Thread: Using the SR full time.

No loyalties whatsoever. If I like a particular razor, I like it, be it a straight, a DE, a cartridge, or any of them.
To be honest, the most enjoyable part of a straight to me is the honing process. It is thanks to members here (and some former members) after I had bought my first straight, and went looking, only to find the straightrazorplace yahoo group. (This site wasn't up in those days, but is MUCH easier to find) Sometimes it can be frustrating as well, but there is a certain satisfaction in taking an Ebay POS and breathing new life into it, and finally that first silky smooth shave with it, knowing full well that the last time that may have happened could have been before even my grandfather was born, in some cases. After that, I'll shave with it for awhile, or a new (to me) DE I've acquired or tinkered with, or if I have one, I'll pick up another straight, and repeat the process with that one.
Do I shave with them every day? of course not, but WOW, that first shave when the thing first comes in.....
That's the stuff.
John P.

Every couple of weeks, I pull out the Merkur Slant-Bar DE so that I don't forget how. In fact, I have a mental note to myself to use the DE for a few weeks in a row sometime soon, perhaps whenever I might need to send the straights out for honing again. Almost every day, though, it's one of my two trusty straights.

Originally Posted by JohnP

there is a certain satisfaction in taking an Ebay POS and breathing new life into it, and finally that first silky smooth shave with it, knowing full well that the last time that may have happened could have been before even my grandfather was born, in some cases.

Wow! I can't believe how you've captured my fascination with str8 shaving. Thank you.

I love the razors that come with a history, where the seller tells you something a bout who owned it. I recently bought one just because the seller identified it as her father's, and he was sheriff "John Jones" of such-and-such, Arizona in 1913. I got it shiny and new looking just so I could use it the way the sheriff did.

I'm too self-centered for that motivation but I still have a good reason: Our society throws everything away. These precision instruments became throwaway items that will never be used and will either spend decades collecting dust or go to a landfill. By restoring them and using them I breathe a new life into them and give them decades of doing what they were made to do.

Straights almost every time here. The only exception being when travelling. There is no way DHS will allow a straight razor to be carried on a plane,(hell... they gave me a hard time over a DE last year) and I'll never put one into a checked bag ever again. If I'm flying, I buy a pack of generic Bic disposables to use for the duration.

Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

Wow! I can't believe how you've captured my fascination with str8 shaving. Thank you.

I love the razors that come with a history, where the seller tells you something a bout who owned it. I recently bought one just because the seller identified it as her father's, and he was sheriff "John Jones" of such-and-such, Arizona in 1913. I got it shiny and new looking just so I could use it the way the sheriff did.

Joe,
I'm both a tinkerer and a nostalgic soul to boot. Last winter when I went home on leave I found out my Grandmom still had my Great-grandfather's straight and (what was left of) his strop. I also found that in those days (I'm from a very rural area originally) she would sit him down, with (I guess) regular old soap, perhaps homemade, lather him up and shave him before church on Sundays. I was in awe.
She let me put an edge on the razor again, but I don't get to keep it just yet...
But my eye is on it. Nobody else in the family I know of can use one, after all....
Honing and stropping are the most fun part of straights to me, and the tinkerer in me always did enjoy taking something that does not work....and making it work.
John P.

Originally Posted by JohnP

the tinkerer in me always did enjoy taking something that does not work....and making it work.
John P.

Me too.

I love the idea of your great grandfathers razor. How great is it to share something so personal with him?

It was awesome.
He died before I was born, but my Mom had all kinds of fond memories of him. Funny, for as unhealthy as they lived by what is currently accepted today, both my great grandmothers lived extremely long (on mom's side). Fatback, beans, all sorts of fried stuff, chain smoking....and both of them lived into their 90's.
Mom ate healthy most all her life, and didn't make it to 52.

Life is odd that way. It really was cool though, sharpening great granddad's straight. Last time that happened, he was alive...kindof an odd feeling, but cool all the same.
John P.

John,

you're lucky!

I got one of my Grandfather's razors from my dad the other day. I never knew what to expect...

Well, this one is Crown & Sword. (I have a 7/8 like it but have not honed it yet.) Don't know what my Grandather's was, as it is now probably 4/8! Not really sure how / if he shaved with it and how it lost so much...

But now I'll hone my C&S and use it on special days. I've heard they are real shaving gems...

Cheers
Ivo

Ivo,
That's a good razor. I've got a Crown & Sword somewhere that's not a looker, and the handle was broken when I got it...(I don't have capability to replace scales at the moment...)
I superglued the scales back together and still used it. Good shavers IMHO.
Already forgot what Great Granddad's was, it wasn't one of the cult ones like Ducks or anything, just a small no frills 5/8, also looked like it had been considerably worn down....maybe a 3 or 4/8?
Bet you'll be happy with the shave on that C&S razor of yours.
John P.