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

Awesome way to end the day is with a great shave which I got last night. This led me to wonder why more (if not all) guys don't shave with a straight. A few reasons (or excuses)...

1. Risk factor of doing some serious damage if used incorrectly or not paying attention.
2. Adds a little extra time to the shaving process (at least for me it does).
3. If you really get into it, you could end up spending a fair amount of cash on supplies and more razors.
4. Hand shakes too much due to age or fear.

Just wish I would have started before 9 months ago.

For all the fathers out there with sons who will be shaving soon, hope you plan on introducing them to a straight. Wish my dad would have.

Rob

The only thing I can say to this is whenever I mention it to non-str8 users I get looks like I just told them to gargle with acid. The look of fear and amazement covers their face in an instant. I am not sure why I have to blame it on ignorance.

How about this:

Everyone makes it sound like rocket science with flattend steel.

To most, it seems archaic - like rubbing two sticks together to make a fire. The misconception that it's dangerous plays a part too. If they only knew how comfortable and close a str8 shave is...................

-Rob

As I see it there are close shaves and there are comfortable close shaves, and shades of anything in between. A straight razor is at the extreme end of the continuum toward comfortable close shaves. A good DE (with an experienced user) is a fairly close second to the straight razor in closeness and comfort. It is possible to get a close shave with a cartridge razor (the less number of blades the better) but the comfort factor tends to go downhill rather quickly with these as they tend to produce much more burn and nicks. So far, with all the above I'll assume we're talking about wet shaving and all bets are off if you're using aerosol shave creams. Then there are electrics (traditional electric razors) which come in dead last on both the comfort and closeness continuum. That's my opinion anyway.

Tom

When I told my wife what I was shaving with, she asked "why?!" and I thought about it for a while.

I told her that a straight razor was nearly the perfect item for a man to shave with because....
1. They are simple, only one moving part. Or none, depending on how you look at it.
2. They are bright and shiny.
3. They are made of steel(Tim Taylor would say "man-metal!")
4. There is the preception of risk in using them.
5. They are very sharp
6. Using one sets you off from others as unique or special
7. Oh, yeah, they work better than the alternative

They are only inperfect in that they don't make outrageous amounts of noise. You can't have everything!

Don in Ohio

You have to realize in this disposable instant gratification society we live in a disposable razor or electric works fast and gives decent results and is the choice for the masses. Do you really think most want to learn to use a straight and then mess with strops and hones and brushes and all the other stuff. Get real, this is the 21st century.

To most of us this is a hobby.

I think the real reason people don't straight shave is that they have been very effectively instructed by rampant advertising that there is a "simpler" option, an "easier" alternative. People are used to being conditioned by advertising. "Because you're worth it". We want somebody to tell us what the best thing to do is. Sometimes all we want is to hear what we're used to hearing, what we're comfortable with. The TV does that all day long.

To be fair, straight shaving is an old world activity. It takes time, attention and skill. Not much, but those three things are in increasingly short supply.

The bit that really gets me now is when I hear the "five blades, for an even closer shave" lie. That slays me.

Originally Posted by rktosa123

This led me to wonder why more (if not all) guys don't shave with a straight. A few reasons (or excuses)...


Rob

The only reason is that no one believes that you can get better shave than Mah3, or their favorite electric razor.

Originally Posted by superfly

The only reason is that no one believes that you can get better shave than Mah3, or their favorite electric razor.

I don't think so. I think people are basically lazy and lets be honest a chimp could shave with a Moch3 and that is not true for a str8 it would take time to learn the skill. I think also people believe new is better and therefore the 36 blade razor that will come out in 2 years will be the best shave ever.