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What is the most convenient type of razor and why?

Besides, how long does it take to run to the pharmacy to get a new pack of cartridges because you swear you put them on the shopping list for the grocery store? How long does it take to order packs of blades online, enter shipping, billing, credit card info, and then wait for it to arrive?
You are pretty new here :001_tongu. You would have to search a lot to find anyone needing to actually buy some blades. Most could shave a few lifetimes with their stock.

When you order blades online you most of the time buy at least 100 blades, so the time it takes for entering payment info is actually very low comparing to the amount of blades. Before I have used all 100 blades you have spent much more time on maintaining your edge.

For me DE is the most convenient way of shaving. The maintenance is minimum, blades are cheap and they do not clog easily. Also I find the handle to be more comfortable than holding a straight. The result is pretty much the same regardless of what I use, so I see no reason to use a straight.
 
Not nicking myself is convenient.
No steptic pencils or alum blocks.
No cleaning the blade after ever stroke.
Never clogging the razor.
Do you realize that all these can be applied to DE? When it comes to the last point, yes, some DE will clog, but there are some that are truly clog proof.

No disassembling the razor to dry.
No cleaning stubble from the side of the sink.
I never do either of those when shaving with DE. I just shake it and then put it into the closet and it is drying by itself. A straight is more sensitive as you can not just throw the blade when it is too oxidized after several shaves.

No batteries to charge.
So far I have never seen any DE with batteries.

No buffing.
No checking for missed bits.
Why would this be unique to straights? Neither do I need anything like this.
 
Do you realize that all these can be applied to DE? When it comes to the last point, yes, some DE will clog, but there are some that are truly clog proof.


I never do either of those when shaving with DE. I just shake it and then put it into the closet and it is drying by itself. A straight is more sensitive as you can not just throw the blade when it is too oxidized after several shaves.


So far I have never seen any DE with batteries.


Why would this be unique to straights? Neither do I need anything like this.
Just a bit of fun. I could make a case for any system. SR is more of a challenge but it does have its upsides.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Do you realize that all these can be applied to DE? When it comes to the last point, yes, some DE will clog, but there are some that are truly clog proof.


I never do either of those when shaving with DE. I just shake it and then put it into the closet and it is drying by itself. A straight is more sensitive as you can not just throw the blade when it is too oxidized after several shaves.


So far I have never seen any DE with batteries.


Why would this be unique to straights? Neither do I need anything like this.
I'm scarred if I have to shave with a razor where I can't see the blade's edge on my skin.
 

ERS4

My exploding razor knows secrets
To be honest, there will never be a conclusion on this topic, just let people argue with each other what they like, like a religious war.

People who starting the topic just want to show their hobbies by derogating other kinds of shaving; in a place that encourages us to enrich our shaving hobbies, I personally don't think this is a kind of gentleman's demeanor.

Fear of any type of razor causing one's injury is a purely personal technical problem.
 
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My view from the top of the fence is just fine.

The DE razor is more convenient if stretched for time, or your physically exhausted and want more safety. Infinitely so with wife and kids in your face when your trying to strop or hone. If using the right GOOD top tier DEs and razor blades for you, there are no negatives compared to SR.
Some of the SR-only crew do insist / gaslight DE razor users they have skin irritation and loss of masculinity, while not true it adds some novelty to the debate.

I prefer SR these days, but a very good Rocnel Sailor or choice vintage like a 30's Gillette New Deluxe or 20's New Improved with a good blade for me, is both sublime and convenient.
 

Lefonque

Even more clueless than you
Lessening of the sense of touch, reduction in hand/arm strength, decrease in steadiness and physical control and daily doses of blood thinners due to advancing age has made straight razor shaving the least convenient method for me.
DE, SE and even the occasional cart has made these methods the most convenient by far for me.
I hear you!
 
I'm not
To be honest, there will never be a conclusion on this topic, just let people argue with each other what they like, like a religious war.

People who starting the topic just want to show their hobbies by derogating other kinds of shaving; in a place that encourages us to enrich our shaving hobbies, I personally don't think this is a kind of gentleman's demeanor.

Fear of any type of razor causing one's injury is a purely personal technical problem.

You're right, there will never be a conclusion because everyone of us is unique and we pick our razor of choice based on our needs.

I never said anyone was less of a man for shaving with DE/SE, electric, or carts. Nor do I feel superior to anyone because I use a straight.

In fact, the only insult I feel I made in this thread was to people from Illinois who are in a rush to get to their vacation destination in Wisconsin and drive on our highways like they are still in the big city. Swerving in and out of lanes, cutting in front of people without using their blinker, and just driving aggressively in general. And that insult I feel was well deserved.

I would argue, no pun intended, that this has been a pretty gentlemanly debate so far.

In fact, I am actually looking at giving injection razors a shot after another member suggested them. Maybe I will find them superior to my straight for my situation. Time will tell.
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
Do you realize that all these can be applied to DE?

Absolutely!

Why would this be unique to straights?

The fear stays longer and the fear breeds careful movement.

With a DE or SE - my preferred methods - I have to tell myself to not use pressure or repetition and I’m not listening to some weirdo who talks to himself while shaving.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
Well, I have 800 DE blades, and I didn't leave the computer for any of them, so that doesn't really qualify as a burden. Loading a new blade takes about 20 seconds, so that doesn't qualify either.

I just don't think you can make a case for convenience with your straight razor. More history and romance, possibly. Easily a case for it being your preference. But I can't imagine you're actually going to sell convenience. I only change blades once a week. I suspect you strop every day. I'm willing to bet I can change DE blades faster than you can hone and strop yours.
 
Kamisoris are awfully convenient.

Flipping them on the strop or stone is effortless

No worries about getting water inside the scales

No worrying about where the scales are when shaving

No smiles to worry about when honing. I finally mastered the X-stroke, but that doesn't mean I treasure it.

Also I just like holding them when shaving or honing. I have some razors with scales, but none that convinced me I needed to lift my eyes from kamisoris. Until Heljestrand, that is. The steel is at best-kamisori (tamahagane aside) level. And I admit that Ralf Aust perfects the Solingen idiom.
 
Well, I love my AC shavettes, but I don't really think they are all that convenient, per se.
I used rerular straights for about a year and enjoyed it, but I never learned to hone and didn't really think I would enjoy it, so I switched to replaceable blade.
I do think there is something to the idea and the reality of an open blade shave that is more than just nostalgia, though.
 
They all have their place, and it depends entirely on your lifestyle.

I love shaving with straights, but then I have/make time to enjoy it. For me there is no such thing as a quick SR shave, tried it, doesn't work and you are either left with patches of stubble that's going to annoy you all day, or worse cuts and nicks that's going to embarrass you.

When your lifestyle don't allow you 30 minutes for a shower and a shave, DE's probably are the solution if you want to avoid the carts.

If you travel a lot for work, we all know that if you can get away with hand luggage only, you save yourself a lot of time and effort. This however pretty much make SR's and even DE's impossible. It also takes replaceable blade razors and shavettes out of the game, because I have yet to see "off the shelf" blades for sale in the UK. That basically leaves you with cartridges, whether you like it or not.

I only shaved with an electric razor while I was doing my training in the army. It was sheer luxury to be able to stay in your warm bed for a few minutes longer, while the other guys were slipping on the ice in the shower blocks.

Back to the question of what is more convenient for me?
At home, SR.
On holiday, SR.
In a rush, DE.
Hand luggage only, cartridge.
In the army in winter, electric. (Don't think I will ever need that again) :c9:
 
DE for sure. I use a blade and toss it after every use with no guilt or breaking the bank.
It's fast and easy when I am rushed and fun and hobby like when I want to obsess.

Nest all around
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
They all have their place, and it depends entirely on your lifestyle.

I love shaving with straights, but then I have/make time to enjoy it. For me there is no such thing as a quick SR shave, tried it, doesn't work and you are either left with patches of stubble that's going to annoy you all day, or worse cuts and nicks that's going to embarrass you.

When your lifestyle don't allow you 30 minutes for a shower and a shave, DE's probably are the solution if you want to avoid the carts.

If you travel a lot for work, we all know that if you can get away with hand luggage only, you save yourself a lot of time and effort. This however pretty much make SR's and even DE's impossible. It also takes replaceable blade razors and shavettes out of the game, because I have yet to see "off the shelf" blades for sale in the UK. That basically leaves you with cartridges, whether you like it or not.

I only shaved with an electric razor while I was doing my training in the army. It was sheer luxury to be able to stay in your warm bed for a few minutes longer, while the other guys were slipping on the ice in the shower blocks.

Back to the question of what is more convenient for me?
At home, SR.
On holiday, SR.
In a rush, DE.
Hand luggage only, cartridge.
In the army in winter, electric. (Don't think I will ever need that again) :c9:
For me, @Biltong & Boerewors is spot on. It is not so much "convenience" (however that may be interpreted by you) but rather enjoyment.

Most who venture into the gentlemanly art of SR shaving, stay with it for as long as they are physically capable to do so.
 
For me, @Biltong & Boerewors is spot on. It is not so much "convenience" (however that may be interpreted by you) but rather enjoyment.

Most who venture into the gentlemanly art of SR shaving, stay with it for as long as they are physically capable to do so.
SR shaving is fun when I shave others. When I try to do it on myself i can but it's not as fun.
So it depends. I loved practicing on other and never cut anyone
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
For me, @Biltong & Boerewors is spot on. It is not so much "convenience" (however that may be interpreted by you) but rather enjoyment.

Most who venture into the gentlemanly art of SR shaving, stay with it for as long as they are physically capable to do so.

Well for me, inconvenience impairs enjoyment.

Some folks genuinely enjoy honing, stropping, and the extra care and attention needed, to ensure a blade is clean and dry, before stowing away. Some enjoy the inline handle of straight format razors, and the different nuances in handling, such as rotating the handle for the optimum angle, instead of raising and lowering it.

To me, all of those are inconvenient, and offer nothing extra in compensation (I have checked, several times) over what my convenient, and therefore enjoyable, razors offer me.

So while some may be enamoured by the gentlemanly art of straight razor shaving, I am far more smitten with the gentlemanly art of leaving all that tedious stuff to some bugger else :biggrin1:
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
SR shaving is fun when I shave others. When I try to do it on myself i can but it's not as fun.
So it depends. I loved practicing on other and never cut anyone
It takes about 30 to 100 SR shaves to become reasonable proficient at the art, even if it is leg shaving.

I have shaved a few of my girlfriends but none of them have allowed me to shave them with a SR, although they do prefer a DE razor than a cartridge type. I find it interesting that they love watching me SR shave my face but they won't let me SR shave them.
 
It takes about 30 to 100 SR shaves to become reasonable proficient at the art, even if it is leg shaving.

I have shaved a few of my girlfriends but none of them have allowed me to shave them with a SR, although they do prefer a DE razor than a cartridge type. I find it interesting that they love watching me SR shave my face but they won't let me SR shave them.
Oh I concur with them. I love to watch.
I can do it, but it takes longer and I have to pay attention. I am good with knives and razors and have a good technique.

My bf let me shave him a few times but I never let him near my legs with the razor.
 
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