Thread: straigh razors are rubbish

I've always kept a neat, closely trimmed beard. For that reason, I started shaving with a "straight" (just like a shavette) that took personna blades over 20 years ago. A straight is the ONLY way to get a really straight line. Used Roffler shave gel and my L&A razor. Sometimes used an electric (top-of-the-line Braun). A little while ago I ran out of my bulk supply of blades (again). Searching the internet for replacement blades I came across this site and got into "conventional" straights.

The electric was always irritating and didn't give as good of a shave as the L&A with personna blades. It was better if you gave it a couple of weeks to let your face "adjust" but even then it wasn't as good of a shave (and you can't trim a really straight line). The L&A was always a bit harsh as well. Maybe the injector blades weren't all that good, maybe too sharp, maybe I used them too long, whatever. Maybe the gel wasn't that good either. Also I found that my technique had been lacking for 20 years too. Way too much angle. ...who knew?

So I got a couple of really good conventional straights, a strop, and soap and cream and got into straight razor shaving. I really like it. It appeals to me. There are all the finer points, there is technique, history, variations, manual dexterity required, the sense of accomplishment, and therapeutic aspects (and I can keep a really straight line).

I found that my shaves with my good straights are less irritatiing, closer, and more forgiving than my shaves were with the L&A and personnna blades. My skin feels better and smoother with no irritation.

Note: the skin thing and irritation are relative. I could manage to get razor burn with an electric -- slight redening with burn/irritation that lasted a few hours. I could manage to get razor burn with the L&A -- lots of heavy duty pressure scraping would result in burn/irritation but no redness. I can still feel some sand paper effect running my fingers against the grain but less so than with the other two options -- total BBS is not possible with my leather skin and wire whiskers.

Better? For me, no doubt. Worth it? that's relative. For me, in a number of ways, no doubt. I also wash and polish my car with 100% cotton towels (including the stitching) to avoid spider webbing and blow dry it with a leaf blower to avoid unecessary contact. Most people look at me funny when I tell them they're scratching the paint by leaning on it...

Originally Posted by Quick

Most people look at me funny when I tell them they're scratching the paint by leaning on it...

Tell me about it. In my book you have to be pretty stupid, ignorant and selfish to lean on someone else's car. Don't get me started about people who sit on cars.