Anyone start Safety or Straight shaving just because??

[smarks]

It seems in almost every post that talks about switching from Electric or Mach3, the person is switching because of irritation or some other factor. I am wondering if there isn't anyone out there that switched just because they could. The type of person that was perfectly happy with the current shave situation and closeness (if they didn't already think it was BBS) and one day said, "I think I will try a Safety/Straight Razor now."

Just curious if anyone like this exists and what their experience has been thus far.

 

[SRock]

I was actually looking for a better way to shave my head when I found my way to the B&B. What I quickly discovered was that there was likely a better way to shave my face. I used to get irritation on my neck but had just resigned myself to live with it. So to answer your question no, I didn't switch "just because" I was hoping to have better results on my neck after reading up on it.

 

[bearbear]

It seems in almost every post that talks about switching from Electric or Mach3, the person is switching because of irritation or some other factor. I am wondering if there isn't anyone out there that switched just because they could. The type of person that was perfectly happy with the current shave situation and closeness (if they didn't already think it was BBS) and one day said, "I think I will try a Safety/Straight Razor now."

Just curious if anyone like this exists and what their experience has been thus far.

you know when i was younger, shaving with a mach 3 that actually had sharp blades in the cartridge, i was getting perfect shaves and was interested by des and straights, but i had no idea where the hell to buy them. used to go to a barber shop and get aline up with a straight....and the barber said told me its hard to find blades/straights, that i should just make do with an electric or mach 3. so i did.

a few years later, the fusion came out, my neck looked like a peperoni pizza for about 6 months and i stumbled upon a wetshaving thread in a bodybuilding forum. Finnaly gave me the resources to pick up the hobby, and i've been happy ever since

 

[T Rick]

I was perfectly happy with my Mach 3 shaves. But with a full beard, only shaving the edges and neck, those costly little cartridges lasted forever.

FF to now. Working on it (first DE today after lathering properly and shaving with a bump fighter and Twin II's for a few weeks) and I've currently got a bit of irritation. Didn't with the M3. But my shaves have been better, and the irritation (mild) I presume will go away with improving technique. And I am enjoying my shaves so much more!

 

[mdunn]

i switched from DE to straight just because

 

[calcustom]

Just because I had tried everything else with marginal results.
Then stumbled on B&B and wondered how I could of overlooked safety razors for so long.
I now get consistantly good shaves!

 

[Hanzo]

I came to DE's out of necessity, as a cheap alternative to my Sensor and generic cartridges. I went to SE's out of curiosity , had not heard of them before coming to the forums. Mastering the SE's gave me the confidence to try Straights. I like all three shaving disciplines and to me they are equal .

 

[Mike D]

I just wanted to look like someone out of an old movie.

 

[bwatts]

I was doing perfectly fine with the fusion I could get a close shave or even BBS without realising it I reckon without any burn or ingrown hair. I just fancied trying a safety razor out and now I love it. I still get razor burn but not so much anymore now my technique is coming along plus I think the feather blades didn't help to be honest.

 

[pocketwatch]

I found out about DE's when I refused to pay $3 a refill cartridge. I think I saved money for a good bit of time, but then... I found this place... now've spent all my savings.

I did switch from DE to straight (still learning) just because

 

[Jethro1984]

Nope....I switched for a few different reasons. But that just makes the addiction easier to explain!

 

[kingfisher]

I'm your guy.


You described me exactly.

I stumbled upon this site only because I was looking for a better shaving cream. I was perfectly happy with my shaves using cartridges, but wanted a better goo.

This place taught me about creams/soaps/brushes, so I switched to that and continued with cartridges. Perfect shaving nirvana!


And then I started shaving with a DE for no reason whatsoever. Or for the same reason Edmund Hillary crested Everest: "because it was there."

 

[don.putnick]

I'm your guy.
You described me exactly.
I stumbled upon this site only because I was looking for a better shaving cream. I was perfectly happy with my shaves using cartridges, but wanted a better goo.
This place taught me about creams/soaps/brushes, so I switched to that and continued with cartridges. Perfect shaving nirvana!
And then I started shaving with a DE for no reason whatsoever. Or for the same reason Edmund Hillary crested Everest: "because it was there."

My story is similar to kingfisher's. I was content with my Sensor Excel razor and blades and Barbasol out of a can. A couple years ago I began traveling to Colorado Springs on business at least once a month. The Barbasol just wasn't working in a dry climate. I ended up at B&B, and learned about creams and prep. I thought about giving DE shaving another try, which I did in high school and college before the double blade cartridge.

 

[gone down south]

My electric razor broke, and I realized how much cartridges cost and on the spot started googling DE shaving.

 

[BigRich]

I just thought it was kind of cool when I read a little about it a few years ago and I've been hooked ever since.

 

[Robert Adams]

I bought my first straight razor about 20 years ago when I was 15. Saw it at an antique store, I was madly interested in the ways of the past, cost about $10 so bought it. It was actually sharp enough to shave the sides with - but could never do the chin or jowl. At the time I had no idea how to sharpen a razor - so after my sharpening attempts it wouldn't shave anything and I lost interest.

Enter the bic blue - 3 pack for about $1.50. I was as happy as - close shave, no irritation, just some soap for shaving cream and a perfect shave in the shower every morning.

After a few years I saw a DE at a tobacconist and bought it. Think it was a Merkur. Used it for a while but the pull of the bic drew me back.

Then a few months ago I saw the gallery page on SRP, and the pictures here and I couldn't believe how beautiful some of them were. I bought some disposable straights and enjoyed learning how to use it by myself. I have a clean smooth face so it's pretty easy for me to shave. And I love it.

This seems a good time to say thanks to everyone for posting the pics and talking about their interest. For some strange reason hearing about other mens' shaving habits and interests is great.

 

[MoJoe]

Last year, I went through one of my moods where I thought it would be cool to grow a beard. That lasted 3 months, which for me is a long time to have a beard. I was getting ready to shave it off but I didn't want to return to a multi-blade cartridge. It's not that I got bad shaves for it I was simply interested in something else. I thought that I'd end up buying a straight razor but the more I read about DE's the more I thought that would be a good way to go. I may still end up using straights, but for now I'm enjoying experimenting with the DE - and getting better shaves with it than I ever was with the multi-blades and goo.

 

[dtierney]

I switched over to DE just because.

I had no real issues with my Mach3, but the idea of using something as low-tech and simple as a DE was very appealing. Not to mention that almost everyone on this site speaks to highly of DE razors, I thought there must be something I'm missing.

Haven't touched the Mach3 once since that day.

 

[brg]

It was kind of "just because".

Started by buying a cheap brush to smear shaving gel around my face, "just because" I thought it would be better. Then I bought a tube of Palmolive Classic "just because" I wanted to try what it was like. I liked it so much, I started getting a bit of SCAD... With all the great Portuguese creams, it was inevitable .

Then I found B&B, can't remember exactly why, but I think it was while searching for creams. I thought to myself: I am never going to get back to using canned goo, but I don't think I am going to use DEs.

Then I bought a Wilkinson Sword Classic "just because" it was cheap. And the rest is history... I used to get decent shaves with the M3 or Quattro, but I noticed that with the DE a persistent irritation I had in the left side of my face was gone, and the skin just looked and felt better.

Now I say I am never going to use a straight razor .

 

[ClubmanRob]

I started due to necessity. When I was a self-sufficient teenager that had to buy his own blades, .79 for a ten pack of Schick DEs was much nicer on my wallet than the dollar a cart Sensor Excels and later the Mach IIIs. My shaves were great with the Mach III, though. Never had any qualms about it aside from the price.