The hipster, college campus, fad thing doesn't hold water for me. That is, as a college student myself, when I want information about something, I google it. The first place I search is online.

That being said, I agree with some earlier posts that perhaps the majority of SR users aren't quite computer savvy. The ones who are will mainly be the younger crowd, which could be why there is an apparent explosion of growth here on SRP. I know for sure that not every long haired hippie freak that goes to college shaves with a SR. None of my roommates even knew what the hell a shaving brush was. So be assured, our status as the elite among men isn't in question by being part of the mainstream. I think we still have the "badass" factor, if you feel that is important.

But keep in mind, growth means more opinions and ideas.

All that growth and I still can't get rid of my TI 7/8.

So for me....I don't care either way.

Originally Posted by Bruno

For many people, shaving, even with a straight, is just shaving. To many people, shaving is no more 'interesting' than brushing teeth, and they use a straight for environmental / economical / dermatological reasons.

I agree. For many people, shaving with a SR is just "shaving" like their ancestors thought. Many years ago, a straight razor was seen not as a collector item, but as a tool like a fork, a knife or a toothbrush. People wouldn't take care properly of razors like we do nowadays.

Originally Posted by Bruno

People who stay are a) computer literate b) obsessed by one aspect or other of straight shaving c) prepared to spend a good part of their free time online.

Yep, I'm all of the above.

Originally Posted by Leon

I agree. For many people, shaving with a SR is just "shaving" like their ancestors thought. Many years ago, a straight razor was seen not as a collector item, but as a tool like a fork, a knife or a toothbrush. People wouldn't take care properly of razors like we do nowadays.

I'm not getting what you're saying here. People don't take care of tools? Back in the day, I would think a barber that didn't take proper care of their straights sure wouldn't be doing much business shaving-wise.

Originally Posted by gollum83

I would think a barber that didn't take proper care of their straights sure wouldn't be doing much business shaving-wise.

What is proper care for a barber may not be proper care for an obsessed hobbyist

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

What is proper care for a barber may not be proper care for an obsessed hobbyist

That's right, back in the days, a barber would shave 10 or more men a day, you can imagine the workload that a razor would get! In no time it would become in toothpick condition.
How many of us have used a straight razor so intensively like an old barber which caused severe spine and blade wear? I'd guess few or none, because we are users/collectors, we have lots of razors each and take good care of them.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I voted to have the SR community grow dramatically. IMO those who take it up as a fad will either love it and stay with it or be turned off by the learning curve and move on to the next big thing. Having a large community of SR shavers will keep the commercial side going so that we have great razors and strops etcetera still being made and the vendors doing well enough to make those things available to the community. It will keep the forum interesting too.

I agree. It's grow or die!