- Thread starter
- #21
Decision against straight razors
- Thread starter sakaltras
- Start date
Understood.
- Thread starter
- #23
I understand the fun stops after you try honing. Ha.
I started wet-shaving with a DE razor in 2011. Early on, I read that straight-razor shaving was the way to go if one wanted to "really shave," and so, I took that path with gusto. Yes, most of it has to do with mastering maintenance and technique.
A couple of years ago, during the Covid confinement, I sort of was looking for something new and went back to safety-razor shaving as I realized that I had never really mastered it. This, in turn, led me to use shavettes as well when I discovered that those with a plastic housing to hold the blade were more forgiving than their all-steel shavette siblings.
Just shaved with a Fatip Piccolo special edition razor today and had a very nice shave. That said, if you have the interest and perseverance, there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of a great shave off a straight razor that you have honed and stropped yourself. But it takes time and practice and a commitment that not everyone can provide for various, genuine reasons.
A couple of years ago, during the Covid confinement, I sort of was looking for something new and went back to safety-razor shaving as I realized that I had never really mastered it. This, in turn, led me to use shavettes as well when I discovered that those with a plastic housing to hold the blade were more forgiving than their all-steel shavette siblings.
Just shaved with a Fatip Piccolo special edition razor today and had a very nice shave. That said, if you have the interest and perseverance, there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of a great shave off a straight razor that you have honed and stropped yourself. But it takes time and practice and a commitment that not everyone can provide for various, genuine reasons.
- Thread starter
- #26
Or when seeing the prices for honing stones. They tend to be quite expensive :-(
The maintenance issue is key for me. I have lots of knives and keep them sharp but not youtube video sharp. I maintain strong working edges but wouldn't try to shave with one even though they easily pop hairs off my arm. The level of precision and the maintenance and equipment to get to straight razor sharp hold no interest to me. Not when I've got a few hundred Feather DE blades on hand along with the hundreds of other great blades. Hell, I only wash the Land Cruiser once a year (but the internals are well looked after).
Honing is what makes me want to shave with a straight razor! It's a bummer waiting to sharpen my knives until they're dull again!
I'm too old now to try. Between a hand tremor, Dupuytren's contracture in both hands, and gin, I decided to stick with DE.
- Thread starter
- #30
I don't have any other hobby actually because of various obligations I have. So straight razors are a opportunity to forget all of these obligations. But this hobby should pay off at some point if time with better shave quality, less waste, more fun or whatever...
- Thread starter
- #31
We now have the options to choose. Before the Gillette era that was much harder... They are all good. Its not about which one is better or not. Just collecting arguments.
Unfortunately(or fortunately, if you want to collect), straights have a high variability in performance, based on style, grind, prior usage and finally your technique.
Think of it like having boxes of Derby, Personna, Feather, etc., blades. Some are sharper, may last longer or not as long, etc.. My personal favorite is a Frederich Reynolds with tortoise scales, sharp but not sub-microtome level and has a rounded tip. Conversely, I invariably injure myself with a square tip or Spanish & I have one (can't remember the maker) that seems to cut simply by moving it in the vicinity of hair, much less moving it on my skin.
All this to say, if you have some cuts, take a breather, since the SR will only keep reopening them.
Think of it like having boxes of Derby, Personna, Feather, etc., blades. Some are sharper, may last longer or not as long, etc.. My personal favorite is a Frederich Reynolds with tortoise scales, sharp but not sub-microtome level and has a rounded tip. Conversely, I invariably injure myself with a square tip or Spanish & I have one (can't remember the maker) that seems to cut simply by moving it in the vicinity of hair, much less moving it on my skin.
All this to say, if you have some cuts, take a breather, since the SR will only keep reopening them.
- Thread starter
- #33
This time I will try to avoid the rabbit hole... I have far too many DE razors. Most I have never used.
There are a number of reasons men use straights. Probably lumped into a few categories. Straight is better for them. Straight is more enjoyable.
Which brings me to good, better, best. Men might typically rank shaving tools into these categories. Some men may have a cartridge razor as top rated while others a straight. Many men may never place a straight into either category. Simply isn't a tool they enjoy or have any interest in trying.
If you are not enjoying it and getting injured from it maybe straight razor shaving isn't for you. Seems like you might have already come to that conclusion. Enjoy DE or any method that works for you.
Which brings me to good, better, best. Men might typically rank shaving tools into these categories. Some men may have a cartridge razor as top rated while others a straight. Many men may never place a straight into either category. Simply isn't a tool they enjoy or have any interest in trying.
If you are not enjoying it and getting injured from it maybe straight razor shaving isn't for you. Seems like you might have already come to that conclusion. Enjoy DE or any method that works for you.
- Thread starter
- #35
I started with straights and with an acquisitive mind - I purchased a de razor about 6 years ago. One of the newer brands that came with 3 or 4 ‘heads’. I tried to use it but after about 6-7 shaves I couldn’t continue, close shaves but my skin was raw.
i fully accept it was probably my technique or lack thereof. Point being that we get used to and master what we practice. Some days I love honing more than I do shaving so I am pretty stuck With my sr’s.
whatever works for each of us
i fully accept it was probably my technique or lack thereof. Point being that we get used to and master what we practice. Some days I love honing more than I do shaving so I am pretty stuck With my sr’s.
whatever works for each of us
- Thread starter
- #37
Maybe a bit biased. I'm living near to Solingen so that's also something emotional and that's why I would like to see that it works for me. I will not give up until the 100 are reached. Then I will now if I getting it to work for me.I started with straights and with an acquisitive mind - I purchased a de razor about 6 years ago. One of the newer brands that came with 3 or 4 ‘heads’. I tried to use it but after about 6-7 shaves I couldn’t continue, close shaves but my skin was raw.
i fully accept it was probably my technique or lack thereof. Point being that we get used to and master what we practice. Some days I love honing more than I do shaving so I am pretty stuck With my sr’s.
whatever works for each of us
Great stuff - can you send me some solignen blanks.?
Go easy. Stop and use a DE at any time, even during the middle of a shave. It's not a race.
Master the simple parts first, then move on to harder parts slowly. Took me about 125 shaves to get feeling competent.
Switched to replaceable blade straights back in September of 2019. I will never go back to old school straights. I will also never go back to DE or SE unless a physical or health problem of some kind makes using my straights impossible. I love mu straights and I love straight razor shaving. When I was at about 50 shaves with old school straights I wanted to tear my hair out I was so frustrated.
So I would say 'carry on' but not with concern or with any thought that something 'has to be done.'
Master the simple parts first, then move on to harder parts slowly. Took me about 125 shaves to get feeling competent.
Switched to replaceable blade straights back in September of 2019. I will never go back to old school straights. I will also never go back to DE or SE unless a physical or health problem of some kind makes using my straights impossible. I love mu straights and I love straight razor shaving. When I was at about 50 shaves with old school straights I wanted to tear my hair out I was so frustrated.
So I would say 'carry on' but not with concern or with any thought that something 'has to be done.'
ERS4
My exploding razor knows secrets
I use both - shave my face with open blade razor (mostly shavette) and shave my head with DE.
For me it's just for fun, there's no question of attribution over there.
I absolutely love the versatility and mechanical design of the DE, as well as the simplicity and sheerness of the open blade and the masculinity that the edge of the blade brings; I would never give up on one of these.
For me it's just for fun, there's no question of attribution over there.
I absolutely love the versatility and mechanical design of the DE, as well as the simplicity and sheerness of the open blade and the masculinity that the edge of the blade brings; I would never give up on one of these.
Similar threads
- Rice and side dish
- Double Edged Razors
