Thread: Why So Much Better?

Hi gang,

So why scientifically is that straight razor shave so much better? It is clearly closer and lasts longer. But why? I have really good DE razors. I can approximate the closeness of a str8 shave, but it is just a tad shy. Then again, it does not last as long either.

I know that an M3 is designed to cut the hair off below the surface of the skin, and that is what ostensibly gives you a close shave (also the ingrown hairs).

But a str8 must be doing something like that. What is happening at a microscopic level that gives it that feel when you are done and takes so long to grow out? And why no ingrown hairs? It seems to me that shaving below the skin line would cause that irrespective of the tool used to do it. Does it have to do with how clean the cut of the hair is? Maybe it is the skin stretch. If it is, wouldn't that improve an M3 shave? But I stretch the skin with a DE shave, and again, not as good.

Anybody know this?

David

I think part of it is that you control the angle of the blade yourself with a straight, whereas a DE and M3 has a set blade angle that you cant change.

I also think theres a lot to be said for the stropping thats done with a straight razor, which ensures the blade is in the best possible shape before each shave.

I'm not sure how true this next point is, but it makes sense to me; I reckon the steel is of higher quality in a straight razor than in disposable blades.

The reason I say this is that an M3 or DE blade is designed to be used for a few weeks and then thrown away, so why would a company spend loads of money on the best quality steel? They wouldnt. They'd just use steel that will hold an edge for a few weeks, and not bother with the really good stuff. Additionally, its in their interests for the blades to wear out faster, as that means people buy more of them..!

But a straight razor is designed to last for decades, even centuries, so the makers ensure that the steel is absolutely A1.

The steel is also thicker. If you look at a straight razor blade, the steel doesnt flex that much even at the very edge, whereas you can practically fold a DE blade in half without breaking it. So, in my head at least, a DE blade will flex slightly more than a straight razor when you use it, which means it might skip over some of the hairs and not get quite as close to the skin.

I got way more ingrown hairs with an M3 than I ever have with a DE or straight razor. The only ingrowns I get now are in problem areas left over from my M3 days.

I read that the reason M3's cause ingrown hairs is that the multiple blades push down either side of the hair to make it stand up which is why they cut below the skin. But a straight razor just cuts the hair totally flat to the skin, so no ingrowns.

I guess the shave lasting longer is just a combination of these factors?

I've no proof for any of this (apart from the last point), its just conjecture and my opinions from thinking about these things on the tube home, but I thought I'd share and throw my thoughts on the pile..!

I agree with Stubear. I believe the reason is the total control available using a straight razor. You say you can almost get as close a shave with a DE; a DE almost the amount of control a straight razor does.

Absolute real time adjustability with a straight razor.

Chris L

A relative, whom is collecting knives, looked at my razors and said; "That makes sense, it woud be much better to shave with one truly sharp blade than three not so sharp ones."

Thanks for the input so far. So the thinking here is the adjustibitly in the angles combined with the sharpness of the steel makes for the better shave, and since the hair is shavev off at the level of the skin - not ingrowns.

Ok, makes sense, but what does it last so long? Is it just that it was closer to begin with?

I agree with everything above. But, I think there is another factor involved...

I noticed long ago that the best and closest shave doesn't come from the sharpest straight razor edge. A high degree of sharpness is required without doubt. But, whether I got a blade from Lynn Abrams, or any of the other honemeisters, it was the same. Good shave to begin with, but better shave after a few shaves. This is interesting because undoubtedly the best shaves came when the razor was very sharp, but not at its sharpest.

My theory is that this is related to the rounding that occurs at the edge of the blade, and that a little rounding is a good thing. Something like this...

When the blade is sharp with no rounding it forms a perfect V. This is a good shape to shave with, but also shave skin with! After the blade is rounded a little at the cutting edge by stropping, the edge is still very sharp. But, according to my theory, the rounding holds the cutting edge off the skin microscopically, while at the same time pushing the skin down the hair shaft.

The blade comes along, and the light pressure is enough to depress the skin downward on the hair shaft. Then, clips the whisker. That makes for a very nice combination! Cut low without shaving off as much of the skin layer as with a perfect Vd blade.

Finally, the above is a perfectly sound theory, that might not be worth the e-ink it took to print it!

There is another variable, the mind set of the typical cutthroat user.
Most of us put a lot of effort into preparation and the shave itself. Multiple passes and so on.
Put in the same amount of preparation and effort with a DE or even a Sensor Excel and the results will also be very good.
Many cutthroat converts come from a background where they thought taking 5 mins for a shave was too long. Once converted, they spend as much time on grooming as their wives.

Gentlemen,

I knew I had come to the right place for an explanation, and I believe I have some great ones here.

Sound logic and reason. Thanks.

David

what mparker said about the hair shrinking after it drys makes sense. As far as getting a closer shave with SR as opposed to a DE depends a lot on your stropping, pre-shave prep, and shaving technique. so don't assume it will magically happen. I've been SR shaving for only a week but sometimes I don't know if I'm going to stick with it because it takes a lot of extra time. I'm definitely going to hold on to my Mach3 for that reason. Even if I decide to SR only on the weekend, I will use the brush and soap lather all the time because its such an improvement over can goo. There is no one size fit all answers, you need to try things out and see if they work for you. But there are a lot of different things you can pick up on these boards.

+1 on all the above.
Another component is the shape of the cut off end
of the whisker. It is possible in my mind to slice the
whisker off bluntly like a stump, sharply like frog
sticker, or sharply like a wood chisel.

Slice a whisker off too short below the skin line with
the wrong shape and you have an ingrown hair. Not
short enough and you have a 2 o'clock shadow.

Shave prep is a very big component!

Not too much not too little -- just right.