I've never used a traditional straight razor, but I have a couple Feather AC-type razors (one folding, one not). I rarely have the time to devote to practicing with them, but I can pull off a passable shave with the non-folding if I have to. I get great shaves from my other razors (DE and SE), so I stick with those. Maybe someday...
Safety razor vs straight razor
- Thread starter Brindle619
- Start date
Thought I'd update this common objection to straights. With "The Method" as espoused by @Slash McCoy, sharpening is easy (lapping film) and maintenance is minimal (diamond pasted balsa). I chose to send my straights out for an initial sharpening, but won't have to ever again with 5 minutes of Zen-inducing stropping (balsa then leather) after the shave.
I usually shave with a DE but use a straight about once a week, just for the fun of it.
Once you learn how to shave with it and how to hone it, the upkeep isn't much. Even if you don't use film (and I don't) it's still easy once you get the technique down and it doesn't have to be expensive (honing) either.
The shave itself takes (me) a little longer and I have to be a little more careful but the honing, which people seem to worry about before getting into straight razor shaving, isn't a big deal at all. Once you get the blade sharp, it isn't hard to keep it that way.
You just have to have the initial interest and motivation to get you through the learning curve.
Once you learn how to shave with it and how to hone it, the upkeep isn't much. Even if you don't use film (and I don't) it's still easy once you get the technique down and it doesn't have to be expensive (honing) either.
The shave itself takes (me) a little longer and I have to be a little more careful but the honing, which people seem to worry about before getting into straight razor shaving, isn't a big deal at all. Once you get the blade sharp, it isn't hard to keep it that way.
You just have to have the initial interest and motivation to get you through the learning curve.
And do you get a really smooth shave with your straight razor. I have a Boker stainless steel straight razor but I also have an old safety razor, I bought some Feather DE blades for my safety razor and it was one of the smoothes shave ever. My boker stainless was professionally honed up till 20k but even with careful stropping it still was not as close as the Feather DE blades, also my skin was not irritated at all by the Feather DE blades. And did it take alot of practice to hone a straight razor to a fully shave ready sharpness?
Dirty Harry said something bout a man knowing his limitations. If I tried a straight, I would soon be called Scarface.
Those open comb DE razors work fine, thanks.
However, I am in awe of you who can manage a straight.
Those open comb DE razors work fine, thanks.
However, I am in awe of you who can manage a straight.
I have never used a straight myself but I have enjoyed a straight razor shave at a barbers. Magnificent shave, but to be honest I do not think I could use one on myself. I have some straights coming at some stage. They will not be shave ready as they have been in my fathers shed for many, many years. As Mac mentioned "a man's got to know his limitations".
Yes, I get a smooth shave with my straight razor. I have to spend a little more time around the chin to do that. There's a reason that I don't shave every day with a straight. It takes a little more time (for me).
It takes some time to learn to hone a razor but it's not hard. It's kind of like riding a bike. It's hard until it isn't. Once you learn what it takes to get a blade sharp then it's easy to repeat that process.
By the way, a straight isn't hard to manage. For those who think that way, you just haven't tried it and therefore you have that misconception.
Switched to straights exclusively from DE at the beginning of this year. For me I would say the following.
Straights give a closer and more comfortable shave with less irritation or razor burn. You'll get the odd cut or weeper, but again for me no worse than DE and generally quicker to heal up. It does take a little longer, but not massively so, maybe an extra 5 minutes vs DE.
As for maintenance, I learned to hone at the same time as I started shaving with a straight. There is definitely an upfront time investment, but if you have the aptitude it's not some mysterious dark art that you can't learn. Once learnt the maintenance time can be as much or little as you like really. I find myself getting the honing itch and having to find excuses to touch up or rework a blade. Otherwise I'd go for months without the need for anything more than stropping which takes all of a minute or so per day.
Nothing at all against DE's, but if you're interested in straights I would say don't be too intimidated by the apparent danger or maintenance factors, they are over-hyped.
Straights give a closer and more comfortable shave with less irritation or razor burn. You'll get the odd cut or weeper, but again for me no worse than DE and generally quicker to heal up. It does take a little longer, but not massively so, maybe an extra 5 minutes vs DE.
As for maintenance, I learned to hone at the same time as I started shaving with a straight. There is definitely an upfront time investment, but if you have the aptitude it's not some mysterious dark art that you can't learn. Once learnt the maintenance time can be as much or little as you like really. I find myself getting the honing itch and having to find excuses to touch up or rework a blade. Otherwise I'd go for months without the need for anything more than stropping which takes all of a minute or so per day.
Nothing at all against DE's, but if you're interested in straights I would say don't be too intimidated by the apparent danger or maintenance factors, they are over-hyped.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I can get a great shave, not leaving me wanting in any way, with a double edge razor. I can't better that shave with a straight in terms of comfort and closeness, but I can get more pride achieving a great shave with a straight.
The deciding factor for me, is the peripheral care and maintenance. Some people enjoy this as much as the shave itself, or maybe even more. I don't, and I consider that side of it a chore. So for me, DE gives me the regular carefree shave, and the straight is picked up occasionally for the novelty shave, giving me chance to enjoy the pride of success from the shave, while minimising the maintenance chores.
This gives me the perfect balance of interest, enjoyment, and pride with minimal hassle and without things getting in any way tedious. I also have hollow ground SEs, and take a similar stance with those.
The deciding factor for me, is the peripheral care and maintenance. Some people enjoy this as much as the shave itself, or maybe even more. I don't, and I consider that side of it a chore. So for me, DE gives me the regular carefree shave, and the straight is picked up occasionally for the novelty shave, giving me chance to enjoy the pride of success from the shave, while minimising the maintenance chores.
This gives me the perfect balance of interest, enjoyment, and pride with minimal hassle and without things getting in any way tedious. I also have hollow ground SEs, and take a similar stance with those.
I will say that it takes a while for the muscle memory to develop using a SR. At first my middle face was the most challenging navigating the curves and thicker beard.
A lesson learned was to start out making three with the grain passes and clean up with a safety razor. The longer you do this the less you will need to clean up with the other razor
Do not attempt to get a close shave on the first pass, let the subsequent passes work to reduce the growth.
A SR likes well hydrated lather and lots of it. Wade and Butcher of Sheffield had a slogan: "you make good lather and I will give a good shave"
Honing is actually very simple and the "method" for setting a burr is easy to do. Stopping just involves developing the muscle memory of learning to turn the blade by the shaft. I had a blister at first. There are plenty of videos. Just go slow.
I've only bought used razors. Initially I got two that were honed for me. All that was needed was to strop. Now I just get $10-30 I find at auction, hone them, strop, and shave. It's pretty cool and satisfying.
A lesson learned was to start out making three with the grain passes and clean up with a safety razor. The longer you do this the less you will need to clean up with the other razor
Do not attempt to get a close shave on the first pass, let the subsequent passes work to reduce the growth.
A SR likes well hydrated lather and lots of it. Wade and Butcher of Sheffield had a slogan: "you make good lather and I will give a good shave"
Honing is actually very simple and the "method" for setting a burr is easy to do. Stopping just involves developing the muscle memory of learning to turn the blade by the shaft. I had a blister at first. There are plenty of videos. Just go slow.
I've only bought used razors. Initially I got two that were honed for me. All that was needed was to strop. Now I just get $10-30 I find at auction, hone them, strop, and shave. It's pretty cool and satisfying.
I haven't tried honing yet but I've found stropping very easy so far. I'm not the most practical of fellows so I expected to cut my strop, ruin the edge on my razors and run into all manner of difficulties but it's quite a natural, soothing action. I'd like to dedicate more time to perfecting my straight razor technique but I'm not in a hurry and I enjoy DEs and SEs too. I have to admit the cool factor is a big plus for me as far as SR shaving goes, along with the history. For example, whenever I use it, for the rest of the day I enjoy knowing that I shaved with this 200-year-old razor and managed to achieve acceptable results:
I consider straight shaving as something more than a part of our daily hygienic cares. It's a moment of relaxation, zen attitude. Of course you need concentration, but no stress. Free your mind, listen your body, enjoy the warm lather, smell the soap perfume, forget the time.
So do not hurry, if you need a good shaved face for an important meeting tomorrow morning, shave this evening with a straight, relax. The result will be better than a quick last minute shave tomorrow with your DE
So do not hurry, if you need a good shaved face for an important meeting tomorrow morning, shave this evening with a straight, relax. The result will be better than a quick last minute shave tomorrow with your DE
Similar threads
- Rice and side dish
- Double Edged Razors
