Don't Waste Your Time Even Thinking About Getting Into Straight Razor Shaving!

[hugosf]

It can become an addictive habit, just like illicit drugs.

I’m afraid of that.

It is the most dangerous way to shave. The population was much less when only SRs were available to shave with. You can guess the reason.

I’m afraid of that too.

In conclusion, I’m afraid to became addicted to SR first and later get an one way ticket to Valhalla. It’s a fact, when the first Viking make by mistake a very thin axe and decided to shave his beard, it’s was the beginning of the Viking era.

 

[Baz4262]

Thread ignored, unwatched, blocked trashed with extreme prejudice.
Perhaps we could move it to the electric shaver section as a public service?

 

[PintoPlain]

Valets may be plentiful in Éire but in many other countries a good valet is extremely hard to find. It seems that even western barber's are no longer taught how to maintain a traditional SR.

Can confirm the Irish situation with valets. I had to come to an arrangement with their union in order to shave myself.

 

[Kaldane]

What are these "straight razors" you speak of? Never heard of 'em.

These are not the razors you're looking for.

 

[rbscebu]

What are these "straight razors" you speak of? Never heard of 'em.

These are not the razors you're looking for.

And I hope that it stays that way for you. You will be a much better man by not hearing of them.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Have you ever noticed that there are some straight razor shavers who claim it is safe even though it obviously isn’t? Of course these are always the shavers who have not died yet, so what would they know? As soon as they do die from it they shut up, but they still never have the good grace to come back here and admit they were wrong. Foolish and arrogant people, quite honestly. Don’t trust a word they say.

 

[Mitzie]

Most men grew a mustache or a beard up until late 18th century and Victorian times until specialized custom steels became available to manufacture SRs for barbers and the general public. To save the hassle of shaving you either had to have money to get a professional SR shave or you just didn't bother.

Interestingly pictures of some famous people like Abraham Lincoln etc... always appear to be well shaven?

 

[rbscebu]

Of course SR shaving is dangerous deadly. Look at the average life expectancy 200 years ago compared to now. All due to the prevalence of SR shaving then. As the prevalence of SR shaving declined, the average life expectancy increased.

 

[Butch Waxx]

Of course SR shaving is dangerous deadly. Look at the average life expectancy 200 years ago compared to now. All due to the prevalence of SR shaving then.

 

[Possum092]

Knife and hatchet shaving does offer some unique challenges. I can sympathize with foregoing a shave without the correct tools.

 

[BigJ]

…The population was much less when only SRs were available to shave with.
…Hopefully you have now seen the light and the cost of vintage SRs will soon return to normal.

You forgot to add ‘toxic masculinity’ to the list!!

 

[Mike M]

Of course SR shaving is dangerous deadly. Look at the average life expectancy 200 years ago compared to now. All due to the prevalence of SR shaving then. As the prevalence of SR shaving declined, the average life expectancy increased.

There were, of course, other factors that affected life expectancy in those days besides the prevalence of SR shaving. The absence of cheap super slick soaps (MWF wasn't invented until the 1930s and Arko not until 1957) led to many a shaving related death. As with now soaps like Trufitt and Hill were only available to royalty.
Another factor would be that Sweeny Todd the demon barber of Fleet Street was far from being an imaginary character, many barbers in those days were in the habit of turning their patrons into meat pies or selling their corpses to body snatchers.

 

[Phoenixkh]

How many lives has the average vintage SR taken in its lifetime?

 

[Mr. Shavington]

How many lives has the average vintage SR taken in its lifetime?

Lots more than you think, I’m sure. I bet they kill lots of casual antique store customers who aren’t even looking at straight razors but happen to walk close to the razor table. I bet each vintage straight has killed more people than have owned it.

 

[PintoPlain]

How many lives has the average vintage SR taken in its lifetime?

I know for a fact that at least one of my razors was owned by a person now deceased. I purchased it from an older Swedish lady who said it was her grandfather's razor. Given the apparent age of the razor (1840s by my reckoning), I presume the original owner was not her grandfather, and is likely no longer about either.

I did not ask if the razor was responsible as the potential answer scared me.

 

[Medivh]

I haven't given up on my straight razors yet and one day when I reach my limit with the DE razors, I will return to them. My main issue with the straight razors is that no matter how sharp they are, they still feel kinda dull to me and while I can most definitely notice the difference between a few razors owned by different people and me, it's still kinda uncomfortable to me to shave with them and for now at least I keep them stored in a nice and dry place and I check them from time to time to see what are they doing .

 

[Mr. Shavington]

I know for a fact that at least one of my razors was owned by a person now deceased. I purchased it from an older Swedish lady who said it was her grandfather's razor. Given the apparent age of the razor (1840s by my reckoning), I presume the original owner was not her grandfather, and is likely no longer about either.

I did not ask if the razor was responsible as the potential answer scared me.

She was lucky she didn’t lose her fingers when she handed it to you.

 

[rbscebu]

I have 10 SRs that were owned by now dead people. Must be some morbid fascination I have developed from SR shaving.

SR shaving can also be detrimental to one's social conscience.

 

[haggis]

I keep them stored in a nice and dry place and I check them from time to time to see what are they doing

Don't let them nest near each other or they reproduce. I'm still battling my way out of an infestation.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

I have 10 SRs that were owned by now dead people. Must be some morbid fascination I have developed from SR shaving.

SR shaving can also be detrimental to one's social conscience.

Of course some of those dead people may not have been killed by the razors. They may instead have been killed by contagious, flesh-eating skin diseases that have now added to your razors’ arsenal of weapons.

Do you feel any itching?