Fear of the Straight Razor?

[The Knize]

I do not really even know how to frame this question, but I thought it might be fun. I have noticed that some guys seem to have a real visceral fear of straight razors. The whole idea of being even close to a straight razor, much less using one to shave, seems to freak them out a bit. others do not seem intimidated by a straight at all, or really to have any gut level "fear" of one or even reaction to one.

I was wondering if folks that shave with a straight had any recollection of how they feel seeing and holding, say, their first straight razor, and whether anyone that was really bothered by them at first came to love them, ro whether folks that feel that way just never get into shaving with one.

I will give examples. My younger brother is so uncomfortable about straight razors, he was not even conforable talking about them on the phone long distance when I first told him I was getting into them, and when I stayed at his house recently, he did not want to be anywhere close. (This is a guy that has no qualms using a chain saw or an axe or something like that. It is not that he is afraid of sharp things that we should all have deep respect for!)

My older son never seemed to have any qualms about picking up a straight and shaving with it. Has never seemed to have any feeling that it was something dangerous or apprehension creating. Shaved like a pro right out of the blocks, too. Wants to be a surgeon. I would say he has a knack. He sure has a sure and steady hand.

But my younger son, seemed to kind of like the idea of watching me shave, etc., but did not want to touch anything or shave himself.

My wife is sort of scared of straight razors, too. She thinks one I just got is very pretty, and it is, but she cannot quite get over the fear.

As for myself, I am really afraid I am misremebering, but I remember being slightly nervous in the abstract about straight razors--I sure did not have the benefit of this forum for instance, and it seemed like a bizarre idea--but once I was in the actual presence of a real straight razor I do not remember having any fear at all--and I sure as heck do not have ny older son's eye hand coordination. It was not as if my very first shaves were painless. Now, of course, I look a gleaning 7/8 freshly honed razor and do not think afraid, I think that is going to feel good! (Of course every junkie I have ever met has claimed they were terrrified of needles at one time, too.)

Thoughts? Does anyone that initially has a visceral bad reaction ever get used to it and love it, or does that feeling always linger?

 

[mdunn]

I think the kind of people that decide to go out and use one are the people who liked them from the outset. I think if you see a good looking straight in a SOTD in your first month or so here and say 'Wow!' then six months later you'll be in the market for a straight yourself.

 

[AFDavis11]

I've had no fear of them. I have a friend at work I talked to about 5 years ago that broke out in hives when I mentioned it.

I think fear is very personal and has something to do with life experiences. I can't stand anywhere near an overhang or cliff. I think this is similar. I should know that I won't leap over the edge, just like I should know I won't intentially cut myself with a straight, but with the cliff edge I trust myself much less.

 

[leighton]

Wasn't afraid of killing myself or anything major. I was just afraid of not being able to do it right. Perhaps there was a slight apprehension about getting cut. I just dove right in. Of course, I was young and dumb back then so...

 

[withoutink]

I find it more like a rush... Its exciting, I too dove right in albeit with semi crappy form. But I still really havent cut myself =)

Once I adjusted the degree of the blade everything has been much better. Now as soon as I pop the straight into my weaker hand everything changes. No where near as sure of myself when holding it in my left hand.

 

[pmast]

I had no real fear for my face, I won't be starring in any films or modeling any time soon, but I am a bit paranoid about dinging the razor, which I have done once (with a plastic ID badge hanging off my shirt of all things). I am also obsessive about cleaning and drying them.

 

[Ichinichi]

I've always liked how they looked. But after I got my first straight, I had it on the bathroom counter for two months before buying soap and getting a brush. Fear evolved into a calm focus. I've found only three activities that consume my mind completely; the first I won't mention, the second is weightlifting and the third is straight razor shaving.

 

[Ichinichi]

I find it more like a rush... Its exciting, I too dove right in albeit with semi crappy form. But I still really havent cut myself =)

Once I adjusted the degree of the blade everything has been much better. Now as soon as I pop the straight into my weaker hand everything changes. No where near as sure of myself when holding it in my left hand.

oh man. i'm right with you on the left hand. sorta like starting over again.

 

[Fnord5]

I have been playing with knives since I was old enough to hold on to one.
I have always held a deep fascination with all things sharp and shiny, and using a straight razor is the logical conclusion.
I have even made a Kunai out of a hunk of lawnmower blade and a bench grinder.
No fear of anything sharp, including broken glass.
I know that nothing is going to cut me, unless I make it(Or i get thrown through a window) So even picking up glass from a broken bottle, I have no qualms.

Yes, I have lost blood to my obsession, both straights, and knives.

I also have been burned by fire, and have been bit by electricity on more than one occasion. And yes, I still play with fire, and the occasional transformer(not the robot in disguise kind).

 

[Luc]

I've been told that I was nuts for using that kind of gear to shave. So old school, unsafe versus an electric razor or even a Mach3, etc. However, it shaves better. I myself wasn't affraid of it. I nicked myself badly a couple of time but always came back for more!

Latetly, straight shaves are great! I'm thinking of getting a 7/8 for Christmas

 

[Hawkeye5]

Like most guys raised in farm country, I've been around sharp objects all my life. In grade school we would play games with our pocket knives (shows you how old I am).
I have appreciation for a well honed blade and have honed many a knife myself, always with satisfaction and knowledge that is was sharper than most. This appreciation comes to the ultimate embodiment in a straight razor.
I will say that my hand trembled when starting my first shave. But to fear the razor, no. Respect is more like it, just as you respect a motorcycle, respect for the straight razor is wise.

 

[professorchaos]

Very nervous! I worked in kitchens for eight years; even when you are good with a knife, spend enough time with one and you will cut yourself. Some are not bad, some are really bad but all cuts give you a healthy respect for sharp things.

Funny thing is, not only do I find straights more forgiving than they should be, I also cut myself more with a Mach 3 and DEs than I have with straights.

 

[NoFair]

I was a bit nervous going ATG on my neck the first time a few years ago.

Tried shaving with an old straight as a teenager, but it wasn't anywhere close to shave ready so it took me a while to try again. Same razor, but I honed and stropped it first.

Been around knives since I was 4 and have a few scars to show for the occasional stupidity

 

[holiday]

I was never afraid of the razor, but the I remember shaking slightly as I brought the razor up to my face during the first shave. Then after a few strokes I was fine and realized I wasn't going to cut my lips of or anything.
The first straight I bought was a spike point then before it arrived I thought maybe best to start with a round point as I was a bit worried about cutting myself badly with the point. After 12 shaves with the round point I went for it with the spike point, it was awesome, don't know what I was worried about

 

[Bayamontate]

I've never had a fear of it because its all I know. My grandfathers, father and some uncles were and are straight razor users. The first DE type razor I saw was at age 5 when my grandfather was being shaved at the hospital a few days before he passed on.

 

[Not The Original Kermit]

No fear at all here, when I first got my first straight I was in complete awe of the subtle beauty of the blade. I've never seriously cut myself either, I took to straights quicker than I did with DE's and got better shaves.

My wife however, can't watch me shave and refuses to be near the thing.

 

[The Knize]

Thank you all, My True Brothers, as it turns out. I was afraid it might turn out like that. Afraid because I was hoping there would be hope that my younger son would get to like the idea of shaving with a straight, but I am guessing that he won't given that I do not see anyone writing in saying they were repelled at first but got used to it.

Those of use that like straights never to have had that intense, don't want to be near it, can't watch you even fear, or something akin to it like Not the Original Kermit's wife. (Its a continuum. I am not saying my younger son cannot watch me shave. He had something of an interest in that. But my brother, who like I said, seems manly to me and has fooled around with all sorts of sharp things one has to be careful around without any visceral fear, I do not think would like to see me shave at all. My wife is somewhere in between.)

It may even be a cultural thing. There was probably a time when seeing a straight razor most often made people think of a kind and loving grandfather. I think in modern culture straight razors are associated as much with horror films and mass murders as they are with personal grooming. (I notice no one has ever commented on my avatar. I think it is a pretty good straight razor shaving photo. The best one I could find. And I suppose arguably the guy looks a little like me. But I was afraid to use it because it is from a movie where I am sure this guy simply shaving with a straight was intended to foreshadow some violent business to come. I think the director was actually playing on the anxiety some of the audience would feel at just seeing a straight razor and/or a guy simply shaving with one, to build tension! It actually rather annoyed me that this would be used as a device to scare people! But I liked the still photo I got out of it.

(Want to conjure up some visceral fear of razors? Imagine getting into a fight with some guy where you are both armed only with razors! A pretty disturbing visual to me. More disturbing for some reason than the same scene would be with knives, but that is probably way more than you want to know about my psyche!)

It is not a matter of respecting the razor because we know knives and have hurt ourselves often enough to know to be careful. Or a matter of being uneasy when first shaving with a straight. Anyone would be foolish to press 5 inches of literally razor sharp steel against his face without showing it due deference! Professor C is right that anyone that works with knives cuts himself from time to time. Everything carpenter hits his thumb, too! Just because I respect my hammer or my razor does not mean I am the kind of afraid I am talking about here!

<The first straight I bought was a spike point then before it arrived I thought maybe best to start with a round point as I was a bit worried about cutting myself badly with the point. >

I would say being afraid of cutting oneself badly with a spike point when just starting out is prudence, not fear. Someone that spike point is easy to lose track of!

I have cut or nicked myself from time to time. I do not think anything too badly. But even if I had I do not think I would ever worry about it. Like a skinned knee to a skateboarder.

Actually the weird thing is where I have drawn the most blood--still nothing serious--is I have managed to bump or nick my ear a couple of times and it it bleed and bleed. Not a lot, but it did not seem to want to stop either. And this is with a round point. Seems like an odd place to cut except that when shaving I am very aware of my face where I am trying to shave and I guess lost rack of the fact that there was something nearby that protuded more than the surface I was shaving. I think I would be more prone to do that with a spike than a round point. My latest razor has essentially a spike point, which I assume has been intentionally dulled. Another topic, I guess, but I think I would advise strongly against a spike point for utter beginners. But here maybe I am being unduly concerned. I do think most folks respect their razors from day one!

Thanks again. If anyone out there had a very strong aversion reaction to straights, but got over it, I would to hear about that! I will not completely give up on my son or my brother. I have too much fun with straights not to want them to join in.

 

[BrightFutur]

I think if you see a good looking straight in a SOTD in your first month or so here and say 'Wow!' then six months later you'll be in the market for a straight yourself.

So true.

 

[laconic1]

I never had any sort of fear about shaving with a straight. I think mainly this is because I have seen enough pictures of men from the late 1800's that were always clean shaven. I figured all those guys managed to not kill themselves and didn't look like they were hacked to bits, so it must be possible to do it.

 

[Ohio]

I've always liked how they looked. But after I got my first straight, I had it on the bathroom counter for two months before buying soap and getting a brush.

I was DE shaving before the straight, but I waited months after getting my first before I actually used it.
But now it's all good.