Thread: Did any of you take up Straight Razor Shaving to be....

Originally Posted by Augustagj

The water I do send down the drain is cleaner. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

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As to the OP, I started with the gateway drug - a DE - in hopes of a better shave, less $$$.

The Straight Razor crowd was the bad kids on the side of the playground, so of course I had to try it...

On the "I use more water" - may I suggest you try stropping of the lather off on your forearm and not running the water during the shave.

(This makes me want to see how little water I can get by with...I see a test)

I only collect SR, most of them over an inch so I guess I get the gold star award! Since I don't use them (yet) I'm saving the most water and I'm keeping the highest percentage of metal out of the garbage or landfills.

Hurray!

Nope. I started shaving more than 50 years ago with a Gillette Fat Boy. Some moron invented those plastic things and then they started adding more and more blades to the things. On the few occasions I have used them, they gave me an inferior shave and ingrown hairs on my neck. I don't use them for the simple reason that they suck. I really wish I still had that first Fat Boy though. I may have to get one off of eBay.

The environmental thing was 1 of the things on my checklist for switching to a straight. Water saving, money saving , cool factor, back to basics, etc etc.
I got a better shave out of it and increased my friend list. Which is the best part. I live in an area where I get to shake hands and chat with a small group of these fellows in here and sharing knowledge has been one of the best parts of this hobby for me. All good people restoring my faith in mankind.
As for the environment, in the end what the earth needs is a reduction in the human population for it to flourish again. I just hope it isn't anybody I know :<0)

If you really want to save water, shave with an electric shaver. I did that for many years. When my electric/battery powered shaver quit I went to a safety then decided to try a straight razor.
Now I use a SR because I've heard that blood letting is good for the body. Also, I believe we should take care of the planet but I also believe that God is in control and when He returns the Earth will be perfect!

I've read it, but I'm not buying that straights are all that environmentally friendly. Over CHEAP disposables, perhaps. I've used an electric for 30 years. On my 2nd one. They're good for 500 battery cycles or so, and I shave every 2nd or 3rd day. which means I have to charge it maybe 25 times a year, tops. That's a whole lot of water that didn't get used, and a whole lot plastic that didn't get dumped, and a lot of hours not spent in front of blazing vanity lights, etc. etc.

The decision to switch to straights for me, was just that I enjoy constantly learning new cool things and stimulating neurons. I'm sincerely trying to keep my use of water to a minimum, but lights, I'm not going to take chances with that one. I want to SEE what I'm doing.

I do a LOT of recycle/re-use/reduce and it shows every garbage day. One small 30 gal bag, about half full, for a family of 3 and everything else is in the recycling bins. I pif and sell my durable items that can be used by someone else, even if all I get out of it is the shipping cost reimbursed. It's pretty important I think. I don't want the garbage piles left behind for my kids and theirs and so on, to be MY garbage.

But straights green? No, I don't think I'm buying that marketing.

I started SR shaving to save money...brilliant...

I switched because I like old style of everything. I'm only 21 so my gf says I'm a hipster. Oh well. It is a good bonus though that isn't thought about often

Originally Posted by MJC

As to the OP, I started with the gateway drug - a DE - in hopes of a better shave, less $$$.

The Straight Razor crowd was the bad kids on the side of the playground, so of course I had to try it...

On the "I use more water" - may I suggest you try stropping of the lather off on your forearm and not running the water during the shave.

(This makes me want to see how little water I can get by with...I see a test)

I reckon I run the tap for maybe 30 seconds tops for my whole shave. And that would be nowhere near fully open