knife related OT: razors

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yoippari

Joined
May 8, 2004
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I just read part of the "how often do you cut yourself" thread and got to Nevo's post involving a straight razor. Being 17 I haven't been shaving for too terribly long and my first razor is a remington electric with a flip out for longer hairs for when I dont bother to shave for a week.

For some reason I want a straight razor. What is the benfit of a straight razor over a disposable (gillette) or an electric (rotary, and (linear?))?

What does everyone here use? What do you recomend?

Note: I am not on a swim team, this is for facial use only.
 
I had one once, but it's just not worth the bother.
the edge must be maintained and the dangers of serious injury or blood poisoning are just too high.
Sure, its retro and cool, but a cheap dual blade disposable razor is still better than the best straight-razor.
(my opinion)
 
Here's something to start you off, if you haven't already seen it, compliments of the good folks at BladeForums:

Clicky

There's far more maintenance involved than with either safety blades or electrics. I firmly believe that one can get a closer shave with a straight razor than by any other means. Whether it's worth the work or not is up to you.

I normally use an electric as it allows me to shave on my way to work. :) I have very coarse and dark facial hair and haven't found an electric yet that cuts as close as any sort of razor, but as they say it's close enough for government work. It doesn't irritate my face as much as a razor. I also use an electric shaver on my head which, oddly enough, irritates my scalp far more than a razor does; my coworkers think it's odd that I use aftershave on my head but not my face. To each his own. For anything more than three days' worth of growth I need clippers to bring things to the point where an electric shaver will work.
 
I shave about every three days whether I need it or not but sometimes I go for a week- to maybe nine days if I'm being lazy, but I'm getting pretty wooly by then, just not thick.
Most times I don't even use lather, just wet 'em and go for it. :p ;) I'm just the opposite about razors though.
I bought a Braun electric but I don't like it. I'm thinking about a Norelco but I hate to spend that amount of money and not like it either. Anyone shave with one? I would appreciate details. An electric razor would be very convenient methinks.:D
Right now I use either a throwaway or my nice solid brass Avon razor one of our daughters got me for X-mas years ago that takes the Dual Trak blades. It gives me the closest shave possible out of all I have tried!

I have a few straight razors with a couple that aren't too tired to shave with but I've found them not too be worth the trouble.
But that was years ago and now I'm not steady enough to shave with one.
And another problem I have is that what little beard I have grows in at many different angles so I have to shave in multiple directions to get a clean shave.:grumpy:
 
What Danny and Yvsa said...not worth the trouble. I like the double and triple safety razors.
 
cliff355 said:
I think they are great. I have gone through three of them over the past 20 years roughly, so it works out to about $10 or $15 per year depending on the model involved.
Click to expand...
Thanks Cliff. Will you please explain the models and the features. Although I don't wear sideburns, don't have much anyway, I do need something to trim them close, is there a popup cutter on the Norelco?
Do the blades need replaced periodically, etc?
 
I've been using electric shavers (various Philips) for well over a decade and ultimately switched to disposable Gillette Mach 3. Since i have blond hair the hairs aren't really visible (As in, don't look ugly long) until fairly long so i can get away with shaving every couple of days ... stupid waste of time :grumpy: Since i'm a klutz i manage to cut myself with that thing quite often but that's nowehere near as irritating as the occassional burns left by that electric shaver were. No way i'd even try out straight razor - if i cut myself with a harmless little set of blades like that all the time imagine what i could do to my neck with the real thing :D
 
I have been a licensed barber since 1986. Although I havn't worked in a shop in ages, I did shave myself exclusively with a straight razor from '86 to '91. Here's some thoughts...

Decent straight razors are available with replaceable blades. This will alleviate the neccessity of daily honing and stropping. Which is a minor art in itself. Or if you prefer a fixed blade, then get a good German made one. Go to a barber shop (find one with the red & blue rotating pole and ask a 1000 yr. old barber about which brands, etc...)

Half of the game is properly prepping the skin before you attempt to shave. Hot towels are nice... but unless your in a barber shop, shave in the shower. I mean let the hot water really soften up your beard and skin first! 'Tried and used most of the availbale mug soaps. Found that Barbazol shaving cream was THE way to go. It's cheap and probably the best shaving cream available. Don't use any shaving creams that have 'oils' in them. They will actually cause more irritation.

With regards to the actual shaving technique; Let the weight of the razor alone do the work (this is the single most important safety tip you'll get). You must STRETCH the skin farther then you would ever imagine inorder to provide the proper surface for the razor to cut safely. Always shave in straight lines (i.e. Don't shave 'around' your jaw for example. Instead you would pull the skin to be shaved above or below the bony area). Learn the difference between shaving 1) with the grain, 2) shaving across the grain and 3) shaving against the grain. Never shave against the grain. Shaving across the grain (and a good skin stretch) will give you the close shave your after.

Please note that it takes a few extra minutes to properly and safely shave with a straight razor -usually about 15 minutes extra. Get in a hurry and the blade will go down to the bone.

Because of the time factor and hassle, I changed to a disposable razor. And just so you know, there's NO advantage in buying a double or triple blade disposable razor! It's just a great marketing campaign, thats all. Personally I use a BIC single blade diposable. Again the quality of the shave is in the prep, stretch and shaving with or across the grain.
 
Yvsa said:
...is there a popup cutter on the Norelco?
Do the blades need replaced periodically, etc?
Click to expand...
Yvsa,
Like Cliff, I have used a Norelco rotary shaver for about 20 years. I use the cordless rechargeable one. A charge takes a couple hours and lasts about a month. The battery lasts about 10 years.

I open the head and tap out the hairs every time I use it, but that's the only cleaning I ever do. I replace the blade set about every two years. That costs about $20.

I shave every day, but only on my neck and under my chin. Everything else I let grow and about every three months I run a clipper over my whole head and face and I'm good for another three months.

The shaver has a pop-up trimmer that I use to trim around my ears, and above my lip when the hairs get too long.
 
I started shaving using a straight razor and used one during my early years but I didn't want to spend the time a straight razor requires so switched to safety razors and then recently to an electric -- Braun -- which does a reasonable job.

My advice based on personal experience is don't use a straight razor unless you are willing to spend the time and go to the effort of becoming an expert in the use of it. There's more to it than meets the eye -- strops, stones, mugs, brushes, soaps, etc., and you have to know how to use each item properly and regardless of how good you get you'll still cut yourself from time to time. Just not worth it.
 
This is a really interesting topic. Being the mutt of many different peoples that I am, I have the toughest time getting a good shave. i have an irregular beard with whiskers that are as tough as iron that grow to a five 0'clock shadow by noon. Can't grow a beard because it wouldn't fill in right, but I hate to shave because it bugs my skin so much. I've tried electric razors in the past, but the uberwhiskers trash them pretty quickly. I haven't tried a high dollar one yet, but i'm thinking about it. I've been using the Mach 3 system for years now, but i don't like it. I can't get a good shave and the blades are so freakin' expensive. I've tried every different cream and shave gel out there. I try to shave in the shower. That helps quite a bit. I just even up my sideburns before I shower, then do the rest of it by feel while i'm in there;) I don't think i'll do the straight razor thing ever. i cut myself enough, that i don't want any extremely sharp blades around very important blood vessels.

While we're on the topic, have any of you guys heard about cryro treated razor blades? They are supposed to last a lot longer. Kinda like the idea of cryro treating SS knives, i suppose. They sell the treated razors here: www.greatrazors.com. i've never tried them, but i thought i'd give it a shot sometime. i just always forget. Supposedly, this process is cheap and easy to do with the razors still in their original packaging. The razor companies obviously don't do it because if the blades lasted longer then you obviously wouldn't have to go out and plunk down 18 bucks for 8 razors blades. Whatcha think?

Jake
 
I don't have a lot of facial hair. I can shave with tweezers. :D

Otherwise I use a Gillette Atra with generic razor blades. One thing that I find hard to get is scentless shaving cream. I use some goop in a mug stuff that has very little smell but can't seem to find any others.

Hooflex just doesn't lather very well. :)

Never liked electric for some reason though. :confused:

Extra long nose hairs...shave or pluck? :confused:
 
yoippari said:
What is the benfit of a straight razor over a disposable (gillette) or an electric (rotary, and (linear?))?
What does everyone here use? What do you recomend?
Click to expand...
Hey yoippari,
Well... I suppose we all have an opinion on this. :)
I switched from using a disposable about a year and a half ago, and have been using a str8 razor since. To me (read: my opinion), the benefits outweigh the drawbacks when using a straight razor.
The main benefit is that a properly honed and used straight razor will give the best shave available. One blade really is sufficient.
There is a learning curve involved in learning to shave with a straight razor, as well as learning to strop, hone, and maintain the razor. But just like with knives, there is a sense of accomplishment that you get once you do learn. It's a lost skill that every man knew 100 years ago.
It does take me a little longer to shave, but it's not the chore that it used to be. I strop the razor before each shave, and only have to hone it every few months.
Once you get accustomed to using a str8 (you know.. after the shaking stops, from the thought of a chunk of sharpened steel at your throat :) ) it really is fun.
It's not as dangerous as some think, either. I've only cut myself once while shaving. Chicks dig a scar, anyway.
Oh yeah, str8 razor shaving is cool, too. :D
This place has a lot of good info:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/straightrazorplace/
Be sure to check out the links section.
If you do like old school, but feel that a straight razor may not be for you, you may want to try a double edge (DE) razor, like the old Gillettes. Merkur still makes some, but you can also find original Gillettes on eBay. (You can find serviceable str8 razors there, too.)
ClassicShaving.com has a lot of shaving stuff, as well as links with shaving info.
BillTheCat's advice about prep and stretching is good. I do like a good shaving soap, though, rather than the canned stuff.
My shave this morning was with a 100 year old Clauss 5/8" spike (square point) str8, Trumpers Sandalwood cream applied with an older badger brush, followed with Dominica Bay Rum. If I'm in a rush, a Merkur open-comb DE razor and Williams shaving soap applied with a boar brush works well, too.
yoippari said:
For some reason I want a straight razor.
Click to expand...
yoippari, there are many things I wish I had started to learn when I was much younger; knives, str8 razors, guitar stuff. So now's the time to find out if you like it. I'd make sure your folks won't freak on the idea of your shaving with a str8 before you bring one home, so check with them first. Actually, being Christmas time & all, I'd hit them up for some shaving swag. :)
Good luck to you.
Parry
 
BruiseLeee said:
One thing that I find hard to get is scentless shaving cream.
Click to expand...

Judging by the website http://www.nivea.com you can buy this stuff in the US too. I'm using "Nr. 81720", neutral odor, pressurized canister, lasts really long, works well for me. The label also says "for easily irritated skin" ... like i said, good enough for me :)

*edit* you can find it under USA -> Products -> Men's Care -> View Products (the first one that shows up is the one i use, never even tried the other ones 'cause i like this one)
 
Steely_Gunz said:
While we're on the topic, have any of you guys heard about cryro treated razor blades? They are supposed to last a lot longer. Kinda like the idea of cryro treating SS knives, i suppose. They sell the treated razors here: www.greatrazors.com. i've never tried them, but i thought i'd give it a shot sometime.
Jake
Click to expand...

Hey Jake,
The topic of cryo'd blades comes up on one of the men's shaving forums from time to time. Here's a link to one of the threads.
http://groups.msn.com/WetShavers/ge...Message=3600&LastModified=4675471626012336227
 
thanks for the link, Newdovo:) I think i'll give these a try next time i need some blades...if i remember.

Jake
 
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