Thread: It's not worth it anymore......

There are different types of SR users I have noted...

There are the
Best Shave people that chase the closest
The Sensitives that chase the most comfortable
The Retro's that chase an older time
The Steel and Stone guys that chase the edges
The Economists that chase the less money
The Ecologists that eliminate the trash

There are some that start for one of these reasons, and migrate to another, but eventually you either attain the goal you set out to achieve in this hobby, or you don't and you move on... After almost 30 years of straight razor shaving I think I am pretty close


I wish you luck in attaining yours...

Imo, you made 2 mistakes.
First, you allowed your razor to rust. Keeping a carbon steel razor shiny new requires care, but if you don't care about a patina, the only thing you need to do is dry it after use. If you do that, they can last centuries.
Second, you bought more than one razor. If cost is important and you treat it with a basic degree of care, you really don't need more than 1 razor, ever.

My regular shaver is still my first razor. It has some patina but it is good as new. I only have a couple of shavers, and all of them I restored myself. I like restoring, and I sell them whenever I want to buy something new as a project.

Shaving with a straight can be very cheap. Very cheap indeed. But it you buy new blades / strops, etc on a regular basis, then yes, it starts to add up. The whole point about straights is that they last.

1 blade, 1 strop, 1 brush, and some soap is all you need. Perhaps a pasted strop or finishing hone for touching up. With those things, you can be set for life.

@ homeslice,

Somehow I feel you feel unhappy with your decision. Why else take the trouble to start this thread?

Maybe if you post your Fromm razor a member who has a similar one is happy to sell it to you shave-ready. Fromm razors aren't the most popular around here so replacing yours needn't be expensive.

Shaving with a straight razor isn't for everyone . Very few people try shaving with one , and of those who do try , many decide it's not for them . I'm sorry it didn't work out for you , but if you're not enjoying it there's no point in continuing .

Originally Posted by gssixgun

There are different types of SR users I have noted...

There are the
Best Shave people that chase the closest
The Sensitives that chase the most comfortable
The Retro's that chase an older time
The Steel and Stone guys that chase the edges
The Economists that chase the less money
The Ecologists that eliminate the trash

There are some that start for one of these reasons, and migrate to another, but eventually you either attain the goal you set out to achieve in this hobby, or you don't and you move on... After almost 30 years of straight razor shaving I think I am pretty close


I wish you luck in attaining yours...

You missed one reason . Guys like me that shave with a straight razor because we just plain love doing it . When I decided to try the straight razor , I thought I would only shave with it once in a while , and use my mach 3 most of the time . After the first shave I was hooked .At first , the challenge of learning to use the straight razor kept me shaving with it . And once I started getting good shaves , I didn't want to shave with anything else .

Originally Posted by gssixgun

There are different types of SR users I have noted...

There are the
Best Shave people that chase the closest
The Sensitives that chase the most comfortable
The Retro's that chase an older time
The Steel and Stone guys that chase the edges
The Economists that chase the less money
The Ecologists that eliminate the trash

I started out being the bottom two, now I'm a little of all of those.

I guess you have to do what's right for you, I personally have never had a blade rust on me, but I rinse with as hot water as I can, wipe it off on a dry towel, strop about 20 laps and air dry.

Hobbies and certain ways of life are not for everyone. I'm fortunate enough to have a hobby that I enjoy, which has become a connection to the past and to people of the present.

homeslice, I hope that there is something else in your life that you can devote the same time and care that I devote to SR's. Good luck with your endeavours.

One other reason here. Shaving was just a chore that had to be done but not enjoyed. I used an electric razor for years because I just wanted to get it over with as fast as possible. I've now turned a chore into something I look forward to. That's a rare experience. One thing for sure, though, is that I certainly didn't save any money. About a dozen razors so far, brush, stand, mugs, scuttle, several strops, hones, soaps, creams, pre-shaves, after shaves, and most of all, a bathroom remodel. Fun!

The OP's experience leads me to the old saying of look before you leap. If you understand what is entailed in using a straight along with use and care I think you're experience might have been different. But in the end you need to find what works best for you and your lifestyle.

Homeslice,

No need to feel bad. Straight Shaving is a choice. Do know that we hope you will continue to hang out on SRP. There are a lot of DE shavers here. The welcome mat is always out.