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

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