Thread: What is it that you like best about shaving with a straight razor??

I love that the process takes long enough that it makes it special. I get to slow my day down, take it one small stroke at a time. Listening to the blade as it cuts the hair and the feel of the menthol on my skin. The world spins so fast, it seems like this is the one thing that slows it down.

Wow!! Some fantastic replies!!! I'm just happy when I finish and find that I didn't make 'Pink' lather!

What I like about it is when my pals and I go cross town for a rumble and the police stop us and find the razor in my boot I tell them I'm just bringing it home after being honed. So they say yea wise guy lets see you shave with it. They look on in amazement as I do and let me go. Often times they want me to visit the station house and teach them how to use a straight.

I like the feeling of connection with the past, of following in the footsteps of those who have gone before. It's the thrill of rediscovering an arcane and vanishing art and realizing that those old guys weren't so backwards after all. Add in all the purely physical/sensual reasons, and it's a helluva lotta fun!

I love the results and the fact that it was the result of lots and lots of practice.

It goes with muzzleloading, tomahawks, throwing knives, flint & steel and primitive Rendezvous camp. Waugh!

I'm going to chime in here and say it's primarily the fact that it turned an annoying and painful chore into a skill (still painful sometimes, but I'm new) that I can smile with a bit of pride about.

I like the fact that it requires the utmost attention, so no matter what's going on in your life,it all just disappears for duration of the shave it's the ultimate escape . And I really like the fact that since straight shaving I have not had one in growing hair, and from my early days I have a few cool scars to invent stories about :-)

Anthony

What I love about straight razors and shaving with them is:

That it is a ritual in which all ingredients are fun to do and are even more fun when done right and result in a great shave.

Trying to do it right is going totally zen and being yourself for, what, half an hour. Total bliss!

The simplicity of a straight razor; a piece of fine steel with a pure and most of the time beautiful form. The scales can be basic or a work of art too. To think that the layout of a straight razor has been around already a couple of hundreds of years and today still gives thousands of modern day men a comfortable and bbs shave.

The artistry of the badger brushes and the comfort they render while using when building the lather and applying them on the skin.

The fact that we are keen on collecting razors that enables us the joy of admiring and a rotation of several blades. Ever do/did that with home appliances like a vacuum or a toaster or even with the hated multi blade cartridge razors?

Same goes for the soaps and aftershaves; trying a new one once in awhile gives new joy and builds up a choice of scents. The fun to know that the soap you use sometimes have been around for more than a century without having been changed.

The fact that no conglomerate company dictate us a brand of razor or allure us in a ‘lifestyle’ by using their product. The choices we make are mostly based on a nice find on flee market or a left over from granddad or a honest advice from fellow users on the forum.

This forum; never have I encountered such a fine motivated group of people who never roast newbies or others but are genuinely interested in helping in giving advice in the latest or even all the worn down topics.

The fun when you tell your friends that you shave straight; the men wonder “you do what?” and the women smile “Mmm, I like that!”

I Love that!

Regards,
Paul

It reminds me of something that I should have done with my father, were he still around. Discovering that kind of person that I am, I was drawn to somewhat dangerous looking things and of course, SR shaving came to me. As it's been said, it was no longer a chore, but a ritual to be enjoyed. Something that's just cool looking! honestly, the best shaves i've gotten are with a SR and i love it. I love the community the great help I get and the familial sense from the forum. Thanks everyone.