Thread: The Straight Razor's Future

Originally Posted by Phrank

Agree 100% with what you say here, my reason's as well.

I particularly like, "thoughtful action", sums it up pretty nicely as well, for me it was that and about turning what used to be a mundane "task" into more of an "experience".

Buddhism for the win.

Well, the image of the young man shaving with a W&B then headed to work in his Toyota hybrid with a mocha latte in his hand......wrong? Not wrong enough kimosabe....a young man with a pencil thin jaw line beard, wearing a tutu and Whites lumberjack boots with lipstick on the rim of his latte and a foil wrapped cucumber in his tights....dude....that is just wrong IMHO

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Without talking to Dovo executives about their current production situation & their perceived status in 20 years, I don't read into the lack of supply as a major boost in the change to straights. I see the number of true converts being slightly higher 20 years from now & the increase so small, that it goes unnoticed by anyone but the dedicated users.

I definitely do not feel that the environment or any concerns about it, will have any measurable effect on straight razor sales. I think that any of the major vendors or custom makers would be wasting their time working the environmental angle. How many members now, made the jump due to environmental issues?

The image of a young man shaving with a Wade & Butcher, then headed to work with his Toyota hybrid, with a mocha lotte in his hand,,,,,,well,,,,,something is just wrong,,,,IMO,,,,

Sorry guys if any of you fit the above,,,, just my feelings,,,,& Lord knows I got my issues,,,,,

I personally don't want the straight razor market to "Kick Off". I would not mind a small gradual increase over my lifetime, but that's it. I feel good, to belong to a small, special group known as wetshavers.

I made the switch to straight shaving in 2009. The cost of the multi blades seemed market driven, non functional driven. Somehow, they gave me unsightly pimples under my skin. After switching to straight shaving that never happened. After getting the hang of it, I think I influinced a few others to switch to a DE and some straight shaving. However, the straight shave still scares a lot of people. I do have a DE and use that occassionally, but nothing beats a straight shave! I think I joined in at the beginning of the big movement and now I see the big push back happening against the multi blade $$ driven marketing.

For the new people: When I first invested all this money into straight shaving, I calculated my Multi Blade break even savings time to be 36 months. I did buy all the nice stuff and didn't compromise much. Since the break even time, I am plus 3.5 years and counting. Today, I just grin at the silly prices of the muliblades and think they are just out of line with their hyped up marking. Best decision I made in 2009!

Pabster

I've seen the Pawn Stars DEs at CVS and Walgreen's, so I guess there is a growing market. Most I had seen here in Puerto Rico was DE blades, usually Personna, selling in small markets, Walgreen's and CVS. I've also seen pretty cheap DE razors at local pharmacies.

Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen,

In recent years, we all have seen measured growth in straight razor shaving among the young and the not so young. The factors contributing to this growth include a hankering for tradition, movies, expensive cartridge razors and blades, and for some, the "cool" element, among others.

From what I understand, manufacturers are unable to keep up with demand. I have heard Dovo has a three-year backlog. Granted, the straight razor world does not produce enough new and qualified grinder to satisfy the high demand. Perhaps that is the reason for overwhelming the production, but I am only assuming since I am far from an expert on manufacturing straight razors.

Regardless of the current demand for straight razors, I believe the art will always be a small niche in men's shaving. That is unfortunate for society, and those of us who embrace straight razor shaving can attest to that, but reality is reality and demand for straight razors will always remain relatively small.

What are your thoughts on the direction straight razor shaving is taking worldwide? Do you perceive the art and craft surprising us and becoming more popular than we predict? What a sweet thought. How do you see straight razor shaving advancing, if it is advancing in the first place, and inviting more users into its ranks?

Let's hear your thoughts.

I think we trusted the likes of Gillette and Schick to come up with the ultimate shaving machine for generations, but with the multiblade razor, canned foam, and canned gel they came up with something that was overly expensive and uncomfortable. This manifested itself in the trend of the last 20 years where it became fashionable for young people who don't grow beards to shave every few days.

As someone pushing 60 and coming of age during the advent of multiblade razors, I felt it was expected of me to shave every day. However, doing so was extremely uncomfortable and I avoided shaving any non-work day I possibly could.

Since I was a kid I was fascinated by the use of straight razors in the movies, and by 2010 I had gotten so fed up with the poor results of electric razors and the discomfort of multiblades that I got fed up and searched the internet for alternatives.

My first safety razor was defective, but I persevered and every safety razor used since immediately reversed 40 years of bad shaving experiences. Shaving became a hobby due to my fascination toward straight razors and my determination to learn to use them.

I feel the venerable old razor companies violated the public trust by thrusting something on them that was profitable to them and not in the best interest of their face.

To me, that's where shaving is today. We have people who still trust Gillette and Schick and pay the price in more ways in one, and others like us who lost their temper with high prices and unsatisfactory results and found an alternative.

Personally I think you have to know how to slow down to enjoy using a cut throat, one has to appreciate the finner things in life. Straights are a kin to good bourbon, where as cartridge razors are a kin to cobra 44 beer in 40oz bottle. Hate to say it but we live in a world filled with people who like cobra beer as opposed to good bourbon. Same with shaving. I started because I've had a fascination with straights since before I could remeber. It will never go away, but it will never give Gillett a run for their money.

Modern inventions often do one of two things if they are to replace something older. Either they do it better, or they do it easier. Really, if it doesn't do one of those two things, it won't take over. For cartridge and electric shaving, it was easier, and to the unskilled, it is better, thus the takeover of the industry. And really, I didn't have any real help in learning to shave with a cartridge, but I didn't need it. The only hint I remember being cautioned was "don't go sideways". With the DE safety razor, I went slow and had to work on figuring out the angle and while it wasn't that hard, I had to slow down. Guess what? The shave was better, but it wasn't faster/easier. Makes me think of packaged foods and frozen dinners - they get the job done, and it's fine, but it's not the same as actually making some real food for yourself.

Add in the skill of straight razor shaving, and it's akin to making food from scratch - you are pretty much responsible for everything. Is it for everyone? Absolutely not. I made pancakes this morning for the family - used to use Bisquick and throw it together; now, I actually use flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, etc., and mix it together. Is it faster? Nope, but it's better and I can control how the pancakes fluff up and add cinnamon, vanilla, blueberries, whole wheat flour, whatever else I'd like. With Bisquick, it made pancakes, and I could add a little bit, but that was it. If I was in a rush or only made pancakes every couple of months, I probably never would have bothered with learning to make it from scratch.

Will straights take over again? Nope, never. Too much involvement, too much work, too much skill. In fact, that was the catalyst for the safety razors - something that was easier and safer and required less skill to work. Then, someone came up with taking the angle control out of the equation and developed cartridge razors . . . Speed and ease will always triumph in this arena, but there will always be a group that realizes sometimes more work is better work and will embrace the DE and SR world. Same with cooking . . . people will never stop by processed foods - they are faster, but you also won't get rid of chefs and people who really make and cook real food.

I am newbie, and I am just hooked. I love the old school look and feel of holding this blade, then taking it to my face and getting the best shave possible. I definitely will not quit

I have been using a straight since I started shaving (37 years) and never had anybody want to try it after hearing or seeing that's what I use. Used the same two razors during that time. Didn't think anybody still shaved that way until I stumbled across this forum a few years ago.

It's a tough competition out there. While many are finding that the 5-6 blade refills are expensive, they go back to either a de or they pick up straight shaving. Electric shavers are the fastest but don't give a close shave. I know there are women out there that are buying sr's while others are using disposables or de's. Then you have the hard core people like us that love our sr's & won't give 'em up for anything. Ya got newbies out there trying the straight razors & many love them & really want to learn more about them whether young or old while the richer folks are sticking to their 5-6 bladed razors because they can afford the refills but someone like me, on disability can't afford those plus I'm an old fashioned type of guy & I love my straights no matter what. I think many people are slowly going to straights because in the long run they are inexpensive to maintain & some are old fashioned like me but there is always going to be a market for the newer type multi bladed razors & as long as they have those, people will buy them if they can afford them. I love my straights, old & new & you also have the new American made customs people have come out with & as long as others spread the word & get people to try sr's, there will be the certain percentage that will try it & stick with it while others want a faster shave & will stick with the de's or multi blade razors. I would like to see more people try straight razors & enjoy the art of shaving with them because myself, I enjoy it & there are many brushes, after shave lotions & all the other accessories that go with them. I also love collecting old ones & I would like to see the market pick up with all the new straights out there whether they are Theirs Issard, custom Waterhouse, Japanese, newly custom American straights & so on but there will always be a certain percentage of people using different types of razors. There are always going to be a certain amount of people using different methods just like smoking conventional cigarettes compared to electronic ones. There's always going to be a different market for different things but as I mentioned, I'd love to see more people try straight razor shaving because when one is sharpened right, you get one of the closest shaves I know of. The newer conventional razors do give a very close shave but they have to use multi blades to do so & haven't been around that long but straights have been here for centuries & will be here for even longer. A de is the next best thing to a straight. The disposable single & double bladed razors aren't worth the money as they don't give as close a shave as the 5-6 bladed razors. As long as they keep making straights, there will always be a market for them for those that chose to use them, hopefully more people will do so as time goes on. I hope to educate more people to use straights, will always use them no matter what & i will never change my ways!