Thread: IM NEW AND NEARVOUSE

So I am searching the web and come across this article by A
Christopher Moss
the title is
The Art of the Straight Razor Shave
read it if you can


Now to my delema
I am sick of spending 16 dollors on five cartridges every week to keep well shaven, I am currently in the military and have to be clean shaven every day. all through out this web site i hear every one talking about shaving there beards. my question is can i use this straight blade razor every day and get a better shave then with a cartridge. now i will tell you i was shaving with out knowledge of the proper technique this web site has taught me about skin prep and how much pressure. and stretching the skin. i recently shaved every day with a new cartridge for 5 days. i washed my face with soap and then soaked it in scalding water for 5 mins. then tried to get a good later with shaving cream . i could tell a difference after two days shaving with the grain. but then i started cleaning up the hard areas , neck , jaw bone and , GO-T area, against the grain and my god it tore me up i would like to know if any one else had these problems with mach 3 cartridges. i have heard that one blade is were you get the best shave. so i guess im asking can i get a better smoother cleaner shave every day with good technique from a straight blade or keep with the mach 3. if any one can help thankyou very much. stephen.MACH 3

Long story short: It isn't as hard as it seems and the shave is absolutely unmatched in both comfort and closeness.

Have no fear, read the wiki.

Huge +1 to the Wiki

Seriously, don't rush it and good things will come. This community is very supportive, and will give you all the keys to successfully using a straight razor. Don't be afraid to ask questions, but also use the search feature because there are likely hundreds of threads (if not thousands) to your most likely noobish questions. You'll learn a lot if you want to.

Welcome to SRP and straight razor shaving

Originally Posted by chargernewshaver

So I am searching the web and come across this article by A
Christopher Moss
the title is
The Art of the Straight Razor Shave
read it if you can


Now to my delema
I am sick of spending 16 dollors on five cartridges every week to keep well shaven, I am currently in the military and have to be clean shaven every day. all through out this web site i hear every one talking about shaving there beards. my question is can i use this straight blade razor every day and get a better shave then with a cartridge. now i will tell you i was shaving with out knowledge of the proper technique this web site has taught me about skin prep and how much pressure. and stretching the skin. i recently shaved every day with a new cartridge for 5 days. i washed my face with soap and then soaked it in scalding water for 5 mins. then tried to get a good later with shaving cream . i could tell a difference after two days shaving with the grain. but then i started cleaning up the hard areas , neck , jaw bone and , GO-T area, against the grain and my god it tore me up i would like to know if any one else had these problems with mach 3 cartridges. i have heard that one blade is were you get the best shave. so i guess im asking can i get a better smoother cleaner shave every day with good technique from a straight blade or keep with the mach 3. if any one can help thankyou very much. stephen.MACH 3

IMHO, you should dump the plastic and pick up the steel. It seems to me that you are ready to take the next step. May I suggest reading Wiki specially the one for beginners. The shave you get from a SR is no match compared to a mach 3. The shave from a SR is both smoother, cleaner and closest. IMO.

I was in the same boat as you a few years ago. The initial investment seemed a bit daunting at the time, but now it's 5 years later, and I haven't spent much more than when I got into it.

What I found right away was that my shave lasted a lot longer than it did with my cartridge razor.

It was a little scary at first, but I will say that you will do well to get a razor that is shave ready. In my frugality I opted for antique razors from a flea market for $5/razor. They seemed sharp enough. When I finally got a sharp razor I immediately understood how much better it can be. You will learn faster, and be more confident with a good razor.

The shave is better, more enjoyable, and in the end more cost effective.

Your initial investment does not have to be astronomical. You can get a decent razor off the bay for less than twenty bucks. you may get a few weepers on your first shave, but that quickly goes away. I would also reccomend getting Lynn's shaving DVD, it really helped my confidence level. That video also has great honing techniques that I think all shavers should know. This was how I got started back in September and would not dream of shaving with anything other than a straight now. You can also search youtube for shaving videos. I think some of the best are by Jockeys who is a member here. This is my imput and hpe it helps you out.

Chris

I just started! I have only shaved 4 times so far and it is great. Not as hard as i thought it would be. I think the hardest part is to learn to stropp and to maintain a sharp edge. Try it you wont regret it.

Originally Posted by knifenutnky

You can get a decent razor off the bay for less than twenty bucks.

Friends don't let friends buy from online auction houses. It takes patience, practice, and a good deal of knowledge (and, of course, luck) to get decent razors from eBay, especially at the price you mentioned. Whereas your chances of getting a decent razor at a decent price from the classifieds here is a lot higher (there is still a risk, though).

Straight Razor Place Wiki:Books/Beginners Guide - Straight Razor Place Wiki is still the best place to start in my opinion. There is a shopping list in there as well, and basically everything you need to get started. Read it.

You can also go the ruprazor route and get the stropp and razor for $60. Shave ready.

Man I tried it when I first started shaving with a straight razor. All I can say is "Put the Mach 3 down and Step away from the mostrosity!" I even tried the Fusion and thought that there was no way 1 blade could shave better than 5 blades. A straight razor gives you a better, more comfortable, longer lasting shave than any cartridge could ever attempt to. And it isn't as relaxing as a shave with a straight razor. I think maybe all of us went back once out of curiosity, and ONLY once! You are hooked and there is NO going back! Resistance is Futile!