Thread: When & Why

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

If straight razor shaving goes mainstream I'll start shaving with a Polynesian sea shell from the 30's...

But will it be a sea shell from the 1830's or 1930's? Let's hope you decide on vintage and don't go with any 20th century new fangled contraptions.

Originally Posted by WW243

Two questions for straight razor users: when did you begin shaving with a straight razor and why? I think it would be especially interesting to hear from the pre-interweb guys.

I have always been fascinated watching straight razor shaving in movies, and once many years ago I watched a friend get a straight razor shave in a barbershop. 2 1/2 years ago I got so fed up with electric and disposable/cartridge shaving I decided to do something about it. I surfed the internet about alternative ways of shaving and found out that some people were still DE and straight razor shaving. Then I found that there were forums devoted to the subject. I ordered one of each (DE and straight). I used both until I was able to master a straight, and now use a straight almost exclusively.

What an enjoyable hobby! I hated shaving for 40 years because of the poor results and discomfort, so when I got the old fashioned equipment both my attitude and results did a 180.

Just a few months ago. As a petrochemical inspector most of the facilities I work in are clean-shaven for respirator purposes and I was complaining to a coworker about the constant razor burn from shaving every day. He started talking about his de & how it never leaves burn. That's what got the seed planted.

A few months later we were in Mineapolis getting certified for phased array & walked into to super-fancy haberdashery, where he convinced me to get a straight shave. The hot towels & all were pretty sweet so after that I started reading up, ordered a couple of dovos and the essentials.

Now, 3-4 months later I'm never looking back! I'm currently about halfway into a 7-day set of Wacker chevaliers. Once I can order the last 3 I'll make I nice walnut case for them & that'll hopefully be the end of my major purchases

I don't know if unit has seen this thread, but I think he'd answer "Because I love playing with my Dorko."

Sorry if I stole your thunder, unit!

I have only been shaving daily with a SR8 for 4 months now but bought my first and gave it a go nearly 30 years ago. Like so many others on this site, I have always liked sharp things and own a fair (maybe not the word my wife would use) number of knives. Shaving with a straight just seemed like a fun and appropriate thing to do.

That first acquisition did not turn our to be "shave ready" and my first experiment didn't even last thru a complete shave. About every 4 years I dug out the razor again and tried but it never worked until last spring when I found this site, bought a shave ready razor, got the lowdown on pre-shave prep and have been happily shaving with a naked blade ever since. I have some kind of native interest in SR8 shaving but gotta thank SRP for making it real. BTW, the first was a NIB Geneva Cutlery from a mall cutlery shop. I have since honed it myself and now get fine shaves with it.

Originally Posted by KenWeir

...
Now, 3-4 months later I'm never looking back! I'm currently about halfway into a 7-day set of Wacker chevaliers. Once I can order the last 3 I'll make I nice walnut case for them & that'll hopefully be the end of my major purchases

You are relatively new to the forums, so you are forgiven for this almost sacrilegious statement.

First rule of straightrazorplace: there is no end to the major purchases;
Second rule of straightrazorplace (Jimbo's Third Law of AD): To every AD cessation there is an equal and opposite AD commencement.

James.

Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

I don't know if unit has seen this thread, but I think he'd answer "Because I love playing with my Dorko."

Sorry if I stole your thunder, unit!

Oh I have seen it...I was just waiting for someone to drag it down into the mud so I could come in and get comfy

I started straight shaving a couple months ago, and basically because my obsession with getting expensive sharp things, then figuring out how to make them sharper, followed by cutting myself, had progressed to the stage where I needed to cut my face and throat -- as they were the only unscathed real estate left on this body. Really, one might say it all started on the second day of my life when the doctor cut me in that most precious place and from that moment I knew sharper is better...and I could make improvements.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

You are relatively new to the forums, so you are forgiven for this almost sacrilegious statement.

First rule of straightrazorplace: there is no end to the major purchases;
Second rule of straightrazorplace (Jimbo's Third Law of AD): To every AD cessation there is an equal and opposite AD commencement.

James.

I for one am routing for you KenWeir!!

Don't make a "practice" walnut case Ken lol!!

Originally Posted by WW243

Two questions for straight razor users: when did you begin shaving with a straight razor and why? I think it would be especially interesting to hear from the pre-interweb guys.

When, Today I started Straight Razor shaving this morning. Why, because I needed a new hobby, I am tired of buying razor cartridges, my father had some vintage straights from my grandfather for me, and lastly because I wanted to be challenged.

My father is a Barber and my gramps was a Barber also, I am not a Barber but I guess you could say it runs in the family.

Interweb?

About a year and a half. I was given one of these Gillette Fusion plastic razor with 5 blades per cartridge, when I went to buy new cartridgesand I figured out the cost, it was nasty. So I learned to strop these cartriges to extend their life (I got 7 months out of one) but as I started investigating a more efficient way to shave, I remembered the "navaja barbera" from my youth watching the barber give shaves, and off to the Interweb I went, and I ordered an extremely crappy razor in Amazon After some Interwebbing,soon found out this site and read about what razors not to buy, got a new Dovo, and I was on my way.