Thread: Anyone still shave with DE on a regular basis?

Actually, I just spent a week with a Gillette HD Rocket. A trip down memory lane, and she still provides an excellent shave.

I find it necessary to use a DE for a final pass on my neck. My beard grows horziontal east to west. I've tried about every angle I can with a straight, but only the DE, because of the much shorter length of the head, will work XTG on my neck. 150 years ago I would have been one of those neck beard guys.

I've actually never shaven with a DE before since I went M3->3-pass straight shave in one go, which cut down the learning phase considerably (with the downside of getting 10 cuts on the first go). But recent events has conspired against me so now I have two DE's incoming, a vintage Gillette in close-to-NOS condition and a LUX after winning the newbie giveaway over at the Den. So I think I'll be switching between those and my two straight depending on conditions (I would have really needed the DE this Monday, since straight shaving while stressed with two blunt razors isn't such a great experience.)

Not regular but still use a DE and a SE but a straight the most.

As I'm just learning with the straight I do a couple of passes with that and finish off with the DE. I do get the rough spots under the jawline with the straight tho, DE won't touch those.
Last night I almost got a complete Straight shave and would have passed muster at work but went for the last bits with the Merkur. I reckon it won't be too long before I'm just using the straight.
Only thing is I managed to nick the bottom left corner of my nose and it bled for an age!

I keep the DE handy and use it for travel or when in a hurry, but when I use it, I like it: partly because it's a lovely Merkur Slant-Bar, partly because the DE calls for its own brand of learned skills, and partly because it's sort of a rare treat these days.
Deepweeds

JimR, hey buddy I know you from over at Shaveden! I'm a newb in this end of the pool, but learning young grasshopper!!

I took resort to my DE often as it doesn't give me razor burn the way my straight does.

I think everyone who tells you don't get into honing, just learn to use the straight alone is not telling the whole story there. I can understand why they say it, but in the end having the sharpest and smoothest blade you can get takes you a lot further then great technique and a crappy blade.

I bought a prehone blade, and it shaves ok ( its a wapi) I can do my cheeks and neck with no irrtation but my chin and stahce if I do those daily my face looks like Bozo the clown ( George Costanza's Bozo, that's right!lol) I have to back off and shave with my straight only in certain areas or not everyday or its redfaced Mcgee for me!

My DE is a Future too, and with a Feather blade, I'm like a shaving Ninja!! I can clean my face to BBS in under 10 min np, 1 WTG 1 ATG, and that's it folks, and I walk out the den smiling!!

With my straight Im all nervous in the service, I get a decent WTG on my cheeks and neck bet yet it doesnt whisk away as nearly as much hair as the DE with a Feather does on the same pass. The Feather basically cuts a very smooth nearly BBS shave just doing that.

I have a very thick and extremly coarse beard and I use pre shave oil for the straight as well as every other means including glycerin to make it work, but always irritation and not so close of a shave. ugh!

I just picked up a new vintage razor today, and hopfeully ( god willing) it will be a smooth shaver. I also got a barbers hone, to see if that helps any. I got some .25 and .50 diamon paste, no CrOx though (

ok thats my long winded 2 cents

cheers
D

I used a very nice Mekur set for a couple of years before the str8. I sometimes still use the DE if I get up late and need to whack the whiskers off really quick or if I am doing any traveling. I need to get a paddle strop or something and then maybe I'll take the srt8 on small trips.

Steve

Originally Posted by Sirshavesalot

JimR, hey buddy I know you from over at Shaveden! I'm a newb in this end of the pool, but learning young grasshopper!!
{snip}
D

Hey buddy, good to see your!

I hear you, the burn I was getting from straights was pretty bad. It's slowly getting better, but I do still find myself thinking with fondness about that Futur.
Oddly, my Wapi is a pretty good razor. I've gotten used to the weight of the scales, and the blade is nice and smooth.

But yeah, DE is easy peasy compared to straights.

I use a DE/SE like most folks during the week when I only have a few minutes to shave. On my days off I will use a str8 when I want to take my time, relax and truly enjoy the experience.

A str8 shave should be savored, not rushed.

I think you know I do.

I manage 3-4 straight shaves a week and fill in with a double edge the other days.