Thread: Straight vs DE vs shavette - review from a newbie.

I enjoy using the straight much more than my DE's but I don't see a great difference in how close they shave.

There is generally more irritation with the DE but the flip side is that it can get to spots against the grain on my neck that I simply can't manipulate properly with the straight.

The DE is pretty much exclusively for travel and for my head which I will not try with a straight but it does a great job

major , I like my straights exclusively, my DE seldom sees any action ,, but I spent 40 plus years with my DE and with the right combo ,, its hard to tell the difference, but it didn't take 40 years to get a DFS with a straight! but I never tried a shavette, that's next on my list for travel, right now I still take a DE when I fly ,, but im thinking the Feather shavettes because their DE blades are the ones I use so hoping they are as good also thanks tc

Started out with the DE. It was my fathers. Went into the service in 1969 and used a DE. when I got out in 73 went to DE and then the new bic. throw away . the company I worked for had a company picnic. and I won the door prize of a Remington electric razor. suppose to be a real good one. back in those days I would let my beard grow for 3-5 days and shave on Friday night for a date or going to the VFW. I got home and was running late so I showered and got dressed and grabbed the electric razor (it was cordless) and ran out the door and was driving down the road when the razor caught a bunch of beard and stopped. so there I was 5 miles from home running late with a electric razor hung to my face. I stopped the car took the razor apart (this was difficult due to the fact I was in a pretty good traffic area) once it was apart I threw it in the ditch went home and used the DE. Now while I was in the service I had tried the straight some. I also tried the shavette. In the late 70's I tried the straight again then for speed went back to the throw away. Now that I'm retired it's nothing but the straight. I now find I can shave almost as fast as I could with the throw away but I enjoy it more and get a better shave. this was suppose to be a short story sorry

I started on a DE and still use one when I'm in a rush. I keep my DE Parker super heavy weight setup for the shower. I only use feather platinum blades in my DE, nothing else with "cut it" so to speak. I get just as close and comfortable a shave as I do with my straight. No irritation, BBS, comfortable. This is also considering that I use one side of the blade on either side of my face and toss the blade after 5 shaves no matter what. I also dry my de and keep it in a shave box in a dry place.
I have incredibly sensitive skin and a coarse beard but in the end technique, preparation, lather, practice and the sharpest edge possible gets a shave where it needs to be. In the end nothing beats my straight for detail, precision, and that nice straight sharp look for my stache and sideburns. I have two spike point straights. It's what I learned on and what I'll always use. At some point in the future ill endeavor to use some more exotic points. The barbers notch intrigues me