Is a Straight Razor a recipe for disaster

[kohalajohn]

I think you'll find less bleeding, not more.

Well, not at first. But with practice you'll start using a very light touch with a straight. You use much less pressure than with DE. Therefore less carnage.

I'm on blood thinners too. Doesn't matter. Go for it.

If some growths get in the way, have a doctor, or even better, a cosmetic surgeon remove them. I did.

 

[dfs]

I too have some moles on my 66 year old face and have gotten some minor bleeds at these sites with both my DE and feather shavette, maybe a bit more with the shavette in the beginning. I try to be more gentle at these sites and over time it seems the moles have flattened out and become less problematic. Basically Dermatologists use shavettes to remove these little moles.
Granted, the issue a bit more sticky (pun intended) on blood thinners, but hey, that's why they invented blood transfusions

 

[trentr]

I have a mole or 2 that I cut less with a straight than I did with a cartridge razor way back when. I have cut my off hand (the one not holding the razor) more than I have cut my face with my straight razors. pay attention not only to the face but the hand and where it is when moving from spot to spot LOL. Also when wiping blade. Tissue paper is not protective of fingers.

I doubt much of that helps, but there it is anyway.

 

[steveclarkus]

Hi all,

I have been DE shaving for years and want to branch out into straight razors

HOWEVER

With age my skin develops micro sized skin coloured facial warts which are hard to see.

My DE razors either skip over the top or get a bit excited and lop the odd one or two off now and again. I also take blood thinners.

So my rather obvious question if you please gents is , Would a straight razor a recipe for disaster in my particular case, or this their a work around.

These things are truly hard to spot until you nick one. Then you see them right enough.

Many thanks

I nicked myself frequently with a DE but rarely with a straight razor. I get micro bumps on my chin occasionally and while
A shavette lops them off, the straight razor seems to ignore them

 

[Green manalishi]

I am no expert..I have been SR shaving for less than a year...But I have never seriously cut myself..Like many I came from DE shaving...I also sharpened knives for years so maybe that helped with holding the angle and keeping light pressure...I’m not sure..I KNOW people have seriously cut themselves..I just never have had a serious cut with a SR...I think most believe that it’s gonna be a blood bath..That has not been my experience...One MUST respect the blade and the the fact that you are gonna be using your weak hand for half your face..I’m sure I’m not the only one..I also know one day it will happen..But it hasn’t happened yet and I am carefull..So it may not be the bloodbath many think..But YMMV...I would start slow do your research,I have two moles..I haven’t cut them off yet..But I have a hard time telling someone to go for it...This is just my experience....

 

[Herrenberg]

A lot depends on the shape of those warts. I have face and neck moles, and they bled a lot when I started out with a straight. Now, with the appropriate pressure, the edge just glides over them, no problem. But moles are rounded, and warts are more like the top of Devil's Tower, so the experience may be a little different. But if you can think "zero pressure," maybe, just maybe, you'll get over them without carnage.

 

[Rob72]

Pass. It will be far more trouble than its worth. A shavette without a guard of some sort won't be any better, if you remove a growth. It will be a fight, even with a styptic.

Ask your doc, but I suspect you'll hear the same.

I love shaving, but I know I'll have to give up my straights & wildly aggressive DE & SEs one day.

 

[KW Driver]

if you do go forward with straights, I'd recommend a full hollow grind vs. a 1/4 hollow/wedge initially regardless of how heavy and course your beard is. hollows will flex to a degree over the surface of your face, and combined with their relatively lighter weight will give more tactile and auditory feedback as you shave.

I started with mild-ish DEs and got good with them. my first Fatip shave I topped off a mole on my chin that wasn't a problem with milder razors. transitioning to straights I figured things out with hollows to the point of being unconsciously competent with them. my first large wedge shave, I topped off that mole again without even noticing until the air hit nerves and blood started. the wedge never slowed down as it cleaved that mole. different razors require slightly differing techniques. get the basics down them figure out what size and grind you like best.

good luck if you choose to try them out.