Thread: Reflecting: How did we get here?

No nostalgia or sentimentality of years gone by with me I am afraid.
The simple truth is that I was sick and tired of reaching into my cupboard looking for a new cartridge to finish my daily head shave, only to find it empty for the millionth time.
Having to go out with a half-shaven head and face kinda got me looking for alternatives eventually, and straights seemed to be what I was looking for.
So, I bought a shavette and a Dovo and never looked back

I started out with the standard Trac II in the 70's. I quickly learned to hate shaving so I stopped and started using scissors to trim my beard. When I started going grey(beard long before hair) I was getting nagged at to look young again. So, I went back to good old TracII and proceeded the love hate relationship with my face. Then a few years ago Trac II started getting hard to find so I went to 3 blades. Gawd more clogging than before and I broke about 3 razors banging the snot out of them. Took it to the shower which helped with the blade cleaning but did nothing for the detail work. Lived with that small misery until Sept. last year. Saw a guy using a straight on You Tube and don't even remember how that happened but sure glad I did. No need to go any further with this story as I am sure you know how it ends. :<0)

Started straight razor shaving last spring simply for the fun of learning something new. Had been shaving for over 40 years with no real problems that would otherwise have lead me to straights. Found I liked straights and stayed with it. Still use DEs, SEs and disposables where and when it suits me.

Bob

I started shaving regularly about a year and a half ago with the bic disposable razors. On a quest to lose the irritation I read about using a single blade so started looking into DE razors, the thought of a straight never crossed my mind until I came across this site. Plucked up the courage and bought a shavette thinking it was good way to see if i like using a straight. Then about a year ago I found a straight that looked in good condition in an antique store. Bought it, got it honed up and I've had irritation free shaves since. And I can't see any reason why I'll ever go back to the shavette never mind multi blade pain inducers!

Many years ago my dad had a DE that I tried, used it and then new newfangled multiblade razors that came along the way. Finally this new invention called the internet came out and I saw a video of a straight razor shave. I went back to my dad and asked for his 2 DE razors he has (he was using those newfangled multiblades). He said by all means you can have them I don't use them. I have shaved with them for almost 6 months and then became curious about straight razors. I have now grown into 4 straights and 5 DE razors as well as a brush and non-canned shave cream and soap. I switch back and forth but find the straights even more enjoyable than the DE. Needless to say I won't go back, although my wife says I take to long in the bathroom now (the tables have turned).

Whoever thought back in my gangster days in N.Y C carrying a straight in my boot I'd be shaving with one? Yes, truth is stranger than fiction. But here I am all these years later.

Just stumbling upon a site selling them around 10 years ago was all it took.