A lengthy absence from DE use..

I haven't shaved with a DE for at least five years. Straight razors have been the exclusive weapon of choice with a very rare exception made for an injector or two.

A couple of days ago, for no reason than I received a new pack of blades, I dragged out a DE and took it for a spin. A Merkur Vision, no less. To be honest, I was very pleasantly surprised by the results. I don't know what I expected, exactly, but the shave was smooth, comfortable and fairly close.

To those of you that frequent this sub-forum I am sure none of this is exactly earthshaking news but for me it was a good reminder of range of tools that will accomplish pretty similar results. I don't think I will be setting the straights aside or anything, but I plan to include at least a little variety in my daily razor selection.

I stopped using DEs for a few years once I became proficient with the straight. Now I will use a Merkur slant, a Gillette Big Fellow or a Barbasol if I am running late for church or something like that. Other than running into a time constraint situation I still shave with straight razors by choice. I just like the shaves better.

I have yet to shave with a DE. I have become interested lately; mainly due to my son. He will start shaving a year or 2, so I want some experience to get him started on DE's. He will not have the patience to start with a straight. I hope I can get him into DE's and not disposables.
I am waiting to find one on an antique store shelf, to rescue. I don't want to just go & buy on in the classifieds

Same here only use straight, But if in a rush the fatboy comes out lol

I honed the blade of my Rolls Razor yesterday and gave it a test shave. I have not used an SE or a DE for going on 3 months, straights only. Boy did that shave ever feel strange doing it. Good shave non the less.

Bob

DE's still give me the willies...

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Originally Posted by BobH

I honed the blade of my Rolls Razor yesterday and gave it a test shave. I have not used an SE or a DE for going on 3 months, straights only. Boy did that shave ever feel strange doing it. Good shave non the less.

Bob

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How long did the Rolls honing take you? I have a few of those and maybe it's my patience, but I can't seem to get mine sharp enough.

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Originally Posted by ZeroCool

How long did the Rolls honing take you? I have a few of those and maybe it's my patience, but I can't seem to get mine sharp enough.

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They were not too bad so I just went back to an 8000 Naniwa, then 12000 Naniwa and a pasted crox balsa strop. Per blade maybe 45 minutes total. I'll say one thing, they are a PITA to hone because of their small size. I did not use any tape either as there won't be too much spine wear since the Rolls does not get a lot of use.

Bob

After stopping for a couple months, and shaving strictly with a straight, I decided to pull out the old safety razor. My face felt the stinging sensation brought on by razor burn when rubbed with ye old alum block! I don't get sting from my straights anymore unless I nick myself!

Well, my DE technique was off, so I vowed that once a week I would shave with my DE just so I can keep up the technique! For me that means I go through a pack of ten blades once a... Oh wait, I haven't gotten through a pack of ten blades yet! I get in the range of 4-8 good shaves with one DE blade, before it dulls!

Gentlemen:
I pepper my straight shaves with the double edge. It's usually about once a week, or when short on time. When traveling, I always have a little Merkur (with an EJ shave head) travel DE razor for backup to the straight. Nothing wrong with enjoying the best of two worlds.

I love my de razors but my new love has been my se gem 1912.

Sometimes when the dog is lurking about and in a mischievousness mood I'll make a sudden decision to forgo the straight that day.

I literally forgot what it was like to have a de in my hand hopefully my fatboy will be here soon from the replating

I first started shaving with a Gillette DE around 1962 or '63. I believe it was a Super Speed. Went on to the Fatboy and I remember nicking myself with it when I started out with too large an adjustment. It was like WOW, that stings ! Found the Schick injector razors and preferred those until Gillette came out with the twin blade 'Good News'.

I shaved with those for 30 years until I rediscovered the DE in 2006. Through the internet shaving forums I discovered there is more to shaving than taking an instrument and scraping your face. Prep, lathering, multiple passes for gradual stubble removal. So you might say I learned to shave in my 50s. Learned the correct way anyhow.

I really liked the various Gillette DEs. British and USA Aristocrats, Big Fellows, and Super Speeds, especially the early version. The old type and "new" open comb 3 piece Gillettes, the Barbasol and finally the slant head. Slants used to be known to collectors as "twisted head". AFAIC, having tried many of that style the Merkur is the best of the bunch in design. Probably why it is the only slant that continues in production into the 21st century.

Having run on with all that I have come to really prefer straight razor shaving. Once I got comfortable with the straight I made shaving with them exclusively a commitment. At that point I didn't really prefer straights but I wanted to be able to say that I "only" shave with straight razors. That lasted a couple of years then I would go to a DE once in awhile. Usually because I was running late for work or church.

Now I'm not into that "be true to your school" mentallity and I have no qualms about shaving with a DE. I even enjoy it, visiting an old Gillette or slant once in awhile, but I've come to the conclusion that I do prefer straight razor shaving to any other method or tool to get the job done.

I really like my straights and used them exclusively for a year or so while getting the hang of things.
I also only had two kids and worm was 4 miles away.
Now I have three kids and work is 15 miles away and I have to get one child on the school bus and drop the other two off at the sitter on my way to work. The straights are a treat, right now. They honestly take the same amount of time to shave with but I still have to concentrate on what I'm doing and these days concentration and patience aren't high up on my list.
Also, my bathroom has a curtain instead of a door and with two insane boys who insist upon expending more energy than three mile island produces in a daily basis, I think you understand where I'm coming from.
Hopefully in the next year the youngest will calm down so he can be contained a bit more and I'll get around to building a header and putting a door in so I can straight shave more than just on the weekend.

The DE still allows me the same prep but is more forgiving of being distracted. Almost as good a shave. Plus if I shave before work and the wife and I have a hot date that night I can still shave before the date so on the upside I get to shave more :cool:

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I stopped using DEs for a few years once I became proficient with the straight. Now I will use a Merkur slant, a Gillette Big Fellow or a Barbasol if I am running late for church or something like that. Other than running into a time constraint situation I still shave with straight razors by choice. I just like the shaves better.

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A metamorphasis has taken place. I feel more comfortable with a straight with anything else, which is something I wouldn't have believed would be possible even 2-3 months ago. :y