Why Do You Use a Straight Razor?

[Wabash Shootist]

Hello,

I belong to a lot of gun boards. If you google "Josh Smith" and "guns", you'll likely pull me up.

There have been several people on these boards who ask me why I went with a straight razor. After all, it's outdated technology, isn't it?

Well, my answer to them is simple. You see, us gun folks are usually the very self-reliant, self-sufficient types who camp and some of us, me included, study survival skills. One of my favorite past times is to spend the night in the woods with a 2 quart collapsible canteen. No having to purify the water, but learning what's good to eat and going hungry if I do not know, is a good thing in my view. I've come to the point where I'm nearly as comfortable in the woods as most folks are in their living rooms.

Now, if we are approaching another depression or whatnot, or if supplies should be interrupted for any reason, I don't want a beard. And with a safety razor, I'd be forced to grow one - a very curly beard that itches like crazy (I'm quite a bit Irish).

I actually got to thinking about this after reading Alas, Babylon and it made sense.

In college, I forgot my razor at home - 220 miles away. So I got out my hunting knife (I lived off campus), honed it the best I could, and used it until I got some money to buy a new razor.

This showed me that it would be a good idea to totally divorce myself from the store as much as possible.

I therefore bought a straight razor fairly recently and have been learning to use it.

I'm finding I like the savings in blades first off. Secondly, it shaves closer than even my vibrating five bladed deal. And, if it comes down to it, I can always use it to skin out a squirrel

For me, it has to do with self-sufficiency and monetary savings. Nothing more or less... well, there is the novelty of the thing, but that's secondary.

I reload my own .45 ammo for the same reasons.

So, why do you use a straight blade?

Josh

 

[Antique Hoosier]

Josh, welcome to Badger & Blade you seem like an interesting fellow.

Here is a good article that addresses your question... It may have been referenced before in our community and it contains some of the "usual suspect" answers. One thing it fails to mention is that women typically find the thought of a man using a straight razor as a pretty attractive quality. The fact that many chicks dig it is a good reason in my books. Also, the percentage of men who practice this craft although gaining ground, has to be miniscule. I like that very much as well. And now,.... The link...
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-9493-straight-razors-brin.html

 

[Ru4scuba?]

Nice link Mike and great article.

I personally got involved in str8s because I'm a history nut. Shaving like men did during the 1700-early 1900s is awesome, very historic and has an "old world" quality that I really enjoy.

If there was a str8 razor that was issued to military folks during the Civil War...I'd have my new holy grail to shoot for

Edit: I'm sure someone will pop on here and tell me there was and for a mere $5000 I can have it

 

[JPM]

I started with DE's and found this site. After looking at the straight razor forums and pictures of the beautiful blades I was intrigued and thought I'd give it a go. Now, I just love the shaves and can't see myself going back.

 

[The_Pastor]

Nice thread, welcome.

I started using a straight, because my hairdresser used one on my beard and neck, at that time I was beardmodelling (just meaning that the hairdresser can play with your beard, colour it, shave it etc). I found that the shave I got from this was very good for my skin, no irritation. So I bought a straight, and then I got hooked. The novelty, the danger, the gentlemen like behavior, is all big parts in it for me.
But the biggest factor is the wellness, and the calm it gives me. Its my own personal oase to shave.

 

[Huxley]

Lots of reasons, the simplicity of using a straight blade rather than a razor, the beauty and history of them and the fact that the shave is usually dictated by your ability to hone if you do that yourself of course, plus the reduced irritation i get from my neck, with a de that's always tricky for me.

But most of all, no one in my place of work has the brass ones to try this they all think im nuts.

 

[Geo Dude]

I changed to straight because I hated shaving with a standard blade and wanted something better. DE never really appealed to me, but the old fashioned straight shaving had a certain...mystique to it. It called to me, and I answered.

 

[Barbash]

I started using a straight because I just loved the way they looked. The different scales and blades and the artwork on both.
I continue to use my straight because I really enjoy the shave.

 

[Buck47]

Why shave with a Straight Razor?

This is the best I've read on the subject. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=96006

Here is a Quote "Needless to say, once the razor makes its way to your throat, letting your mind wander can have far dearer consequences. There’s no automatic pilot here. No cruise control. No safety net.

No, you are trapped – and for the duration of this ritual you must be fully present, fully alive. When else can you say this? Even in the most intense conversation – perhaps with a critically important client or boss, or with the object of your affection – your mind is permitted to wander for a moment. Even watching the most engrossing films, I find myself occasionally scratching my wrist or pausing to notice the gumwad some jerk has left on the seatback in front of me.

But with a razor to your throat – or an inch from your eye – or at the corner of your lip – or sailing just within reach of your dangling earlobe – you needs must fully be there. Completely alive. Focused. Present and accounted for."


Posted by: mrgrad - 6/23/2009 - Full Text

"A friend from out of town was over and took note of the hanging strop in my bathroom. He asked me the question I’m sure we’ve all heard on plenty of occasions: “Why shave with a straight razor?”

Before I could answer, he volunteered a possible answer of his own, in the form of the question, “Oh, is it because of the economy? I think I paid almost $20 for my last pack of disposable Fusion razors. I guess shaving with the same razor every day forever must save you a bundle over the years.”

And yes, I did laugh politely at his sweet naivete. Of course, in theory, he was absolutely correct. But, since I’m always hopeful that some of my M3 friends may make the switch – simply so we can trade tales of great razors, or perhaps trade the razors themselves – I didn’t bother to stickershock him with the cost of a Norton 8K, let alone a nice custom, nor did I wish to overwhelm him with the realization that yes, Virginia, I actually have more than one (to say the least).

Instead, I prepared us some coffee, and spent a good deal of time thinking about my reply before we sat on the patio, where I told him the real reasons why I shave straight:

Shaving with a straight connects you to the past, to a traditional ritual comprised of indispensable components, not unlike a Japanese tea ceremony. It’s no surprise that one of the greatest works of English literature, Ulysses, by James Joyce, begins with an image of shaving:

“Stately plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed….”

Buck presents the familiar shaving set-up in the fashion of a priest, both emulating and parodying the rites of Catholic Mass. The act of producing lather is transformed into an act of transubstantiation – and this everyday practice of simply shaving one’s face is treated to an air of penetrating pomp and religiosity.

If you are of a certain age, shaving with a straight also evokes a more personal form of historical narrative – connecting you to childhood memories of your father or grandfather. No boy has ever watched his father shave with a straight without having been filled with wonder. (Which is the reason why all straight shavers with children have the good sense to keep their blades locked up in a box – or at least they should!)

While the Fathers of our country had wigs to keep powdered, and while in other cultures around the world, men adorn themselves with any manner of tribal garb or jewelry, in our contemporary American culture, the majority of men have relatively few outlets for personal grooming or adornment beyond minimalism. The pattern of your tie; a wristwatch; a wallet or moneyclip; your choice of aftershave; a wedding ring; and the list quickly peters out.

When my wife retires to the bathroom to apply make-up from tubes, bottles and compacts, equipped with brushes and rollers and the rest of her arsenal, I confess I’ve always been a bit jealous. Not because I wish to wear make-up. No. It’s the time. That time she has in that room, alone, accompanied only by her image in the mirror and the skill in her hand, and in her eyes. It seems like a very special time – a time that while it is focused on the superficial, at least creates a worry-free time of day in which all other cares are pushed aside. When you’re applying mascara to the razor-thin lid of your eye, you had better keep all other cares pushed aside.

Shaving with a modern safety razor like a Gilette Fusion is fine. Utilitarian. Gets the job done. In and out. No fuss. No muss. But what about the “out” part of “in and out”? Once you’re done, you’re in your clothes and back to… back to what? The stack of bills? The inbox? Work, chores, all of life’s demands, queued up and ready for you the moment you step from that sanctuary.

In straight razor shaving, I found a sanctuary. It takes far longer than a minute. I get to stay “in” far longer; and, far more profoundly, I'm able to remain "in" far longer before I return to the “out.”

The ritual can be both involved and intoxicating. But more than anything else, the word I can best use to describe it is immersive. Driving an automatic transmission sedan is not immersive. There’s a reason why so many people text and drive or talk and drive (or drink and drive). People feel they can get away with it, because driving a car like that is just so damn easy and effortless. There’s room for a bit of error. Make a slip with a Mach 3 and know what? You’ll be fine. Just push the button on your Edge gel – and out will come perfect lather, same every time, can after can. Modern cars, like modern razors, have cruise control. Easy, breezy, in and out.

But straight shaving is dangerous. You are literally walking the razor’s edge every single time. Not even the most seasoned pro can deny that the sting of the razor is always one faint nerve twitch away. It is indeed a deeply immersive practice. First, you must be fully conscious when stropping. Why? Because if your mind wanders, you nick your blade and you nick your strop. Strops are expensive. Razors are, too. You can bang the hell out of a Fusion on the porcelain sink. But let your mind travel to the grocery list, or to the speech you have to give later that day, and you just smoked your strop and/or razor. Needless to say, once the razor makes its way to your throat, letting your mind wander can have far dearer consequences. There’s no automatic pilot here. No cruise control. No safety net.

No, you are trapped – and for the duration of this ritual you must be fully present, fully alive. When else can you say this? Even in the most intense conversation – perhaps with a critically important client or boss, or with the object of your affection – your mind is permitted to wander for a moment. Even watching the most engrossing films, I find myself occasionally scratching my wrist or pausing to notice the gumwad some jerk has left on the seatback in front of me.

But with a razor to your throat – or an inch from your eye – or at the corner of your lip – or sailing just within reach of your dangling earlobe – you needs must fully be there. Completely alive. Focused. Present and accounted for.

It is my time of day to be most focused and alert, with the most crystalline awareness of myself and my immediate surroundings. I’ve flown a plane before, but even then, you only really have that sensation of presence when you’re taking off or landing, or when some nasty turbulence really kicks in and requires you to put your life into your hands.

I thought of a few other reasons to tell my friend, too. For instance, although I don’t have any hard statistics to back this up, I’ve noticed from the forum that not a small number of straight razor shavers also collect other blades – knives, swords, etc. Some may also collect other boy toys, like guns, compound bows, etc. These may be enjoyed aesthetically, but except for those moment when you’re actually out hunting, we never get to actually use these acquisitions (thankfully so, I might add!), and so we’re confined to enjoying them aesthetically. Polishing and oiling them from time to time. Perhaps taking them out to show off to our friends. But a razor can have just as much history and workmanship – and also get put to use – daily – and in the most intimate fashion.

It is the immersive, ritualistic aspect that draws me most to straight razor shaving. The time that I spend shaving truly feels like time I have gained, rather than time I have lost. It is my time. Mine alone. And this time truly does have a transubstantiated quality – one in which I feel pointedly, and most gloriously, present and alive. "

 

[dpmtherrien]

I started straight shaving just because its a bit out of the ordinary, and not all that many shavers do it. I'd been looking at straight shaving for over a year, wanted to try it, but kept finding ways to talk myself out of it. Finally I just made up my mind that I was going to do it.

I bought the Feather AC RG, and proceeded on that long learning curve to straight shaving. To heck with what regular straight users may say, I love the Feather and its my straight. I'm close to getting off the learning curve, but I've got a ways to go yet. I do enjoy using the Feather as my straight, and there are times that I'll take a break from it and do a few DE shaves too.

I get a kick out of the look on someones face when I mention I shave with a straight.

 

[BOOURNS]

I really like the history of it all. Straights arent something that was made by machines to be sold at inflated prices at walmart. These were handmade by skilled workers who took pride in what they did. Thats something you dont get anymore. These were meant to last more than a lifetime, and they will. I also like the fact that I can pass this down to my son. And putting a lethal weapon to your face every day is pretty cool too.

 

[netsurfr]

The feather is a nice straight IMHO. While I have a number of other "real" blades, I often use my feather.

 

[Klarion]

I get up anywhere from 5:00 to 5:30, whether my alarm is set or not. Even with cooking breakfast, taking a shower, and checking stuff for work, I've still got quite a bit of time on my hands. Since there's nothing good to watch, I may as well pamper myself with a nice shave, combining quality materials. It's pretty cool stuff, and girls I date tend to find it interesting to see my small collection of soaps/creams, brushes and razors - to the point of watching me shave.

As a side effect of all that, it's turned into a neat little hobby to have, a good message board to frequent, and the extra time effort I spend into skincare benefits the condition of my face greatly.

 

[Javak]

I can understand and appreciate the mystique of straight razor shaving, but is there a qualitative in the shave itself vs. double edge? That is, all other things being equal, do you get a smoother shave or less irritation with a straight than a DE?

 

[kg4ghn]

I started DE shaving b/c of an article on artofmanliness.com. While researching that I found B&B. After DE shaving for only about a week, and after seeing Joel's video on the front page, I knew I had to try straight razor shaving. I ordered a vintage razor off of SRP classifieds and haven't looked back since.

 

[spanx]

For the same reason I smoke.It makes me look cool.

 

[Klarion]

I can understand and appreciate the mystique of straight razor shaving, but is there a qualitative in the shave itself vs. double edge? That is, all other things being equal, do you get a smoother shave or less irritation with a straight than a DE?

No, I suppose not, to be honest. I can consistently achieve irritation free, BBS shaves with a straight, DE, single bladed disposables, or any multi-bladed razor on the market. I got get razor bumps and ingrown hairs anyway, so that's no big deal. Shaving with a straight had always been something I'd been meaning to try, since I believe it's a skill nearly every guy should learn in their lifetime. It'd been a dying art, you know? I'm a tactile person by nature, so using a straight, more than anything, really appeals to that side of me.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I dislike electrics and disposables.
I learned straights before DEs.
I get better shaves with straights than with DE's.
It's one of the few empty-mind, "zen" things I do during my day.
It's much more customizable than DE's. Sure a DE shaver may have a few hundred blades to choose from. I have a few thousand potential straights to choose from, not to mention that I make my own edge... If I want it sharper at toe and less sharp at heel, guess what I'm getting. If I wanted one side of the edge honed to 8k and the other to 12k, I could do that. If I wanted to carve a 3mm wide spike tip with a dremel just for doing my sideburns , I could do that. As long as you retouch your razor often enough, no two Straight shaves are ever the same.

 

[bluefoxicy]

Works better, doesn't cut me as much as anything else, actually enjoyable to shave with.

 

[Aaron01]

-They're more fun
-I get a closer shave
-I get less irritation
-They're cool