Thread: I am on the fence now after the first DE shave.

Hi, I just had my first DE shave (not exactly the first one, but this time, I
got it right with Merkur 12C long handle open comb+Feather, with proper face preparations).

Finally, I had that "buttery" feeling when the blade sliding through my skin.
Everything sticking out just melted away.

This has put me in a awkward position since I am not sure anymore I should
even start to learn the straight razor if a DE can provide such a
close shave with much less demand for skills. I have ordered a bunch of honing stones and
strops and blades. Haha

Any input would be welcome.

Everything is relative.

Yes you can get a very fine shave with a DE but it still does not match a Straight Shave. I know I'll finish with a DE and be BBS all over but by late that night the stubble is there. With a straight the same amount of stubble doesn't reappear until the next morning.

It just feels so much safer with a DE

I will at least give the SR a try to see the differences myself.

I am sure if you decided not to use a straight your items would be able to find new homes from members here. I have never used a DE I went from cheap disposables to a straight. There is a definate learning curve but the shave is not even comparable. If you are comfortable with a DE then perhaps it is good for you. But I think You should try a straight for a while besides it gives you a whole new set of skills. Honing, shaving, stropping......

I have and use both regularly, but straight razors are not for everyone. I found the straight razor to be my primary tool where my wife found the DE to be her primary. She still uses a straight and helps with the back of my neck with a straight razor, but for her the DE is simpler and she prefers it.

My DEs have been sidelined now, for the reasons outlined by thebigspendur. Mind you, I can get very good results indeed from a safety razor (lots of practice!), so if using a straight seems like too much hassle or too steep a learning curve, fair enough.

remingtonmarlin,

A lot of people, including myself, use a straight not just because if the quality of the straight shave, but because of the entirety of the straight shaving experience.

I shave after work, and for me, my straight shaves are a tranquil oasis.

During the shave, all the bad crap from the day disappears, and I fell very much the better for it !

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

What's BBS?

Sorry, new guy.

Regards,

Paul

Hey Dr. Pepper, welcome to SRP. (Striaght Razor Place). BBS stands for Baby Butt Smooth. There are a whole bunch of other abbreviations thrown around here. You can find most of them in the Wiki (in the menu bar above). Along with a ton of other great info on wet shaving.

Originally Posted by remingtonmarlin

Hi, I just had my first DE shave (not exactly the first one, but this time, I
got it right with Merkur 12C long handle open comb+Feather, with proper face preparations).

Finally, I had that "buttery" feeling when the blade sliding through my skin.
Everything sticking out just melted away.

This has put me in a awkward position since I am not sure anymore I should
even start to learn the straight razor if a DE can provide such a
close shave with much less demand for skills. I have ordered a bunch of honing stones and
strops and bl
Any input would be welcome.

ades. Haha

Coming at this shaving experience from the world of woodworking, i've found a certain gratification from knowing that i honed or stropped a piece of steel to a point where it will do its job well. Honing chisels and handplane blades was my first skill that i mastered. Planing off a translucent, paper thin ribbon of wood was a magical experience. I started using straights that i bought from ebay: all vintage blades. I've made good progress with the honing and stropping process but sometimes wonder if my edges are up to snuff in comparison with a new, professionally prepared razor. I enjoy the challenge and get a real sense of accomplishment when i shave with a straight and it just glides through my whiskers. Like Billy Crystal said in the film Analyze This: "it's a process". hee hee. With all that said, the DE experience is perfectly valid and good luck with your shaving experience.