Thread: Safety Razor versus Straight Razor: Compare and Contrast.

Originally Posted by AndrewJM

Does anyone know if the quality of a safety razor (handle etc, not the blade) affects the shave? ie are some angled better etc.

thanks

Very much so.

Andrew:
Also different razors have different degrees of aggressiveness as the result of more or less blade exposure. What sort of shave are you looking for? Mild but requiring more passes or quicker shaving but with greater risk of irritation if you aren't exact with angle and pressure?

Originally Posted by TomBrooklyn

How does a safety razor compare to a straight razor in...

Quality of shave

Likelyhood of cutting oneself

Other

Discuss

I was into DE shaving for about 5 years before straights. I have several Merkur's. My personal experience was it was very hard to get a BBS shave with no irritation. When I took up straights the learning was long approx. 90 days to get good. The results are a long lasting BBS shave with no irritation. It does take much longer to shave but I find the whole process relaxing. Honing just takes some pratice but it's not hard. Just by a set of Naniwa's 1,5,8,12k stones and dmt 325 for lapping and watch Lynn and Glenn's videos and read the forums.

Guy

Originally Posted by TomBrooklyn

How does a safety razor compare to a straight razor in...

Quality of shave

Likelyhood of cutting oneself

Other

Discuss

Originally Posted by TomBrooklyn

How does a safety razor compare to a straight razor in...

Quality of shave

Likelyhood of cutting oneself

Other

Discuss

I was into DE shaving for about 5 years before straights. I have several Merkur's. My personal experience was it was very hard to get a BBS shave with no irritation. When I took up straights the learning was long approx. 90 days to get good. The results are a long lasting BBS shave with no irritation. It does take much longer to shave but I find the whole process relaxing. Honing just takes some pratice but it's not hard. Just by a set of Naniwa's 1,5,8,12k stones and dmt 325 for lapping and watch Lynn

I'm still a beginner but I see the SR costing a more even against the ongoing cost of blades for a DE. How many blades can you buy for the cost of honing and shipping and a strop etc? You're more likely to form an attachment for your SE than the DE, so do you want to hand your baby over to an essentially indifferent third party to have it shipped to an apparently trustworthy honing service whom you've never met? If not, then factor in all the hones and lapping equipment and effort to learn to use them. You will want a second SR while one is off being honed of course and the RAD will set in not only for the SR itself but every other item associated with SR shaving, honing, and storage. I've only been SR shaving about two months but I believe I've spent more in those two months on SRs etc than in the over 20 year of DE shaving.
Don't misunderstand me, I'm all for SR shaving but it can quickly become a hobby of sorts that goes beyond the simple need to remove your facial hair. The DE is much less likely.

It strikes me that a lot of people here eventually begin to hone their own razors. And, you can get a perfectly functional set of hones that'll last you a lifetime for around $100.

This is probably a stupid question, but if it is common for people to drop their razors and damage them, why dont razors come with a wrist strap/cord like some cameras etc, (or like the old sunglasses string)

I suspect because it's better to damage a razor than to have a razor swinging around close to your body.

To be honest, I wouldnt even know where to start re what id be looking for. Im going to start with straight razor, but safety razor would be handy when flying with carryon luggage only. I guess something that shaves nice, not too hard to master, wouldnt have to give perfect shave, just a nice shave.

That makes sense

What about a straight with a spring loaded cover, like you get with circular saws? ie. using a finger to retract the cover etc. Not saying it should be made or that I want one, but I find it interesting to consider (for beginners)