Thread: Why Do You Shave With a Straight Razor?

i love blades, and i thought it would be cool
i also like people's reactions when they see/hear that you shave with a straight razor

Originally Posted by quicknicker

At first it was the nostalgia, and the challenge to build the necessary skills to relive a sigificant part of history.
That fulfilled, I sought older and older razors, which held even more history and experience than I could imagine.
My youngest razor is over 50 years old. My oldest predates this country. I have two that were found hidden in a house built before the Revolutionary War.
My razors have been on sailing ships, horseback, carried home in the first cars. In settlers homes. They've crossed this country in wagons and the first railways.
These simple, and beautiful tools are still shaving. Shaving me. They will still be making history when I am gone.
I can only hope it is with someone that has a similar quest.
Ed
quicknicker

I wish I were so eloquent... That just about sums up the big picture for me! Cheers...

Originally Posted by quicknicker

At first it was the nostalgia, and the challenge to build the necessary skills to relive a sigificant part of history.
That fulfilled, I sought older and older razors, which held even more history and experience than I could imagine.
My youngest razor is over 50 years old. My oldest predates this country. I have two that were found hidden in a house built before the Revolutionary War.
My razors have been on sailing ships, horseback, carried home in the first cars. In settlers homes. They've crossed this country in wagons and the first railways.
These simple, and beautiful tools are still shaving. Shaving me. They will still be making history when I am gone.
I can only hope it is with someone that has a similar quest.
Ed
quicknicker

As some of you know from another thread I'm on a crusade to advocate the shortening of broken vintage blades. Part of it is because I know I myself need shorter razors and I know other ladies could use them too. I also hate the thought of poor old broken blades being thrown away. It's like rehabilitation. With a little alteration some of them can become useful again and continue in their partnership with humanity. I think change is better than being forgotten.

Lori

1. I hated shaving with cartridges, to the point I would go 4 days between shaves when I should have been shaving daily. Instead of fighting it, I decided to embrace shaving as more then just another chore, and to find a way to enjoy it.
2. I love the craftsmanship of something that is 100+ years old working just as well, if not better, then something created today. And that the stuff created today is still top quality and works of art on their own.
3. My dad. He was big into shaving, and was big into woodworking. I miss him terribly, and every time I whip up a mug of soap I think of him. My mom gave me a bottle of cologne she bought for him right before he died, and while I don't like the smell of it, I can't bring myself to get rid of it either.

Firstly thanks Obie for the link to Bringing Joy to shaving.

As for why do I shave with a straight? Well like so many others have mentioned I was sick of the chore when using cartridge razors and goo and six months ago thought to myself "I'm going to get myself a straight and do someting about it." Fortunately I found my way to SRP and reading the threads and wiki made learning this art/craft/skill so enjoyable and rewarding. I'm looking forwards to the time tomorrow when I can do it all again.
Thanks again Obie for "Bringing the joy to shaving" and thanks to SRP for sharing the joy.

The skill invovled, the craftsmenship, enviromentally friendly, a more simple time......most importantly while I am shaving and buddy holly is cranking through the air I feel closer to my grandfather that has passed.

Simply put, it suits my personality. I've never been one to be attracted to the latest, greatest of anything. If simple works, simple it is.

P.S. I'd love to read the article when you finish. What magazine are you writing for?

Primarily because of years of ingrown hairs and razor bumps. I'm proud to say that after just 7 shaves, my skin is completely clear and invigorated! I knew straight razor shaving helped against razor bumps and ingrown's, but jeez! 7 shaves?! I was expecting weeks/months...not days!

Huzzah! for bumping good threads.

Cartridge shaving just started to feel stupid, and I was lookingt for something more...well...awesome.
Too sum it all up: When cartridge shaving, I never paid much attention to pre-, post- or shaving in general. Passes - what?? Soap - what?? Then I planned to start straigh shaving, ordered stuff, read up and actually got great results on the last 5 times of cartridge shaving.

So I figured: if I can get great results with this junk, imagine what I can do with a cut-throat razor!

Originally Posted by leadduck

Simply put, it suits my personality. I've never been one to be attracted to the latest, greatest of anything. If simple works, simple it is.

P.S. I'd love to read the article when you finish. What magazine are you writing for?

Hello, leadduck:

This is an old post and that article came out last year. Below is the link to it. The magazine also has several other shaving related stories of mine. You'll see the titles at the bottom of page in which the story appears.

Straight Razors: Bringing Joy to Shaving

Stay well.

Obie