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What inspired you to shave with a straight razor?

I’ve always been fascinated with things that are sharp. When I was a boy my dad would take me down to the barbershop to get my haircut it was one of those places that had the big leather chairs with the chrome rivets and all the neighborhood guys would hang out on a weekend telling stories about Work getting a haircut and it had this big soda machine that you could get a YooHoo for just five cents it was one of the old style ones that you just put a nickel in a little slot and open the top up like a cooler basically the honor system.

anyway I remember my dad would get in the chair and the barber will put a hot towel on his face and lather up the shaving cream and get the straight razor out.

this was in the early to mid-1970s and obviously all of that has gone away and places like that are far fewer between especially where I live. It’s a mix of nostalgia, maintaining a masculine hygiene routine and a bit of functionality and ultimately it’s a better shave. The fact that it fills my hobby of knives and tools is a plus.

I sure do miss my dad too.
 

Raymondmillbrae

Totally bogus
I was always interested in the history of it.

So nostalgic, so basic.

A man with sharpened steel. Can’t get more basic than that.

Got into DE shaving during this whole COVID19 junk. Purchased a Carbon Shaving CX-316L razor.

Then I won a Tony Miller strop.

I remember telling myself, “If you win the strop, you gotta take the plunge and get a straight razor”.

Pshhhhhhh!

I won the strop...so I purchased a WH Morley straight razor.

Of course one thing led to another, and I purchased a 5k Shapton Stone, and an 8k and 12k Naniwa Super Stone.

It was all pretty easy for me, since Ive always loved working with my hands. (Wood work, metal work, knife making, carving leather, stained glass, etc...).

So now I’m going on my 20th SR shave with no issues. (Still shaving my noggin with a DE razor though).

Looking at A custom Koraat at the moment. Just waiting on the gentleman to give me a reply.

Straight razor shaving is going back to the basics...which I totally dig.
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
Some of the chefs I worked with almost 30 years ago were really into knives and straight razors. I was curious and bought one. I kept at it for a while but never to the point of being confident or comfortable. I’m more interested in SR shaving now since DE shaving. Problem is I have a slight tremor in my hand now, so DE shaving may be the answer.
 
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