Thread: Finishing with a DE

Does anyone else use a double edge to finish up after using a straight razor? I mean for touch up and to get BBS in the areas that you generally cannot get to? or is that just a newbie thing that I picked up?

It's a totally appropriate thing for anyone to do, Newbie or not. Sometimes you have the choice of spending minutes doing something with a straight razor that a DE or (I know, perish the thought!) cartridge razor can do in one swipe.
You just have to remember not to tell anyone or they'll think you're not a real man.

Originally Posted by ace

It's a totally appropriate thing for anyone to do, Newbie or not. Sometimes you have the choice of spending minutes doing something with a straight razor that a DE or (I know, perish the thought!) cartridge razor can do in one swipe.
You just have to remember not to tell anyone or they'll think you're not a real man.

Lol! Thanks ace. Cartridges are definitely done for but sometimes I like to use a DE- get the best of both worlds ya know? Btw, thanks for all your advice the other day, I went back because the shave test failed and I reset the bevel and worked up to the 8K now I have to wait till tomorrow to see if its shave ready again.

When I care about getting a smooth neck, a DE is the best tool for the job. With a straight razor, I have not in several years discovered a way to get my neck smooth with a straight because the direction and angle of growth prevent anything but a half-hearted XTG pass with lots of skin pulling and guillotine and scything strokes, which takes much longer and gets inferior results. A good DE blade gives me a horizontal pass in a few seconds and very little irritation by comparison.

I can't see a reason to shun a tool that is clearly better designed for the task of shaving a neck like mine. It is not simply a matter of technique...I can use a toothbrush without feeling the need to throw the floss away.

i seldom do it. but that could have something to do with not having a swmbo so if i have a rough patch or a touch of stubble I'm the only one who knows.
while you can do your cleanup witha straight and i often do. just got finished actually. it takes an extra five or so minutes i find. DEs definitely have a place in any mans cabinet

Originally Posted by anthogia

Lol! Thanks ace. Cartridges are definitely done for but sometimes I like to use a DE- get the best of both worlds ya know? Btw, thanks for all your advice the other day, I went back because the shave test failed and I reset the bevel and worked up to the 8K now I have to wait till tomorrow to see if its shave ready again.

Always happy to be helpful when I can be. PM me and tell me how it goes.

Originally Posted by ace

Always happy to be helpful when I can be. PM me and tell me how it goes.

Will do! Thanks

I think you will find most folks use a DE after a straight while in the learning stages and after they master the straight don't do that practice. They may use a DE for a complete shave now and then or when in a hurry.

Notice I said most. As we see many do use both.

Also, consider that BBS is not evidence of a superior shave. You can have a bit of stubble and still have a very close shave. it can be closer in fact than BBS.

Not me, I used a straight no matter what, it didn't matter how much blood there was

I forced myself to use ONLY the SR after a short break-in period. By forcing myself to only use the SR, I spent more time trying to figure out how best to give myself a shave and how to achieve the results I needed when it was difficult. In the end, I figured it out. One thing that always has me stumped is that I tend to see 50 posts on the difficulties of honing a razor here for every 1 I see about using the razor. And most of the posts I see about using the razor and the possible problems end up kicked into the honing realm with the fair diagnosis that a new guy's razor isn't shave ready. I'm not sure what exact trouble you're having, but try to figure it out with the SR. There's probably a way to accomplish it with enough thought and experimentation.