Why choose a straight razor over a DE?

[mountaindon]

I have been an electric guy, for a long long time. I have occaisionally used a Fusion when I wanted a better shave, but have always had issues with irritation if i used the blade very often.

I decided to dump the electric three weeks ago and started try to Learn how to shave. I discovered pre-shave oil, Hot towels and good soap & brush. I was able to shave everyday with acceptable irritation.

I got my DE on Monday and have now made the irrevocable move to blades
(parker 99r Shark blades and many other blades to try )

My shaves are getting better, my irritation is getting less and I never had to deal with nicks with the blades at all

My question is why do people move on to straight razors. I can see the attraction of the idea, but is there a reason in quality of shave or increased comfort to think about continuing journey on to straight razors?

Obviously I am a newbie, but I am loving my new ritual and both Me and my wife are enjoying the results

Inquiring mind wants to know

Don

 

[gull]

I asked the same question. When I first got my straight I shaved a 1 inch patch of my thigh with my straight, then shaved a 1 inch patch with my DE.

They both were BBS but my skin looked and felt better in the straight patch.

I'm still a newbie so my facial shaves aren't really up to snuff. I'm hoping that eventually I will start getting the best shaves of my life.

 

[professorchaos]

More fun, more rewarding, shaves that are closer, more comfortable and last longer. Yes, it is true. As good as a DE shave can be, a straight shave is superior.

 

[instpasr]

Straights shave much closer in my opinion plus its the challenge of using a naked blade.

 

[Alacrity59]

For me a personal pride in a developing skill.

 

[superbleu]

I've been messing around with a few injectors (mainly cause I wanted to see what the fuss about the Personna 74 blades were), along with some SE razors the past couple weeks. I finally got bored and went back to straights which I have had been using pretty exclusively for the past 10 months or so.

After using the other razors then going back to the straight I noticed two things.
Number 1, the shave from a straight is closer, more comfortable, and leaves my face feeling less raw.
Number 2, the straight shave for me is faster than using a safety razor, injector, or SE. I find that I have to do more passes with the safety razors than I do with a straight, plus the cutting path is much wider with the straight so it takes less passes.

Also shaving with a straight takes focus more so than any other type of razor so I find myself less prone to nicking myself.
You never have to worry about your favorite blade being discontinued.
I find honing and stropping to be relaxing for the most part.
The few negatives things about straights are that the AD's are much more expensive with straights, With all the various makes/models/grinds/scale material...SRAD can never be fulfilled.
Hones and strops are not much better and these make the prices of most safety razors look like child's play.

I wouldn't give up straights for the life of me. I'm in for the long haul.

 

[Walker]

Nobody uses straight anymore, so just to be different is a big part of why i do it. The manliness of it, i guess. When i used to shave with a Tracer i never knew how my facial hair grew, i would shave down and up, dry myself off and go on with my day. It was a bother to me more than anything. Then i bought a Merkur 33C DE and found this site. I've been broke ever since. Now it's a joy to shave, looking forward to it and asking myself "Hmmm, i think i'll use my Dovo Spike Point with Gentlemens Best shave soap and top it off with some Alt Innsbruck." "Shall I strop on Horsehide or Latigo this time?" "Last time i had some irritaion on my left cheek so i think i will lay off the XTG pass this time and just do an WTG and ATG pass." Amazing what difference a year can make. Just remember with straights it's all about stretching your skin as you shave and use very light pressure. I'm still working on perfecting my shaves, but thats half the fun..... aside from ordering a bunch of stuff, of course.

 

[Cliff Porter]

As another complete noob to DE razor, are there any folks who have tried the straight and ended up back with a DE or moving from a straight to a DE?

 

[StillShaving]

Sounds like you are off to a good start. I would recommend you stay with DE for a number of months, trying out a few styles of DE, creams, soaps, etc, until you have it perfected before thinking about straights. As the learning curve is higher with straights and assuming you are interested, more likely to stick with it.

But to try and answer you question, if you can call DE shaving fun, then straight shaving is even more so. The nostalgia and simplicity are also attractions.

 

[Walker]

There sure have. You will see guys selling there straight gear on B/S/T saying they tried it and didn't like it. The first time i tried it, i had the video of Joel shaving On my computer and would keep walking back and forth to my computer to keep checking how he stretched the skin, how he held the razor, etc. It take some getting used to thats for sure.

 

[Luc]

Preference and the cool factor goes up!

(Note: DE/SE are still cool!).

 

[richmondesi]

It's the most artisan way imaginable to shave, and the results last longer. Irrespective of how illogical it seems, it really is the case.

 

[mountaindon]

I was actually getting kind of scared as i waited for my DE to show up, Even though that was the first shaving i ever did a loooong time ago. But it has really been a gratifying experience. For once in my life i did not try to to do too much at once. I learned better technique with the 5 bladed monster, good soap and pre-shave oil then when the DE got here I have taken it very slow, not trying for BBS on the first shave - i made some mistakes by pressing too hard but they were relatively minor, I have tried some products that affected me badly and some that worked really well.

My third shave ( yesterday ) was very good with no irritation, today with a very light touch, it was even better. The thing is I am trying to be lighter and more care full and am learning along the way what works. I appreciate the advise to wait a while before trying a straight razor, I think i reall want to perfect the DE first and learn some more about products that work well on my face, before moving on to a straight. The thought Scares me........ the consequences are much greater, but I think it will be okay if i keep taking this slow.

Right now it has been 14 hours since my shave this morning and while i am not BBS anymore, it still feels good to both of us and i have NO irritation.

I AM AMAZED! i never thought it could be this good

Thank you for the continued comments
Don

 

[LarryAndro]

... My question is why do people move on to straight razors. I can see the attraction of the idea, but is there a reason in quality of shave or increased comfort...

I think both DE and straights are nice. I prefer straights though. If you are going to make me argue for the use of straights, I think sharp, manufactured blades slice off a little skin along with the whiskers. Straights, I believe, push the skin down and then cuts the whiskers, after which the skin springs back up.

Admittedly, the above is my theory. It makes sense to me, and explains why straight razor shaves are so close, but I never get bleeders.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I'm a control freak. I shave with an edge that I've refined to something whisper sharp. Not some stamped steel chunk with a thin edge and some nonstick coating on it.

 

[homelessflea]

im under 20 and growing, it seems i haven;t even reached my mid and i feel time growing by. my childhood is done, but there must be good things while growing up. for ex. straight shaving for me is my personal time, by honing , stropping and shaving, some of it is fun and takes time, but it feels right

 

[RayH]

For me a personal pride in a developing skill.

This is a big one in my book. I only use a straight when I'm in the mood, so my technique isn't that great. I've got plenty of blades for my DE shaving so there is no real reason to use a straight except for the challenge. But as I just said, I have to be in the mood.

 

[buyandhold2018]

Longer-lasting shave with less irritation.

Downside is you can potentially cut your nose off.

 

[Shangas]

I chose a straight-razor for various reasons...

#1 was CURIOSITY.

Straight-razors hold a special place in society. I wanted to know more about them. So I did a lot of reading. After a long time (about a year), I started getting interested in shaving with them. I could see a lot of appealing reasons to shaving with a straight, such as...

#2 MONEY.

Although expensive at the outset, straight-shaving can save you a lot of money. And that appeals to everyone. Especially to 20-something university students like me.

#3 SKILL.

Straights require real skill to use. The skill in the honing, the stropping and using a lethally sharp blade to shave. And I think I have mastered that skill. Not to boast or anything, but I have been able to get amazing shaves with a straight. I was sold.

#4 RELAXING.

Shaving with a straight is a ritual. It's not 'slap on the fire-foam, scrape it off and **** off out of the bathroom...', it's taking the time to relax and wash yourself and lather up and do everything nice and slow and patient and relaxing.

#5 LONGEVITY.

Longevity has massive appeals to me. I like stuff that lasts a long time. Straight-razors last a long time. I like to feel like I'm not throwing my money away by shaving this way. Instead, I'm saving money and making a wise investment. It's gonna be here for fifty years, and it's gonna be here for my son (should I have one) in a hundred years or whatever.

#6. HISTORY.

Straights have been around for over two hundred years or thereabouts. Great people shaved with straights. Everyone from kings to writers, politicians and famous actors. And straights themselves are part of history. It's fun to shave in a way which thousands of men have done for hundreds of years.

Well I'll stop there. There's other reasons, but I won't prattle on.

 

[Chimensch]

All of the above reasons, plus:

The edge is what you make it. Once you've found the razor, hone and strop that works for you, you're set for life and don't ever have to buy anything else, unless you want to make a hobby out of it. You can achieve perfection with a straight, which I define as a 12-hour BBS (any longer and there wouldn't be anything to shave the next day and I don't want to miss out on the fun).

It's a difficult skill that I'm proud to have mastered. It's very friendly to the environment. It reconnects me with history. It's manly and the badass factor is very high.