Straight razors - why do you do it?

[jcblough]

Last night was my 3rd shave with a straight. I still have not completed a shave with it as I'm not really pushing myself; when I find myself feeling uncomfortable with what is going on, I stop.

My 3 shaves to this point have yielded 3 small vertical scratches in roughly the same area(technique on my weak hand) but nothing too terrible damage wise. So, this morning I did my normal 2 pass DE shave to the expected results: nick free, super close, nice as you could ask for.

So, I couldn't help but think, why am I trying different? A straight is something I have wanted to try since college and I've finally taken the leap, but I wonder what motivates others to want to try it and what keeps you pressing through the learning curve/set backs.

My face feels fine, but I admit, I feel pretty dumb having nicked myself up.

 

[seanusa]

For me, it's the way it use to be done and there is far too little of that left in the world. Skill use to reign over technology and I feel a connection to where I came from when I use a straight.

 

[wolfsvein]

Last night was my 3rd shave with a straight. I still have not completed a shave with it as I'm not really pushing myself; when I find myself feeling uncomfortable with what is going on, I stop.

My 3 shaves to this point have yielded 3 small vertical scratches in roughly the same area(technique on my weak hand) but nothing too terrible damage wise. So, this morning I did my normal 2 pass DE shave to the expected results: nick free, super close, nice as you could ask for.

So, I couldn't help but think, why am I trying different? A straight is something I have wanted to try since college and I've finally taken the leap, but I wonder what motivates others to want to try it and what keeps you pressing through the learning curve/set backs.

My face feels fine, but I admit, I feel pretty dumb having nicked myself up.

Some people may say that they feel like a bad *** after shaving with a SR. But I like it because it is relaxing and zen like.

Another way to look at is when the stuff hits the fan you can still shave no need to have electricity or buying disposable blades.

 

[buca3152]

After shaving with one for 8 months, I wonder why everybody doesn't shave with one. Closest most comfortable shave IMO. Couple month learning curve though, so once your there, your there. I been shaving for 30 years, Ive tried em all, shavette, de electric etc.

 

[BakerAndBadger]

Manly and dangerous, oh and they are cooler than a Mach 3. That's what probably got me into it but now I just love em.

 

[inspiringK]

I just find it to be an enjoyable experience. I have some talk radio going and feel like I can take all the time in the world to do something relaxing. In reality it doesn't take me very long to do, but the time invested with the straight helps me to start my day off on my own terms.

It is also rewarding to know that I restored, rescaled, reset the bevel, sharpened and stropped the 50-130 year old piece of steel that I am now using to groom my face.

Another way to look at is when the **** hits the fan you can still shave no need to have electricity or buying disposable blades.

If you still haven't converted your straights into battery operated vibrating models, you are seriously missing out

 

[Obiwan]

It started because of curiosity of something I always wanted to do. Now it's been over 3 years and I can't picture not straight shaving. For me, the results are better and the process is more enjoyable. That aside, I enjoy the hobby aspect of collecting, restoring and honing.

 

[Tierdaen]

Open blades make me feel like an especially graceful and adroit nonarboreal ape. It also adds machismo to a clean-shaven babyface.

 

[Seraphim]

Straight razors are things of beauty.


They shave nice too

 

[seanusa]

Talk about manly

 

[Haggises]

Because they're there.

 

[jrp316]

I started using a straight razor because the price of cartridge refills was appalling to me and I'm a cheapy cheapy. I figured a straight razor was better value for the money overall. I kept using it because it gave me a much better quality shave and is far more enjoyable than canned goop and a Bic.

 

[Obiwan]

Talk about manly
[/video]

Enter the spoon...

 

[seanusa]

Enter the spoon...

Now that would be a video!

 

[seanusa]

WoW! Really

 

[rajagra]

Give a man a mountain, and he will climb for a day.
Teach him to shave with a straight razor, and he will have a more useful challenge every day for life.

 

[pmaster]

Its a relaxing experience, allows to zone out of everything.

Also, it requires more skill which you acquire over time, and to me each shave it a chance go make it better than the last one. A bit like searching for the best espresso blend/temperature/grind to pull the perfect shot. Or akin to the fun of driving a stick over automatic.

 

[inspiringK]

Give a man a mountain, and he will climb for a day.
Teach him to shave with a straight razor, and he will have a more useful challenge every day for life.

^^^I don't think that is how that goes.

Isn't it "If the man won't come to the mountain, then the straight should come to the...." actually, I think it is "You can drag a man to wetshave, but you can't make him drink the water..." or maybe it was "The shortest distance between two points of grooming is a straight...". Oh, never mind, all I know is that once you go straight, you'll never go Mach.

 

[jpcwon]

I love the skill aspect of straight shaving, but that's only half the fun for me. I also really enjoy making things sharp, so honing a straight razor is just as enjoyable for me as actually shaving with it. Having a chance to use different tools (ie: Rocks) is nice, and I really believe that honing your own razors rounds out the whole experience...

 

[BarbaGnosa]

• Essentialness: Straight razors are shaving its most essential. No whizzbang gadgets, technologies, patents pending -- just a sharp blade. After all the complexity, smoke, mirrors, and snake oil around cartridges, electrics, even double edge razors -- the straight razor is simple, clear, honest, straightforward. Because they're so clear and straightforward, and I not only better understand them, but am more deeply engaged in managing and maintaining both the blase and my shave, they provide more engagement, intimacy, understanding and control: I control the edge, I have more freedom how I wield the blade, I can see the blade and edge more clearly, and have the most detailed control over how and where and what it cuts. Shaving with a straight edge is a great education in shaving and its various elements, tools, techniques, reclaiming of them, growing intimate and fluent with them.
• Freedom: After waking up and realizing I'd fallen into cartridge blade slavery for two decades, feeling as if that were the only real option to get a shave, and putting up with ever rising prices for ever crappier shaves, I finally got mad as hell and wasn't gonna take it anymore. I googled "traditional shaving", took the red pill and plunged through the wet worm-hole into shaving wonderland. Now I know far more about shaving than ever, have far more knowledge, skills, and feel more fully in possession of the means of shave production. I started with double edge razors, which I still enjoy and use, but the straight razor frees me that much more: freedom even from buying blades. Now I can create my own edge, and need never buy another razor blade (though, I still may take pleasure in doing so, my choice). Ok, I still need to buy soap, pre-shave, aftershave. But, more of the elements necessary for me to get a shave are now within my own means. No one can raise a price on me, stop supply, take me for granted and take advantage of me. I'm no longer a gullible, helpless shaving consumer. Not only can I give myself a better shave at a lower total cost per shave than with cartridges, I need less help from anyone else than ever to get it. And, straight razor shaving comes with this fantastic community, helping me get educated, get equipment, help, information and get great shaves right off the bat.
• Zen: Shaving with a straight razor is existential: you take a deadly blade to your face and neck. You could, with a simple flick of the wrist, depart this veil of tears. You could also disfigure yourself, blind yourself, cut off your nose (to spite your face or just by accident), or simply give yourself a very painful, bloody cut. And, even if you simply avoid those, to simply shave well with a straight razor requires knowledge, skill, practice and focus. Although, as with all complex skills, the more knowledge, skill, practice you have, after a point to continue growth then requires deeper focus, from front of the brain concentration to groking, being, zen focus and flow, which is relaxing, refreshing, satisfying.