Thread: Who were straight razors initially intended for?

My first shave ever was with a straight.
But it was administered by a barber.

As I wait for my first straight to be delivered, I sometimes imagine how I would hold them
to shave different parts of the face and neck.

It kinda occurred to me that it seems far easier for someone else to use a straight on you
than it is for you to use it on yourself?

Would you agree with that notion?

And if so, were straights invented primarily for barbers to use....and then adapted
my men to shave themselves?

I now it probably sounds outrageous but I had to ask?

A long time ago a decently ground heat tempered and sharp tool made exclusively for shaving was a luxury. So i would say your thinking is definitely feasible.

All straight razors were primarily intended for........ME!

i think maybe a bit of shell or flint could of started it all off and then someone took it from there

Originally Posted by Tester28

And if so, were straights invented primarily for barbers to use....and then adapted
my men to shave themselves?

I'd say no.

I'd say quite the other way around. An adaptation of an invention that occured a long time ago in Bronze Age times when barbers didn't even exist. I can't see it being a barber's invention before it was a human/user invention.

When you shave yourself you have the feed back your own skin is giving you but when you shave someone else you don't. I'd say it is easier to shave yourself.

Barbering has a long history https://www.nationalbarbermuseum.org...ering-timeline . Hard to say when people first decided to have someone else scrap off their hair, facial or otherwise.

Bob

Originally Posted by sharptonn

All straight razors were primarily intended for........ME!

Yes, he was rai(zor)ed by a sharp man who honed his personality with the hardness of a good coticule and tempered him with a lanolin like touch. But did use a stiff bristle on him when he deviated from the path of straightness and kept him on the one edge (but many examples) path of correctness. He is often wise (at least as wise as a 60-year-old can get) beyond his years and I gratefully call him my friend (if for no other reason than the loans of items I get from him from time to time.)

I reckon men have been shaving forever.

I saw an old testament movie a while ago and there were lots of smooth faced men.

Of course they couldn't make good wet razors back over 2 thousand years ago so they probably used electric shavers.

I think it depends on how far back you go

Perhaps around the end of the 1700s through the 1800s the age of the "Barber" was prevalent and you might have a point.
I think before that and after that, it was more about personal and perhaps Ritual grooming

JMHO

They have found razors in the pyramids.