Thread: Why Do You Shave With a Straight Razor?

Since time immemorial human beings have sought to control and manipulate their surroundings in an ever tightening spiral of sophistication and complexity. Cheese in a can. The hypercolour t-shirt. Dirigibles.

Yes, the world we live in is a confused jumble of technology. Cell-phones, cell-phones everywhere, but never the time to speak!!

I took a stand. On my face. And head.

James.

Hi Obie,

My two liner...! :-)

I shave with a straight razor because I enjoy the ritual of it, the history behind it and I enjoy using and owning beautifully crafted tools instead of cheap plastic tat.

Could you please let us know when the article is published as I would be very keen to read it?

All the best,

Stuart

I shave with a straight razor because it has been something I have wanted to do for quite some time, and also because the cost and performance of cartridge razors are terrible in comparison to a properly honed straight.



I have kinda mixed feelings about the article to be honest. Glad that people can get information about a "lost art," but also sad because I'm sure more people will be scouring ebay for razors, which means even MORE competition to find the razors that the rest of us here might like to pick up for USE, not to sit on the shelf of a &$%@#! collector.

On the plus side, I've found a few Antique places around here that have some...and maybe I'll have to start calling barbers and harassing them as well

I started using a straight razor because I felt that as shaving is something I do every day, it might as well involve the exercise of skill. After learning how to use a straight razor, I found that those minutes each morning are spent wholly "in the moment," which is good preparation for a busy day.

I shave with a straight razor because it turns a mindless, mundane task into an interesting and ritualistic one. What makes life interesting to me, is learning. Shaving with a straight requires learning new skills: honing, stropping, beard prep and razor technique.

I shave with a straight because it requires skill and it requires thought. It's challenging, rewarding and just plain fun! Straight shaving transforms that which is mundane into luxury.

Additional thoughts: Modern shaving equipment is designed to be simple to use by the average person. Shaving with a straight requires you to rise above that which is merely mediocre. The creation of a modern cartridge razor requires technology. The creation of a fine straight razor requires the skill of an artisan. I can get a perfectly acceptable shave using modern tools, but there's no challenge, there's no reward, there's no fun and there's no luxury.

Here's an analogy: Shaving with modern gear is like eating a frozen dinner. Shaving with a straight sits you down to a multi-course gourmet meal.

There are a number of threads on this topic, if you poke around a little.

I shave with a straight because they allow me to get a great shave with no irritation. With cartridge razors, I used to get terrible irritation, even if I only shaved WTG.

I am a classical musician and understand very well the process by which one learns to use all physical/mental processes in concert in order to gracefully manipulate an instrument. My experience with straight razors is no different. By using these same sensitivities, I've gone from novice "face hacker" to "pretty good" shaver. I do enjoy the over all ritual immensely, but the real pleasure is in the shave - in fact when I finish, I often find myself reflecting on it the same way I would after having finished a concert...how did I do?, that part was great, that was only so so, next time let me try this or that, etc...I think I actually put the same focus and connection together shaving as when I practice. I appreciate all the other comments people have made as well - they all apply...the monastic quality of the experience, making something that would otherwise be boring invigorating, saving the earth from tons of plastic, etc...There is a bug and I sure do have it. I've spent enough time thinking about it that I've even dreamed about on more than one occasion!

Many thanks for the opportunity to share!

Julian

About ten years ago I was deeply in debt and had debt collectors calling me most days. Then one day in the pub a guy I knew mentioned that he would love to have a straight razor shave one day. This made me think of simpler days when one wouldn't be hastled by debt collectors every day. So the next day I went to the antiques store and bought my first razor. I perservered with that for a few months then gave up because I could never get a good shave.
Fast forward eight years and I moved to Bangkok, Thailand. Living amongst people who struggle to grow three chin hairs my vanity got the better of me. I once again desired to prove my manliness by dragging a razor sharp blade across my face. But this time I did a little research and figured out how to do it properly. That's why I started, but I keep using a straight because of many other reasons. It's relaxing, it's a ritual, it gives me a better shave, it's cheap, it's good for the environment, but most of all, it's mine. From using a razor that I have restored, and honed myself, to using a skill that I have had to learn. It's all mine.

I had my grandfathers razor and figured I'd save some money and not buy mach 3 blades anymore. I now equate it with driving a Ferrari 250 everyday, it's a classic sports car that can still out preform todays Mustang GT in pure pleasure.