Straight Razor Shaving

[KC2KFC]

Anybody ever use a straight razor for shaving? I've been thinking about changing to one. The cost of current blades is crazy, plus all you end up doing is filling landfills with the used ones. I'm thinking a good straight razor would last a lifetime with proper care. I remember my grandfather using one and he swore by it.

[W5GA]

You'll carve your eye out.

[KC2KFC]

:lol: My gosh I never thought of that. :lol:

[W1GUH]

Yea. I wonder how long it takes to learn how to use a straight razor, at least without winding up with tissue all over those nicks on your face? Back in the day, every haircut from a barber came with a straight razor shave on the back of your neck. Never got cut -- guess they were good at it!

[KC2KFC]

I went to a barber up until about 2 years ago who would shave the back of my neck with a straight razor. His shop burned down and I've never found where he moved to. I now go to a barber near home, but an electric razor is now used for that.

I'm not sure how long it would take to master it, but just the thought of saving the money on the throw away razors makes it worthwhile to me. The other alternative might be an old fashioned safety razor. The kind my dad used where you twisted the handle to open it and it took a standard double edged blade.

[W5GA]

Lehman's sells a widget that allows you to "strop" a cartridge type blade. I use it, and my blades go 2-3 months.
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Personal___Shaving_Supplies___Disposable_Razor_Sha rpener___36731?Args=

[KC2KFC]

Lehman's sells a widget that allows you to "strop" a cartridge type blade. I use it, and my blades go 2-3 months.
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Personal___Shaving_Supplies___Disposable_Razor_Sha rpener___36731?Args=
Thanks for the link Doug. I just might give that a try.

[n2ize]

If the price of the cartriges are the main concern you might want to do what I did and switch to the old fashioned safety razor. You know the old double edge blades ? I switched from a Gillette Mach 3 to a standard safety razor and I get as good a shave as I got with the Mach 3. Best part is the blades cost less than $2.00 for a pack of five as opposed to $20.00 for a 5 pack of Mach 3's. If you already have a safety razor handle you are ahead of the curve. Otherwise they can be found online from a few bucks on ebay to $30.00 - $50.00 for a new quality handle. (some cost a lot more but no need to spend a fortune on one). The nice part is, once you buy the handle it lasts forever. Only thing you have to buy are safety blades and they are quite inexpensive.

You'll find a nice selection here.

http://www.royalshave.com/c/double-edge-razor/

[W1GUH]

No thanks to the old-fashioned safety razors. Heck, I can't even stand the one blade disposables. 'Course, as infrequently as I shave, there's some growth to deal with.

Now....if those "fancy" Gilette blades still came with those neat-o premiums, I'd be tempted. 'Way back when, one promotion was a "flip-o-vision" book about baseball signals. Showed four kinds, one "flash" and one "pump" from each of a coach and from the catcher. Learned a lot about signals that way!

IIRC, I got one of those on eBay about a decade ago. Should scan & share it. Now THAT'D be a project, to scan each individual photo & put 'em together i a video. Still, it's a piece of ephemeral folklore that probably deserves to be preserved.

[W2NAP]

i solved the blade issue long ago..

i quit shaving.

[XE1/N5AL]

i solved the blade issue long ago..

i quit shaving.Besides, it's a great place to hide a stealth antenna when one lives in a HOA-restricted neighborhood.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090508004442/uncyclopedia/images/4/4f/Beardlong.jpg

[NA4BH]

My grandfather used to make straight razors at Geneva Cutlery in New York. I have his razor framed along with the agenda of the Company's annual picnic August 2, 1913. The top prize at the picnic was 25 pounds of flour.

[n2ize]

No thanks to the old-fashioned safety razors. Heck, I can't even stand the one blade disposables. 'Course, as infrequently as I shave, there's some growth to deal with.


No comparison between a good safety razor with a good quality sharp blade and those cheap disposable shavers.. A good safety razor is much much better than those disposable pieces of junk.

The reasons why many people don't get along with the safety razors is that they don't use them properly.

1) First and foremost, you need a good handle. A good quality metal handle with some weight to it is good for starters. It is the weight of the handle rather than hand or arm pressure that yields the pressure needed for a good shave.

2) Use good quality blades. Preferably a quality stainless steel blade. I prefer to use "Wilkinson Sword" double edged blades. I can get several shaves out of a single blade and a 5 pack still costs me under $2.00.

3) Apply a warm wash cloth or a hot towel to the face BEFORE shaving. This softens the beard, opens the pores and gets the face ready for shaving.

4) Use a good lubricating shave cream or, preferably a good quality shaving soap. This is very important as it will proivide the layer between the steel of the razor and the face over which the edge will glide.

5) Shave with the grain not against it, particularly on the first pass. Let the weight of the handle do the work. Don't press with the hands or arms Keep the blade at a steady angle of appx 30-45 deg with the face and on the first pass go for beard reduction rather then complete beard removal. If too much beard or stubble is left then re-lather up and run through it again. On the second pass I will sometimes go against the grain to remove and stubborn stubble that was not easily removed on the first pass.

6) When done rinse with a hot/warm cloth and pat dry with a towel. A splash of witch hazel, bay rum, Florida water or Old Spice to cool and sooth the face afterwards.

I have had good success using a safety razor and the steps above. I get a smooth shave (often with just one pass) and the shave is as good or better than what I was getting with the modern overpriced junk. No nicks, cuts, scratches or bleeding. Best of all is the price I pay for blades. No more $20.00 rip-off for a pack of cartridges that are actually worth no more than a few cents. Now I pay at most $2.00 for a 5 pack of blades and get just as good or better a shave than I got with the new junk.

Mileage may vary but as it turned out for me, old is better than new. And a lot easier on the wallet too.

[KC2KFC]

For shaving I use shaving cream from a tube not the garbage in an aerosol can. It's made by a company called C.O. Bigelow and works to soften the beard and act as a lubricant. It is a great product I highly recommend. I also using shaving soap with a brush at times as well. I've never tried bay rum, though. I'll have to pickup a bottle sometime.

[KG4CGC]

I seem to recall that barbers in training would practice on cadavers. These days though, I think you'd need to practice on a balloon.

[ab1ga]

Wasn't this dealt with a while ago? I remember Albi waxing with his usual eloquence on badger hair brushes or whatnot.

[KB3LAZ]

I have been using a safety razor and a brick of shaving soap. I used to have a hell of a time because my neck would break out. Now I do not have that issue. Although, I do not get as close of a shave either.

[n2ize]

I seem to recall that barbers in training would practice on cadavers. These days though, I think you'd need to practice on a balloon.

Actually if done properly its quite easy to "shave" a balloon without causing it to rupture and burst. Just use smooth easy strokes perpendicular to the plane of the razor.

[NQ6U]

I don't shave myself any more, not since the new barber came to town. His name is Todd. Sweeney Todd (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweeney_Todd:_The_Demon_Barber_of_Fleet_Street).

[W1GUH]

Can he sing harmony?

Love barbershop quartets...gonna go find some.

[W1GUH]

Here ya go...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW0k6P2lclU&feature=relmfu

[W5GA]

Actually if done properly its quite easy to "shave" a balloon without causing it to rupture and burst. Just use smooth easy strokes perpendicular to the plane of the razor.
The problem is finding a balloon with a heavy enough beard to need shaving.

[n6hcm]

Anybody ever use a straight razor for shaving?

i think about it, and then i think about how alert i am when i'm shaving, and the fact that i don't shave as well as i'd like with the N-blade razor of the day and i just skip it.

it's bad enough i'm suffering from a tonsorial mishap at the moment (barber wasn't paying attention and left me looking like the comic book store guy from the simpsons. didn't need that in my life).

[n2ize]

The problem is finding a balloon with a heavy enough beard to need shaving.

yeah, they are quite rare. :)

[n2ize]

i think about it, and then i think about how alert i am when i'm shaving, and the fact that i don't shave as well as i'd like with the N-blade razor of the day and i just skip it.

it's bad enough i'm suffering from a tonsorial mishap at the moment (barber wasn't paying attention and left me looking like the comic book store guy from the simpsons. didn't need that in my life).

The key is always more the blade along the face in a path perpendicular to the plane of the razor and...don;t slip.. This is particularly critical with a straight edge blade that can do some serious cutting damage. In a perpendicular path it is a shaver and unlikely to break skin. At any angle of motion other than perpendicular it becomes a slicing machine, and, in the case of a straight edge razor, a very excellent slicing machine.

[n2ize]

Here is the shaver that I am currently using. I highly recommend it. Great price, nice weight and balance, made from solid brass with polished chrome plating and, above all gives a perfect shave every time. Easy to use butterfly open/close mechanism makes changing blades a snap. Fits any standard double edged safety blade.

http://www.royalshave.com/p/401-122-00/timor-butterfly-safety-razor-polished-chrome.html

[K7SGJ]

The problem is finding a balloon with a heavy enough beard to need shaving.

The red ones are the worst.

[NA4BH]

The red ones are the worst.

Pigs on zip lines are second.

[NA4BH]

Here ya go...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW0k6P2lclU&feature=relmfu

Their mother should be proud. What fine young gentleman these four boys have become. Their names are a little funny though.

[KF5TO]

A very useful source for information about straight razor shaving is Straight Razor Place (http://www.straightrazorplace.com) (particularly the forum). A lot of people find using an "old fashioned" safety razor a great compromise between the "fussiness" of straight razor shaving and high cost of cartridge shaving. Not to toot my own horn (too much) but I have some videos (http://www.youtube.com/shavetutor) on how to shave with traditional kit (lather soap/cream, shaving brush, single blade safety razor, etc.)

[K7SGJ]

Pigs on zip lines are second.

Just fookin had to go there.............Ya bastid.

[n2ize]

I'm the Barber of Seville


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NokiSFKt6QI

[K7SGJ]

Speaking of the Little Rascals, I heard that Buckwheat became a Muslim and changed his name to Kareem of Wheat.

Really. No shit, it's true. I saw it on the intertube, it has to be true.

[NA4BH]

True story

[K7SGJ]

Yeah, you saw it too, huh?

[KC2KFC]

Here is the shaver that I am currently using. I highly recommend it. Great price, nice weight and balance, made from solid brass with polished chrome plating and, above all gives a perfect shave every time. Easy to use butterfly open/close mechanism makes changing blades a snap. Fits any standard double edged safety blade.

http://www.royalshave.com/p/401-122-00/timor-butterfly-safety-razor-polished-chrome.html
Thanks for the link John. That's pretty much what my dad used. I can still remember sitting in the bathroom watching him shave in the morning before work.

[KC2KFC]

A very useful source for information about straight razor shaving is Straight Razor Place (http://www.straightrazorplace.com) (particularly the forum). A lot of people find using an "old fashioned" safety razor a great compromise between the "fussiness" of straight razor shaving and high cost of cartridge shaving. Not to toot my own horn (too much) but I have some videos (http://www.youtube.com/shavetutor) on how to shave with traditional kit (lather soap/cream, shaving brush, single blade safety razor, etc.)

Thanks for the link. Looks like a great resource for me.

[KC2UGV]

I've taken the first step: Got a "shavette" to start with, prior to plunking down hard cash for a good quality razor. Uses safety bladed cut in half. It's a Spilo Magic Shaver, and came recommended at the beauty supply store.

The lady told me that you can strop the blades, to get a little extra life, and recommended doing it prior to using the safety blade anyways to smooth out small imperfection in the blade.

Didn't know, know blade with it, so now I gotta run to get a pack of blades.

[n2ize]

I've taken the first step: Got a "shavette" to start with, prior to plunking down hard cash for a good quality razor. Uses safety bladed cut in half. It's a Spilo Magic Shaver, and came recommended at the beauty supply store.

The lady told me that you can strop the blades, to get a little extra life, and recommended doing it prior to using the safety blade anyways to smooth out small imperfection in the blade.

Didn't know, know blade with it, so now I gotta run to get a pack of blades.

Ah, so you are making the move towards a straight razor. The shavette blades look like elongated versions of the standard safety blade.

As for me I thought about going with a straight razor but for now I am going to stick with the standard old fashioned safety razor. Maybe at a future date I'll try stepping into the realm of straight edge shaving. Incidentally the shavette looks like an interesting and inexpensive way to start. Regular quality straight edge razors are very expensive.

[NQ6U]

Well, John, your thread got me to got to that site and drop way more money than I intended to on a nice safety razor, shaving brush and all the accoutrements. If I don't like it, it's all your fault.

[KC2UGV]

Ah, so you are making the move towards a straight razor. The shavette blades look like elongated versions of the standard safety blade.

As for me I thought about going with a straight razor but for now I am going to stick with the standard old fashioned safety razor. Maybe at a future date I'll try stepping into the realm of straight edge shaving. Incidentally the shavette looks like an interesting and inexpensive way to start. Regular quality straight edge razors are very expensive.

Since you have so much vested in the safety razor, a shavette is a nice step. You use everything you have already, including the safety razor blades, cut in half.

[KC2UGV]

Sweet Jesus! Just shaved with this shavette! This is the closest shave I've ever done on my own, since I stopped going to the barber. Just plain ivory soap, lathered by hand, and went to town.

Nicked myself a few times, but other than that, pure simplicity. I think this was a good move. 5 blades for $2, which works to 10 blades since I cut them in half.

[KB3LAZ]

If the price of the cartriges are the main concern you might want to do what I did and switch to the old fashioned safety razor. You know the old double edge blades ? I switched from a Gillette Mach 3 to a standard safety razor and I get as good a shave as I got with the Mach 3. Best part is the blades cost less than $2.00 for a pack of five as opposed to $20.00 for a 5 pack of Mach 3's. If you already have a safety razor handle you are ahead of the curve. Otherwise they can be found online from a few bucks on ebay to $30.00 - $50.00 for a new quality handle. (some cost a lot more but no need to spend a fortune on one). The nice part is, once you buy the handle it lasts forever. Only thing you have to buy are safety blades and they are quite inexpensive.

You'll find a nice selection here.

http://www.royalshave.com/c/double-edge-razor/

Thank you for the link. I picked up a brush, stand, and soap bowl. I already have a nice safety razor and the puck soap is easy to find. Razor was easy to find too. My dad got me one for xmas since I was always bitching about my face after shaving, lol.

[XE1/N5AL]

Anybody ever use a straight razor for shaving? I've been thinking about changing to one. The cost of current blades is crazy, plus all you end up doing is filling landfills with the used ones. I'm thinking a good straight razor would last a lifetime with proper care. I remember my grandfather using one and he swore by it.Here's a straight razor that claims a 10 year blade life: http://www.tecca.com/news/2011/06/21/zafirro-iridium-razor-100-000-dollars/

[ka8ncr]

Badger hair. I'd like to meet the guy who shaves the badger.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg