How NOT to shave with a straight razor!

My wife and I have rarely watch network TV these days; we just cannot get into the new shows. Although we live in USA, our current favorites are British shows shown on the Acorn TV streaming channel. One show we have been watching is "Wire in the Blood", a psychological thriller detective show. It is 10-15 years old series, shown in SD rather than HD.

In the episode we watched last night "Falls the Shadow", the murderer, who was abused by his grandfather as a child, was shown shaving his grandfather with a straight razor. He was holding the razor at about an 75 degree angle to the skin and scraping off the lather, demonstrating how NOT to shave with a straight razor. Perhaps he was trying to get even with his grandfather for abusing him as a child. With scenes like this being all too common, it is no wonder that some folks try shaving with a straight razor and give up. There are lots of good videos showing how to use a straight razor properly.

I have rare seen a show where a straight was used properly. Either the grip or angle is wrong. Or the stroke is wrong. If they used a well honed rasor in films and TV actors would all be called scareface.

In The Patriot there is a scene where General Cornwallis is getting a shave. Looked really awkward.

What do you expect from anything on TV? It's all about ratings,money, and greed. No reality of what real life is......

For some reason it really irks me when I see it done wrong in western movies

the majority of the times i have seen they held the razor all the way from 70 to 90 degrees. Honestly what do you expect? First of all probably nobody there shaves with a straight and second if the person is lathered then they have to wipe the lather for the visual effect. Best way to do that, 90 degrees and scrape it off. It doesnt matter since the butter knife they are using doesnt cut anyways.

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Originally Posted by alex1921

.... It doesnt matter since the butter knife they are using doesnt cut anyways.

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I think this is the answer to why its not causing real issues doing it wrong.

I'm sure everyone understands it is a dull blade and you can't expect 100% accuracy from Hollywood films. Just one of those things that irks some people that are passionate or more knowledgable about about a certain topic.

Like the scene where a deputy tells another guy to turn the safety off on his Glock. Glocks dont have manual safeties! They had to add a "click" sound effect when he pretended to switch it off.

Doesn't really bother me if it isn't something horribly obvious.

Obviously, the actors have read the straight razor shaving guide on wikihow :roflmao: :roflmao:rofl2::rofl2:

https://m.wikihow.com/Shave-with-a-Straight-Razor

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Originally Posted by captainhx

Obviously, the actors have read the straight razor shaving guide on wikihow :roflmao: :roflmao:rofl2::rofl2:

https://m.wikihow.com/Shave-with-a-Straight-Razor

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"Hold the razor at an angle"
So THAT is the secret. :)
Not too bad all things considered. I'm sure many cringed at the use of the word "sharpen" (dun dun duuun sound effect) in the article though.lol

Are you kidding me?!

Try being a computer guy and having seen movies since you were a kid attempting to depict one computer operating system or whatever after another. Or, how a hacker goes about doing his/her thing on period, networked computing systems.

I am talking maybe 10 orders of magnitude worse than an improper shaving angle on a beard knife.

I’ve long since gotten over this, but man, this thread just made me realize how utterly pathetic Hollywood generally is when it comes to computers.

Love that part in one of those Avengers movies where Stark calls out a crewman for playing Galaga in the background. That was epically awesome!

:)

There was a guy got a job in Hollywood by writing to all the moviemakers about how inaccurate their military uniforms were in war movies :roflmao

For me it's martial arts movies. Been doing M.A. for near 50 years & cant stand the BS portrayed in movies but hey it's entertainment not fact.

Hollywood caters to the lowest common denominator so these folks don't know. Heck most of these folk's only tie with reality is what they see in movies.

If hoards of folks wrote to the producers to complain about details they would change but that ain't gonna happen.

No wonder I’m much less, er, almost completely disinterested in what Hollywood churns out these days after they went all out nutso with comic book movies following the wild success of Nolan’s Batman reboot.

Trouble is most directors are not Christopher Nolan. Give me the indie leaning types like the Coen brothers. But, I’m an odd duck that way.

:shrug:

At least they tried to get it right in Sky Fall. Apparently they sent Naomie Harris to barbers school for 3 weeks to learn how to give a shave with a straight razor. I think that it is about the best shaving scene in a movie that I have seen. Most other times they fall far short on the subject.

Bob

I always enjoy watching a female shave a male with a straight. Inevitably she nicks him and, well, you can guess what this leads to...:hmmm:

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Originally Posted by captainhx

Obviously, the actors have read the straight razor shaving guide on wikihow :roflmao: :roflmao:rofl2::rofl2:

https://m.wikihow.com/Shave-with-a-Straight-Razor

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I just realized this...whatsup with that brush?...and in related note - step#6 picture/video :gaah:

Also - who strops a shavette? And this isn't just this howto using a shavette for the sake of demonstration or smthg...straight razors having is popular enough in india that many movies still depict it, and to relative (compared to hollywood) accuracy because many people have first hand experience going to a barber for a shave with a shavette. Now they always depict shavettes, because that's what barbers have always used in india for a very long time...but there's also stropping scenes! :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by BobH

At least they tried to get it right in Sky Fall. Apparently they sent Naomie Harris to barbers school for 3 weeks to learn how to give a shave with a straight razor. I think that it is about the best shaving scene in a movie that I have seen. Most other times they fall far short on the subject.

Bob

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She appeared in the Graham Norton show shortly after that movie and actually demoed her shaving skills with a straight razor, some cream and a balloon ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_EfCYrgR9o

Looks to me like she's holding the razor at a 90 degree angle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by captainhx

Obviously, the actors have read the straight razor shaving guide on wikihow :roflmao: :roflmao:rofl2::rofl2:

https://m.wikihow.com/Shave-with-a-Straight-Razor

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So many things wrong I lost count. But since this the internet I could make a blog saying hold razor with the blade at 90 degree angle to your face and use saw like motions and I guarantee someone would try it.

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Originally Posted by formernuke

So many things wrong I lost count. But since this the internet I could make a blog saying hold razor with the blade at 90 degree angle to your face and use saw like motions and I guarantee someone would try it.

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I've said this before, i'll say it again: HOW? I mean, I understand making mistakes, too much pressure or like at 50degrees...but shouldn't ANIMAL INSTINCT and SELF PRESERVATION prevent you from using a SAWING motion and a 90 degree angle?

The sad part is, I'm not even arguing your assertion that there are plenty of people stupid enough to try it.

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Originally Posted by Tjh

I've said this before, i'll say it again: HOW? I mean, I understand making mistakes, too much pressure or like at 50degrees...but shouldn't ANIMAL INSTINCT and SELF PRESERVATION prevent you from using a SAWING motion and a 90 degree angle?

The sad part is, I'm not even arguing your assertion that there are plenty of people stupid enough to try it.

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Years ago I was at an old country evening auction. The ones that are mostly yard sale stuff lol.
Young guy that was up front showing the auction items picked up a Chinese made sword. Put the edge in his palm and drew the blade across it. Then he looked at his hand. Have my suspicions about what happened!

I keep thinking of how many tried the "hot water challenge" eating tide pods (come on to get to be point where Rob Gronkowski is making commercials saying not to) and sniffing condoms etc