Thread: Straight Razor and Safety Razor

How is a straight razor different than a safety razor?
What is on the safety razor that makes it safe?
Does a safety razor cut as close as a straight
Does a safety razor make clean beard lines as the straight razor?

Thanks

I'll take a shot. On a safety razor, the blade is enclosed in a housing of some kind. The edge can only contact your skin from a certain position(s). The shape of the housing helps you apply the correct angle. A straight, obviously, is open. You control all aspects of how the blade contacts your skin.

Which shaves closer? It depends on the skill of the user. You can get a great shave from either, but I prefer the straight.

Jordan

Originally Posted by frustratedSRuser

How is a straight razor different than a safety razor?

Err... well, in a lot of ways. Main differences are shape, weight, and blade exposure.

Originally Posted by frustratedSRuser

What is on the safety razor that makes it safe?

The blade on the safety razor is only protruding about 2 mm and there is only 1 or 2 mm space below and above the blade. You cant cut very deep into your skin with that. With a straight razor, you could chop off your ear or a piece of chin, for example.

Originally Posted by frustratedSRuser

Does a safety razor cut as close as a straight

IMO that depends on the razor, the user and the technique and experience. A monkey can get a better shave with a DE the first time around, but not as good as an experienced user with a very good blade.

In my opinion a decent shave is easy to achieve with a safety razor. Where with a lot of skill you can get a great shave with a straight razor. It all depends how much you want to commit yourself to a great shave I suppose!

Dave

Originally Posted by Cornelius

you could chop off your ear or a piece of chin, for example.

More to the point, you could chop off someone else's ear or a piece of chin.

Originally Posted by frustratedSRuser

Does a safety razor cut as close as a straight

this is something my dad and i have argued about i got him hooked on safety razors and he has questioned me on whether it is worth the effort of the straight for the shave. a skilled person with a safety razor can get as good a shave as someone with a straight, but a truly skilled person with a straight will get a better shave then anyone with a safety razor. now better doesn't mean that it is light years ahead of the DE but it will be slightly better. i prefer the straight, but have a Gillette Fatboy hanging around to use in a pinch or to remind me why i enjoy straights. also, i swear that my straight shaves last longer and i have no idea why as i am not a truly skilled straight shaver. i get good shaves but not amazing, yet.

Originally Posted by frustratedSRuser

How is a straight razor different than a safety razor?

The safety bar and some say that it's easier to handle also easier to learn how to use

What is on the safety razor that makes it safe?

The safety bar keeps your skin from rippling in front of the blade

Does a safety razor cut as close as a straight?

Yes, since you can get BBS from both

Does a safety razor make clean beard lines as the straight razor?

Yes, but it's a bit more difficult since you don't see exactly where your edge is cutting