Thread: Straight Razor not cutting as close as 3 blade catridge

Have we not had enough of this pissing match.....no one is going to win. We have gotten so far off subject that its hard to remember what it was.

Originally Posted by Andonis

Gugi, I'm not sure what about my entrance let to an offensive welcoming.... I have a difference of opinion and experience that I introduced with an understanding that I share my own views whilst respecting those of others.... Something not offered to me it seems.

Except this is not what you did.
You created an anonymous account and dug out a long forgotten 3.5 year old thread to post a number of bombastic and incendiary statements from your 'great expertise' which is supposed to be taken on your good word.

That is trolling.

Now, why don't you go ahead tell us who you really are, most of us can see your agenda already.

Pathology 101.... Couldn't agree more...
The forum started about a SE razor not cutting as close to a three blade cartridge, which I also share an experience of but only in a specific context of the one I gave. I am happy to be offered some new wisdom as to why this might be but I know it's not down to technique, blade sharpness or blade angle and find it is soley due to blade length, which is why I get a closer shave under the neck with a safety razor due to the shorter length.

yes....but it looks like your trying to start a online fight. This site and the people on here are very nice and know there stuff. They have been very kind to me with advise and etc.

Come on now enough is enough. Play fair.

There are some days I get a shave so close it's scary and then there are the times it feels like I have stubble right after the shave. It's been like that since I started shaving and that's been over 50 years no matter what razor I use. for me it's about the experience of using the straight razor not getting the BBS each and every time I shave. The fellowship here and the advice from the OLDER folks makes using a straight even more enjoyable. my advice would be don't worry about the little stuff. just enjoy the experience and if there's a little course feeling after the shave get it next time. Life's to short to worry about the small things.

I have to agree with Mr Hensley. Shaving for 45 or so years now, I first discovered multiple passes, and the quest for BBS in 2006. I pursued the holy grail of bbs for a few years of daily shaving, but have since discovered the pleasures of skipped days, and calling it good after 1 pass.

I'd say look to a Muhle 41 with a Feather DE blade, or a Mongoose SE with a Feather Super Pro. Not sure if either blade will out perform a straight capable of a gravity HHT, since I haven't gotten there yet, but they will do a number on whiskers IME.

Originally Posted by Andonis

Pathology 101.... Couldn't agree more...
The forum started about a SE razor not cutting as close to a three blade cartridge, which I also share an experience of but only in a specific context of the one I gave. I am happy to be offered some new wisdom as to why this might be but I know it's not down to technique, blade sharpness or blade angle and find it is soley due to blade length, which is why I get a closer shave under the neck with a safety razor due to the shorter length.

If you had started with this, you'd have been greeted differently.
However, before you evolved to it, you began with

Originally Posted by Andonis

In this situation a three blade will always out perform a straight razor, hands down, especially when you are shaving yourself (as opposed to being shaved by someone else who also knows what they are doing).

Originally Posted by Andonis

Before anyone tries to use the excuse of "my blade is not sharp enough" or "my technique is poor", let me tell you this: my razor is so sharp it slices a hair in half just from dropping the hair against the blade using gravity alone.

Originally Posted by Andonis

IZ6.... Yes really. I am a specialist in blade honing having an extensive japanese knife and SR collection.

Originally Posted by Andonis

As far as technique goes, I have used a straight razor for the past 15 years and also shave family and friends beautifully.

Originally Posted by Andonis

Does a straight razor give you a closer shave that a three blade? Even with an amazing straight razor and having fully prepared the skin and with perfect technique, the correct answer is still 'it depends' and 'not always' .

Originally Posted by Andonis

The fact of the matter is, to get the smoothest closest shave imaginable with hair that grows at a tight low angle out of the skin, you need to be able to go exactly against the grain, which is not possible or extremely difficult on the neck's curve using a straight razor, unless your hair grows towards or away from your jaw line rather than parallel to it, in which case you just shave upward or downward.

Originally Posted by Andonis

I wager £20 to anyone who can prove me wrong... Be warned however that I am already £60 up from having this debate with others already.

You are now saying you are also open to other views. Here is mine.

On my right side the hair growth under the jaw and neck is parallel to the jawline. I have no problem shaving against the grain, in fact I find it rather easy because it's a large area with small curvature and I use most of the blade width. For under the jaw the razor point is directed towards the neck, and for the neck the razor point is directed towards the jaw.
It is not awkward to me at all and I have not cut myself there a single time for the about 7 years I have shaved exclusively with straight razors. (I have nicked myself less than a dozen times altogether, usually when I have only gotten 1-2 hours of sleep and in a hurry and it's either at the ATG on the side of my mustache where my hair is toughest or on my cheek where it's easiest so I'm most careless)

I am still not clear on some of your points:

Originally Posted by Andonis

Can you still achieve the desired closeness of shave in this area with a straight razor? Sure, but most likely after multiple strokes at very awkward and riskier angles, which defeats the whole point of a straight razor that is meant to be more efficient and effective than a three blade, which in this scenario it simply is not.

Originally Posted by Andonis

I have not gone to a barber yet who has been able to give me a BBS shave under my neck area either.

A barber shouldn't have any problem with approaching at what may be 'awkward and riskier angles' in self-shaving as his hand is not attached to your body, so he has much more freedom of motion.

A three-bladed razor scrapes three times with each stroke. For me single-bladed shaving outperforms multi-bladed for this very reason, as it can dramatically reduce skin irritation. Straight razor outperforms 'safety' because it allows control of the blade angle.
The more things you can vary, the better you can adapt the shaving of every part of your face to the optimal conditions for that part. Of course, it is entirely up to you to make proper use of that freedom and flexibility - without 'good technique' you can get worse shave than with a cartridge or a safety razor.
If the straight razor length is a problem it is not difficult to cut it down or have somebody do it.

Originally Posted by Andonis

As far as technique goes, I have used a straight razor for the past 15 years and also shave family and friends beautifully.

Originally Posted by Andonis

I do not use a SE or DE as I still have a bunch of three blade cartridges to use up.

That's a lot of stock if it takes more than 15 years to go through. When I started using straight razors I had two and a half 8-packs of Gillete's Mach3. I gave away the one and the half when I stumbled on them again and have another 8-pack somewhere to give away whenever it surfaces.

I have to agree with Jimmy and rhensley: Chasing the BBS is frustrating and usually fruitless, since the pleasure of the tradition is mostly discarded for the quest...

Some days, it's one pass, some days three. More than two passes almost always leave me with irritation.

I can't remember the last time I used a plastic shaver... That will not change anytime soon.

As always, YMMV.

Originally Posted by ChopperDave

I have to agree with Jimmy and rhensley: Chasing the BBS is frustrating and usually fruitless, since the pleasure of the tradition is mostly discarded for the quest...

Some days, it's one pass, some days three. More than two passes almost always leave me with irritation.

I can't remember the last time I used a plastic shaver... That will not change anytime soon.

As always, YMMV.

Well said, couldn't agree more!

Originally Posted by Phrank

Well said, couldn't agree more!

I'll second that notion.
Neve,ever . will a cartridge touch my face again.
Not after 30 yrs. with a straight.
No more rash, bumps or discomfort.
Just bliss