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

I'm 43, my dad never used a straight. I asked if his father used a straight, and he said no... wierd I asked him "are you sure?" and he said never. when i told him i was going to start he said "are you f-n crazy?
what the hell do you want to do that for when it's so easy to just use the mach3" I just did not want to get into it yet with him but I told him i could not afford those cartridges anymore. i guess i will educate him some other time , when he's in agood mood.

Originally Posted by nunz4

I'm 43, my dad never used a straight. I asked if his father used a straight, and he said no...wierd I asked him "are you sure?" and he said never. when i told him i was going to start he said "are you f-n crazy?
what the hell do you want to do that for when it's so easy to just use the mach3" I just did not want to get into it yet with him but I told him i could not afford those cartridges anymore. i guess i will educate him some other time , when he's in agood mood.

Nunz,
My dad was the same way (though not as crabby about it). He seems perfectly happy with his electric. He was surprised when I told him there was a whole community of people who use straight razors. He said, "collect them, maybe, son." I said, "no, use them!"
He used to shave with a Gillette DE, and when I asked him about straights, he said he actually used to have one that belonged to his father, but he never used it and doesn't know what happened to it. Figures!

Originally Posted by nunz4

I just did not want to get into it yet with him but I told him i could not afford those cartridges anymore. i guess i will educate him some other time , when he's in agood mood.

That's funny. We've discussed it a number of times on these forums, I think, and the general consensus is that none of us actually save any money doing this, because we all buy so much more shave stuff than we used to.

Well, that's not true. Some people do do it on the cheap, and we polled on that, too. But, for me, at least, it would be cheaper to go back to disposables and Edge foam (even if I had given up the edge gel long before I picked up a straight...).

Just talk all about your "shaving instrument" and how it's an "art" and stuff. (It's like Mont Blanc. It isn't a pen, it's a "fine writing instrument.")

It's funny, but I've noticed that the people on this site are of a certain personality type and I think that is key to why so few respond to the idea of straight razor shaving. My grandfather always used to sharpen all my mom's knives every time he'd visit and I think I got a lot of the handyman thing from him, (one of my favorite parts of cooking is the knife work and I'm a freak about my knives, always have been!) though my dad is pretty dangerous with most tools as well! I've never seen dad sharpen anything but his chain saw and he likes shaving with disposable bic's, but I've always been fascinated by str8's, just didn't get the nudge til last spring due to some of the cost. I didn't want to pay 60 buck in the Remington store, but it's probably good that I didn't, because I never would have figured it out back then. Without internet, I would have had a hard time learning enough to be successful.

For me it is a compound issue. Up til now, I'd probably tried most other methods including three different electric's, and several cartridge razors from gillette and schick. The blades worked reasonably well, but I didn't like the blades getting dull so quick! I have a wierd beard that doesn't respond well to many methods of shaving ( I'm still trying to make st8 work the way I hope it will). It's really coarse and grows in seemingly all directions, though there is still a basic grain pattern, though it doesn't follow normal patterns like in barber books. I can get close with the straight, but I still have irritation that I'm trying to work out. I love the feel (touch) of my face after a str8 shave, but can't do it every day yet. I get bumps around my chin and base of the neck, probably from the curly hairs that get ingrown easily.

I'm planning to start shaving before bed to allow for the time to do it right, plus I want to learn more from the few barbers I can find that know about str8 shaving. I just need to know if it's my technique and equipment, or my beard that's holding me back

Terry,

This is one of the biggest reasons I like my straights. Life is very hecktic, there are days in the week where I am busy from 6:30 am until 1:00 am. The time that I spend shaving is down time, time that allows me to relax.

While shaving, I am concentrating on what I am doing; as a result, I am able to forget the stressfull things in my life, even if it is only 15-20 minutes.

I enjoy my straight razors so much that I dream about them. Consequently, my girlfriend thinks I am nuts...

,
Mark.

Originally Posted by wvbias

All of you guys have hit upon the many reasons why more
men don't shave with straights. But the main reason I believe
is the hurry up society we live in, sort of a "throw it in the
microwave and push the button society" also as bigspendur said,
"this is a hobby."


Regards,

Terry

Mark,


I’m with you. Just about every thing I do all day is for someone else. But shaving straight is something I do just for me and John Brown it I like it! Yea it takes a little longer but so does fine wine.

"I recommend you to take care of the minutes, for hours will take care of themselves"
Philip Dormer Stanhope

Originally Posted by pmays

Yea it takes a little longer but so does fine wine.

I KNEW wine had something to do with this shaving with a str8! I just KNEW it! .
Now day's it's all about time. Anyone see the comercial about the guy who doesn't want to wait for his heart burn medicine to kick in? He thinks one hour photos are too slow. That's almost everyone I know.

Most guys I talk to hate shaving. it's a necessary evil. thus why drag out the punishment by adding more time to it?

Other guys look at the up front cost and "can't afford it". assuming this article I read is right, the average male will go through 122 disposables a year. assuming cheapos is $61.00 in razors and a savings of only around $2300.00 in 42 years. Not worth it to most folx

we don't shave to save money. we don't shave to save time. we shave for the gratification.

In some fashion or another I think each of us gets some sort of gratification out of shaving with a str8. Just like the bungee jumping or sky diving. Those guys are addicted to the thrill.

For me, I started hoping to save money but became addicted to the relaxation. I took a shower/shave routine just 2 days ago and was very late for an appointment. Thankfully it was work for a non-profit organization so I could take the extra time but I was mellow for the rest of the day. I'd have to say that my shaving experience is better than pot (I didn't inhale!) and without the cancerous side effects.

How many of your friends have a need that isn't met by sports, drugs, alcohol, etc? How many are dissatisfied with their religious walk or don't belive in God but still want something to worship?

I'd say that str8 shavers, with a few exceptions, are probably the most stable, sane people around. Everyone else has to go jump out of a perfectly good plane or some other crazy thing to get that occasional fix. I get mine every morning I shave and I never develop a resistance

Originally Posted by mslovacek

Terry,

This is one of the biggest reasons I like my straights. Life is very hecktic, there are days in the week where I am busy from 6:30 am until 1:00 am. The time that I spend shaving is down time, time that allows me to relax.

While shaving, I am concentrating on what I am doing; as a result, I am able to forget the stressfull things in my life, even if it is only 15-20 minutes.

I enjoy my straight razors so much that I dream about them. Consequently, my girlfriend thinks I am nuts...

,
Mark.

Hectic is not having enough downtime available for a game of C&C at least once a week with a fellow nut.

I think the question comes down to the lack of testicular fortitude among America's generations today. People don't have the balls.

Me? I got the cojones. Basketballs, even.

ignorance breeds fear and justifies laziness. but then again the way prices have been going on ebay, there may be hope.