Thread: Why don't more guys shave with a straight?

Originally Posted by nunz4

Rich have you offered to shave them? could that help? one of my friends the other night saw my new razor and he said that looks cool but scary, then he said 'hey when you get better give me a shave " I said sure.
I'm sure if i do this he'll get hooked. just wondering how to approach all my friends (I know their wife's will either love me or hate me for it) and in turn have my direct friends involved in this art, great topic when we get together over a cigar and a game.

Just assume the wives will hate you. They always try to pick off the leader of the herd, unlike wolves that go after the sick and young.
I haven't offered to shave anyone yet. Not sure I like anyone enough to try.

I have tried that, I myself started with a brush and cream/soap around ten years ago
(but never thought about straight razor) with a mach3. these people need to see and feel for themselves. seeing is believing and feeling is definetly convincing.

Originally Posted by RichZ

Just assume the wives will hate you. They always try to pick off the leader of the herd, unlike wolves that go after the sick and young.
I haven't offered to shave anyone yet. Not sure I like anyone enough to try.

Are you sure you don't mean there's no one you hate enough to practice on?

Keith,

You are proably right although I don't like alot of people.

You guys are right about the different reasons people use to not shave with a straight razor. I remember tell my brother-in-law about me shaving with a straight. He thought that it was pretty cool until I told him all that was involved in keeping the razor sharp and keen. He really didn't want to spend that much time doing so. He was also intimidated by the idea of putting that sharp thing to his face. I remember my first time and it was a little intimidating but got over that in a hurry.
How many people do you know that sharpen knives. Well do you think that they are going to spend time to sharpen a razor which actually does take a bit more skill. It is hard to convince someone that straight razor shaving is neater than using say a Mach 3 or whatever. Also most people wake up just in time to make it work and do you think that they will take the extra time to shave with a straight, NOT.

Well just to add one more post to this long list, I think it's the evil perception of a straight, the dangerous reputation. Movie, books, etc for so many years have "weaponized" (is that a word?) the straight razor. Jack the Ripper didn't help much either. Ironically, people DO have the perception that it's the closest shave possible. The seed is there, I think they're just afraid. On the other hand, they all think the plain leather strop is all you need to maintain one too, that it is actually sharpening the razor. When they learn all that is truly involved with str8s, that pushes a lot of people away. Unless of course they happen to be one of our type personalities....

Jeff

Jeff,


I think the fear factor is it mostly. The people I tried to get to try it never enquired about the sharpening process.

I think most people today don't even think of straight razors as an option. They don't even know they are available. It is kind of like a 57 with a Holley duel line four-barrel, jacked to the max. The guy who has it knows what he has and maybe a few others might respect what it is but to most it is just an old car.

“Fear always springs from ignorance"
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Phillip I think you might have something there....

Originally Posted by str8razor

Also most people wake up just in time to make it work and do you think that they will take the extra time to shave with a straight, NOT.

I agree which is why I spend the time to shave the night before. Given how close of a shave I get with a straight, no one would ever know I shaved the night before.

I also agree with the comment which was made that many guys aren't aware of this method. It would be interesting to find out if the sons of guys who shave with a straight also use a straight because first -- they know straights exist, second -- they saw their dad using one and he taught them how to use one, and third -- "straights aren't so scary to use because it's not as if dad cut himself shaving with it everyday".

Guess we're just part of the fortunate group of guys who have discovered the pleasure of shaving with a straight!

Rob