Thread: Why Shave Straight

Originally Posted by smokelaw1

Wonderful! Thank you for taking the time and effort to write that.
I wrote my feelings (though not NEARLY as eloquently) for my wife once, and instead of saying "Ah, I understand now!" she rolled her eyes and said "Its just shaving."
Oh well...she doesn't have to understand.

I get that all the time too!

My Mrs uses one of those terrible electrics and a disposable she doesn't even try to go there. Ah, well I guess its just as well.

Very nice words mrgad.

The reason for me to start with straight razors was not the fact that my grandfather or dad used it, as I can remember my grandfather used a safety razor and my dad uses a Philishave electric razor. Also the ritual idea or even the hobby wasn't the reason. I started with it, because of my bad skin, and 'nothing' helped. Growing a beard, electric shavers, Mach 3,4,5 etc., still problems with ingrown hairs, rash and bumps. Somewhere on the net (SRP?) I found an article about the same problems I had and they recommended to try a straight razor. At first, I hated it, it took way too long and the stropping, lathering and shaving was very difficult. Only after a couple of months it got better. My skin improved even after a couple of weeks. Now, after almost a year, indeed, there is the ritual I like and it also became a hobby.
I still have to learn a lot, that's where I'm here for.
I wonder of other people have the same story as me and I'm also curious why other people started straightshaving.

Now this, good sir, should really be a sticky!
Extremely well written, a deep philosophic essay about the true reason why the modern man should shave with a straight.
My compliments!!

To paraphrase Obi Wan, other types of razors are "so uncivilized [a way to shave]".

Thanks for summing it up for us and I, too, will print out your post for those who question why.

Wow. That was pretty much amazing. I love the reference to driving a manual transmission. You're absolutely right about people just floating through life on autopilot. It's really a shame. Here's a quote from another SRP user that I found a while back that has stuck with me:

"There is something intrinsically rewarding about developing and then exercising a skill, it doesn't matter what it is. This is a growing casualty of our modern world, where one can almost muddle through without *any* particular skill... what will become of us then?"
-BHChieftain

Very well said.

I copied that to a word file, gave you credit and type it out for my wife to read. This post should be stickied.

Salute


Crom

That is indeed a nice post. While reading it, I discovered that I bought a straight blade not only to be more manly, but also to relive a past I have never known. To shave in a more spiritual way, I will listen to Richard Wagner's Parsifal tomorrow. It should a real classical experience. I have been shaving with a straight razor for two weeks and every day the pleasure is greater.
Like sports that demand extreme physical endurance, can shaving give you a real spiritual experience, a revelation, get you closer to God ?