I started straight shaving a few months ago with a full sized/3" blades... but found it cumbersome to work around my beard and eyeglasses with them. So I tried a shorty... MUCH easier to use in that respect. In fact, I have gotten so that I have been using/buying nothing but my shorties the last few weeks.

With that said, Lynn is right. You do have to be careful of your horizontal angle. I have nicked myself several time... always behind or in front of the ear, especially with one particular shorty (which also happens to be my best shaver). So perhaps a shorty is a great tool for learning to shave properly!

Anyway, again... I dig them quite a bit, and am a new straight shaver. They will take my shorties when they pry them from my cold, dead hands!