I wish I had a DE still. I started with straights and that's the only thing I shave with. A year or so ago I had a gamechanger DE that I enjoyed every now and then and when I was in a rush. Fiance stole the DE from me though and is out of state for training for now. Might pick up another DE, probably another gamechanger but not sure yet.
Going all in on SR
- Thread starter Tomo
- Start date
I love this forum was just thinking about starting same type thread,, been sr shaving exclusively 7 months, got some amazing de, now collecting dust,,,
Thinking bst, fund for another razor, 2 karves,, one polish limited and CG and others,,,
Occasionally use a de for trouble spot if missed by sr but now exclusively sr shaver
[emoji851]
Thinking bst, fund for another razor, 2 karves,, one polish limited and CG and others,,,
Occasionally use a de for trouble spot if missed by sr but now exclusively sr shaver
[emoji851]
I have been shaving with straights for awhile now. But I also have a handful of DE razors that I keep stashed away. Just in case my hands get too shaky for a straight when I get older. They take up little space so no big deal.
I still have all the DEs I started with, all three of them. The EJ89 and Parker 26c get loaned out to those that shows signs of interest in this hobby. The Old Type is reserved for my use on those rare days I'm short on time. Maybe once or twice a year.
I also keep a small stable of GEM SEs (MMOC, BT, Damaskeen, Featherweight, Pushbutton, and some lather catchers) strictly to participate in Micromatic Monday. All see use.
I also keep a small stable of GEM SEs (MMOC, BT, Damaskeen, Featherweight, Pushbutton, and some lather catchers) strictly to participate in Micromatic Monday. All see use.
I kept a vintage merkur slant, a 40s superspeed for travel kit, and an oren. Once in a while i like to mix it up and see what all the fuss is about DEs
- Thread starter
- #26
Arnie, your collection is incredible. The entire history and development of wet shaving is well documented and beautifully displayed. I would be surprised if a finer collection exists in all the world. You’re getting to the point where you could charge admission just to look at it. I hope the cub realizes how lucky he is to have access to this amazing collection. I suspect he will soon get the urge to branch out from the DE corner.
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I've started on the SR journey a couple of months ago, but usually DE shave once a week out with either a Wolfman WR2 or Rocnel Sailor which are my only 2 modern DE keepers. I have a handful of user-grade vintages that I use and enjoy as well, but they haven't seen any use in a while.
I've only fallen back to DE shaves when either tired or rushed to both shave and strop, and because I get very satisfying shaves out of those razors with the blades I have, so I don't feel they are inferior to SR, just different.
Another perspective:
As an hobby athlete I prefer and enjoy to run long distance, even though a bike is superior in every possible way. I have a shed full of Campagnolo and Shimano road and MTB bike parts which I haven't used since 2014, but I wont sell, because eventually I'll be back on the bike due to eventual injury from running. I've also kept my free weights from 20 years ago, which I've started using again in lock-down.
Anything that still has a good practical purpose I've invested research into buying, I'll try to keep, because often it will be needed if and when circumstances change. I used to throw/give away spare tools but never again. Just keep 1 DE razor
I've only fallen back to DE shaves when either tired or rushed to both shave and strop, and because I get very satisfying shaves out of those razors with the blades I have, so I don't feel they are inferior to SR, just different.
Another perspective:
As an hobby athlete I prefer and enjoy to run long distance, even though a bike is superior in every possible way. I have a shed full of Campagnolo and Shimano road and MTB bike parts which I haven't used since 2014, but I wont sell, because eventually I'll be back on the bike due to eventual injury from running. I've also kept my free weights from 20 years ago, which I've started using again in lock-down.
Anything that still has a good practical purpose I've invested research into buying, I'll try to keep, because often it will be needed if and when circumstances change. I used to throw/give away spare tools but never again. Just keep 1 DE razor
Thank you for your kind words, but when it comes to razors collections I'm just a very small fish in an ocean where there are very large sharks. Most of them rarely show themselves even if I over the years have got to know a couple of them and I am proud to call one of them my friend. Mostly you never see them. They don't buy their razors on auctions but from well connected sellers who know their customer by name. Even so occasionally an auction of a really fine razor can make them come out and bid. I've bid a couple of hundred dollars on really rare Swedish straight razors in mint condition just to see the bids raise to levels tenfold of my maximum bid in the last minute. There are however a few of them that let us take part of their collections, like Mr Razor does on his website, that truly is worth a visit, see the link below
mr-razor
www.mr-razor.com
We also have the owner of the worlds undoubtedly finest straight razor collection among us, even if he sadly hasn't been active lately. I miss him.
Me I've only got a fairly good coverage of the Swedish straight razor history.
The most daring thing I have done in my life is to go for the most beautiful, intelligent and wise woman I ever have met. Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead, really I had nothing to loose. It turned out that she had one flaw, bad judgement, so she married me. Unfortunately she stayed pretty at the cost of dying fairly young due to the big C. Our son is however the spitting image of his mother in every way. Like she did he views my straight razor affliction with mild amusement, but I am pretty certain that he is far too rational to go down that road. DE shaving is the way to go if you look at it rationally, and as always, I will support him the best I can.
Like most of us I started with DE razors
I only have one left.That’s my 56 red tip super speed.All given the rest away.
I quit using them.Everyonce in awhile I will use the red tip.But it’s a rare occurrence.
I only have one left.That’s my 56 red tip super speed.All given the rest away.
I quit using them.Everyonce in awhile I will use the red tip.But it’s a rare occurrence.
@Tomo - IMHO you should keep at least a few of your DE and SE razors, as you never know what the future may bring. When I hit my early 60s, I developed arthritis in my hands and it became much harder for me to do repetitive motions, as stropping and honing require. So, I've gone back to SE shaving almost all of the time and using replaceable blade straights when I want a SR shave. My shaves are still wonderfully enjoyable, maybe more so, as my appreciation for each day has grown. I'm glad I kept my razors because the prices now are so much higher than when I bought many of the vintage razors I have now to enjoy.
A few examples- ER Streamline, Cobra Classic, Schick Golden 500, Fatboys, and Slims. Being retired, I probably wouldn't spend the current replacement costs for these.
A few examples- ER Streamline, Cobra Classic, Schick Golden 500, Fatboys, and Slims. Being retired, I probably wouldn't spend the current replacement costs for these.
I would be in agreement with the majority here. Keep a few DEs and blades. I have a few DEs, about 7 if my memory is correct. I would only use one perhaps 3 times a year, just to keep my hand in in case I eventually get to the point I can't use straights. Also, sometimes just for a change.
I don't take my straights on the road.
When I'm not home, I use a DE.
When I'm not home, I use a DE.
I have now been using a straight for almost a year, and have no plans to sell my Game Changer and plates. Bottom line is it takes me more time to shave with a straight than a DE, and there may be times when work/life gets busier and quicker shaves with the DE come in handy. And, for air travel with a carry-on, I can sometimes mail blades to my destination or carry my Mach3.
I went down this same road years ago. I sold or traded my DEs and was happy. Life changed and I am now picking up my DEs more often. In hind sight I should have kept my favorite DEs. Especially the ones that were difficult to purchase. A Wolfman comes to mind. While I can certainly purchase one now, the price back then was way cheaper. I won't buy one now at the current retail price.
I did exa
I did exactly that.
Leep
Keep shaving with your straights and you will eventually be able to shave just as quickly as you now do with a DE. It will just happen.
If I get too old and shakey to use a straight, I’ll go back to carts but I’m only 72 and expect many more years of straight razor shaving.
It’s good to have options!
Took me a while to shave quickly with a DE. That said, my straight shaves seem to have sped up in the last two weeks, not counting the prep and clean-up.
The more you shave, the easier it gets and eventually you really don’t even think about what you are doing and you are just shaving. Fortunately, the enjoyment doesn’t fade.
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