I must be part of an elite group of the toughest, most courageous men on the planet.....

[Jbird45]

Seriously, I must be either super tough or insane to put a piece of razor sharp steel on my neck and face, right?

Well.....

I am hoping someone potentially interested will read this and not be turned off by other people claiming how life threatening these tools are.

I hate the name cut throat razor. I really truly do. I am sure the movie Sweeney Todd didn't help at all either. If you are putting enough pressure on the blade to cause a life threatening injury, you are doing it wrong.

I feel like most men don't even give it consideration because it is some super dangerous tool. While technically it is a dangerous tool, it's not as scary as most people make it out to be. Simply being alive is a risk. Granted I am more likely to be injured by trying to make toast in the bathtub than I am sitting at my desk at work, but I digress.

I am by no means an expert, but I would like to explain a few things to potentially interested people.

No pressure. This goes two ways. If you go into this thinking you are going to cut yourself, you probably will. Don't get yourself psyched out. Relax, pay attention, and use caution, but don't be scared. Also, no pressure goes for the physical aspect too. Just like a safety razor, let the weight of the razor do the work. No pressure. You should respect your razor, not fear it.

Also, start off slow. If you're not 100% confident at first, shave just your cheeks with a straight razor, and finish other spots with a cartridge or safety razor. Once you get a feel, then move onto the jaw, then moustache, then neck etc.

A dull razor is more dangerous than a sharp one. This goes hand in hand with no pressure. If your blade is dull and you need to add pressure to get it to cut, that is more of a hazard than an ultra sharp razor that glides through whiskers. Have your razor professionally honed and shave ready when you first start, and focus on technique.

Lastly, always go up and down, never side to side. Every time of the few times I have cut myself with a straight it has been because I moved my blade side to side and not up and down. Side to side movement WILL result in a cut. I have never permanently scarred my face, but I have cut myself.

I hope this helps clear up some of the stereotypes around straight razors. While a safety razor I guess is technically "safer", it is not 100% safe either. My worst cut was actually with a Gillette open comb from 1912.

 

[Eastcoast30]

Seriously, I must be either super tough or insane to put a piece of razor sharp steel on my neck and face, right?

Well.....

I am hoping someone potentially interested will read this and not be turned off by other people claiming how life threatening these tools are.

I hate the name cut throat razor. I really truly do. I am sure the movie Sweeney Todd didn't help at all either. If you are putting enough pressure on the blade to cause a life threatening injury, you are doing it wrong.

I feel like most men don't even give it consideration because it is some super dangerous tool. While technically it is a dangerous tool, it's not as scary as most people make it out to be. Simply being alive is a risk. Granted I am more likely to be injured by trying to make toast in the bathtub than I am sitting at my desk at work, but I digress.

I am by no means an expert, but I would like to explain a few things to potentially interested people.

No pressure. This goes two ways. If you go into this thinking you are going to cut yourself, you probably will. Don't get yourself psyched out. Relax, pay attention, and use caution, but don't be scared. Also, no pressure goes for the physical aspect too. Just like a safety razor, let the weight of the razor do the work. No pressure. You should respect your razor, not fear it.

Also, start off slow. If you're not 100% confident at first, shave just your cheeks with a straight razor, and finish other spots with a cartridge or safety razor. Once you get a feel, then move onto the jaw, then moustache, then neck etc.

A dull razor is more dangerous than a sharp one. This goes hand in hand with no pressure. If your blade is dull and you need to add pressure to get it to cut, that is more of a hazard than an ultra sharp razor that glides through whiskers. Have your razor professionally honed and shave ready when you first start, and focus on technique.

Lastly, always go up and down, never side to side. Every time of the few times I have cut myself with a straight it has been because I moved my blade side to side and not up and down. Side to side movement WILL result in a cut. I have never permanently scarred my face, but I have cut myself.

I hope this helps clear up some of the stereotypes around straight razors. While a safety razor I guess is technically "safer", it is not 100% safe either. My worst cut was actually with a Gillette open comb from 1912.

You assert: "Lastly, always go up and down, never side to side. Every time of the few times I have cut myself with a straight it has been because I moved my blade side to side and not up and down. Side to side movement WILL result in a cut."

Well, most beards grow in different directions in different spots. Shaving with the grain or against the grain will require side motions at times. In trimming my beard, I always use side motions at the upper cheek line. And I have yet to cut myself with a straight razor.

So in summary, "Side to side movement WILL result in a cut" is not an accurate statement. Perhaps you need to work on your technique?

 

[ewk]

Thank you for the context and the encouragement. The initial startup cost is my biggest obstacle.

When you say "side to side" do you mean "do not go across the grain?" or "never move the blade in anything but perpendicular to the skin?"

 

[Jbird45]

Thank you for the context and the encouragement. The initial startup cost is my biggest obstacle.

When you say "side to side" do you mean "do not go across the grain?" or "never move the blade in anything but perpendicular to the skin?"

Maybe I should have clarified that better. I never move my razor as a slicing action. I will turn it which way I need to stay with the grain.

 

[rbscebu]

@Jbird45, you are wrong. The toughest, most courageous men on the planet are those who shave with a "safety" razor. They shave and can't even see the blade's edge on their skin!

I shave safely with a straight razor.
.

 

[Tomo]

Yeah they are definitely made out to be more dangerous than they are. In over two years of daily SR shaving, I haven’t had anything worse than a paper cut. And I could count those on one hand.

Keeping a low angle is a bit part of it too. If you pay attention, respect the tool and follow the rules not much harm is likely to come to you.

It’s kind of like someone not using a kitchen knife because you could slip and cut your wrist and die. I mean it’s possible but has that ever actually happened? A car is way more dangerous and everyone uses those. A slight lapse of attention in a car can be fatal or life changing. What’s worse is that you are at the mercy of everyone else on the road. At least with a straight razor your personal safety is totally in your own hands.

 

[rbscebu]

Thank you for the context and the encouragement. The initial startup cost is my biggest obstacle.
....

For some $5 can be a big financial obstacle.

 

[Eastcoast30]

You are correct about slicing. Unfortunately, I did not read it that way.

 

[Jbird45]

Maybe I should have clarified that better. I never move my razor as a slicing action. I will turn it which way I need to stay with the grain.

Get a vintage razor, send it out for honing, and get a fromm razor strop. This is a good way to get good gear and start up usually for under $100

 

[Jbird45]

You are correct about slicing. Unfortunately, I did not read it that way.

Yes, I should have worded it differently. Thank you for bringing it up!!

 

[haggis]

I find the whole macho sideshow with SRs tiresome and embarrassing. There is a learning curve, fair enough. It is not difficult to surmount with caution, preparation (face, mind, and tools), repetition, and occasionally, troubleshooting.

I'm probably more concerned about safely using a table saw. If you really want to terrify me, put me on an extension ladder on a windy day. Or any day, frankly.

 

[Jbird45]

I find the whole macho sideshow with SRs tiresome and embarrassing. There is a learning curve, fair enough. It is not difficult to surmount with caution, preparation (face, mind, and tools), repetition, and occasionally, troubleshooting.

I'm probably more concerned about safely using a table saw. If you really want to terrify me, put me on an extension ladder on a windy day. Or any day, frankly.

That's a real fear. I hate heights. Or at least I hate edges of tall things. I'm ok in the middle of a roof, but edges are a different story

 

[SilverGeezer]

About the only time I cut myself is when I'm trying some new angle or grip, and looking in the mirror I go the wrong direction. That dam backwards mirror image gets me.

 

[Steve56]

@Jbird45, you are wrong. The toughest, most courageous men on the planet are those who shave with a "safety" razor. They shave and can't even see the blade's edge on their skin!

I shave safely with a straight razor.
.

Words of wisdom above certainly! Straight razor users (with proper edges) don’t have concepts of ‘razor burn’, ‘bad shave’, ‘letting my skin rest for a day or two’ (like rest from what?), etc and we don’t need menthol to cool our raw, scraped carcass.

I use XTG when I want to, no issues. I believe the concept is that you cannot use a stroke with lateral (slicing, or end to end) movement of the edge, but hey, you’ll only do that once, maybe twice at the most. A scything stroke, or rotating around a pivot point is fine as long as the edge doesn’t move laterally.

 

[thombrogan]

For some $5 can be a big financial obstacle.

Absolutely. However, I’m saving 6¢ American and getting two Sedef brand barber razors. (We won’t talk about the 0.25μ I got to do the full ‘Method’ progression…)

 

[Steve56]

Absolutely. However, I’m saving 6¢ American and getting two Sedef brand barber razors. (We won’t talk about the 0.25μ I got to do the full ‘Method’ progression…)

What are you going to do with all those savings? J/K

 

[Jbird45]

Words of wisdom above certainly! Straight razor users (with proper edges) don’t have concepts of ‘razor burn’, ‘bad shave’, ‘letting my skin rest for a day or two’ (like rest from what?), etc and we don’t need menthol to cool our raw, scraped carcass.

I use XTG when I want to, no issues. I believe the concept is that you cannot use a stroke with lateral (slicing, or end to end) movement of the edge, but hey, you’ll only do that once, maybe twice at the most. A scything stroke, or rotating around a pivot point is fine as long as the edge doesn’t move laterally.

I don't think having complete control of the blade angle can be matched. It definitely makes for a comfortable shave.

I do have to say menthol can be refreshing in the summer heat though.

 

[Titleist]

I don't consider using a straight razor as "macho". I taught myself how to use one and then eventually taught myself how to hone my own edges on JNATS because too few people outside of these discussion threads can do it.

There is a learning curve and to be quite honest, for me it was very steep in the first few months when I started. Just ask my left tragus and lobule. The former has been nicked a couple of times when I was a novice and the latter had to be super-glued together once. ........ once.

I use a DE once in awhile and a SR as of late more often. I've nicked myself with both.

 

[Steve56]

I don't think having complete control of the blade angle can be matched. It definitely makes for a comfortable shave.

I do have to say menthol can be refreshing in the summer heat though.

I agree sir. Myrsol Limon is a favorite anytime but especially in summer. It has a noticeable menthol note (for SR people), is not disagreeable, but menthol is kind of a seasonal thing to me, in very low amounts.

 

[thombrogan]

What are you going to do with all those savings?

Probably get a few jars of Sē’bum Gold and Acqua di Parma, a few Kiita stones, and maybe a high mountain two-band silvertip knot set in a mammoth bark ivory handle.

Or a piece of Bazooka Joe if I can’t swing the aforementioned haul with the savings