Straight razors- worth it?

Considering buying a straight razor set and slowly transitioning to using that rather than my regular safety razor. For anybody who uses/knows about them, are straight razors really as much of a superior shave as they are claimed to be? If so, where is a good place to buy them/what is a good (and relatively cheap) starting point? Some of The Art Of Shaving razors/kits run into the hundreds of dollars...can't justify that right now.

 

Disclaimer: not a guy, but the one I'm attached to swears by straight razors. It honestly does create less nicks. Plus, in the long run honestly a lot cheaper than safety razors (unless you're using like, shitty safety razors and/or not disposing of them when their use period is over).

Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 

Not worth it. I think it's just a scam to get you to waste time and money on "high end" shaving products. Unless you want to increase your shaving time by 10x and your budget by 5x, just stick with a normal razor. If you get nicks / bumps, don't shave against the grain. A fusion pro glide razor is infinitely better than a straight razor.

 

I'm leaning more towards a safety razor if they are better than the kind I use...not gonna have time to learn to use a straight razor effectively over the next few months (during my S.hemisphere IB SA) and no point buying if I just use my regular razor anyway. Although I've heard straight razors are great, that'll have to wait even if I want to do it. What about safety razors? Any better than regular ones? Definitely look cooler.

 

I made the jump to a safety razor about 6 months ago and haven't looked back. Much closer shave, no ingrown hairs, and you just feel more badass.

Best starter razor (the most common/cheapest/highest quality) is this one: http://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Model-180-Handled-Safety/dp/B000NL0T1G/

Just make sure you get a quality shaving soap, badger hair brush, and decent after shave. Each component really does make a difference when it comes to quality of shave.

Good luck and happy shaving

 

I have naturally curly hair so I've always suffered from ingrowns and dry/sensitive skin as well so switching to using a safety (the merkur) has done WONDERS for me .. I've bought the blade sample pack as well but still havent found one which is OOO AAA amazing above the rest

My personal regimen

be in the shower brushing teeth/washing body for 5 minutes and having the warm water soften up your hairs on your face

prep with a few dabs of Kiehls pre-shave oil rub African Black shave soap (or whatever you use) on your face Shave with the grain use cetaphil to cleanse bacteria and your face Apply lotion when youre out when your face is still moist to prevent ingrowns/dry irritation (I use the Kiehls anti shave bump one personally)

skin has never been better. and there is a HUGE difference between a pro glide and using a safety razor, especially if you have sensitive skin like I do... if youre blessed with well moisturized skin and normal oil production and straight hairs then it probably doesnt matter.

 
shorttheworld:

I have naturally curly hair so I've always suffered from ingrowns and dry/sensitive skin as well so switching to using a safety (the merkur) has done WONDERS for me .. I've bought the blade sample pack as well but still havent found one which is OOO AAA amazing above the rest

My personal regimen

be in the shower brushing teeth/washing body for 5 minutes and having the warm water soften up your hairs on your face

prep with a few dabs of Kiehls pre-shave oil
rub African Black shave soap (or whatever you use) on your face
Shave *with* the grain
use cetaphil to cleanse bacteria and your face
Apply lotion when youre out when your face is still moist to prevent ingrowns/dry irritation (I use the Kiehls anti shave bump one personally)

skin has never been better. and there is a HUGE difference between a pro glide and using a safety razor, especially if you have sensitive skin like I do... if youre blessed with well moisturized skin and normal oil production and straight hairs then it probably doesnt matter.

Sounds like exactly like my situation...I've long been considering making the jump but I think you just convinced me.

"When you stop striving for perfection, you might as well be dead."
 

That Merkur is great, just bought it a few months back. I think it's a much better shave than my old Mach 3. I'm definietly a DE shaving novice but I spent a good amount of time trying to find a good combination of affordable, quality products. In addition to the Merkur, here is my setup...

http://www.amazon.com/Parker-Safety-Razor-Bristle-Shaving/dp/B003LY2PG4

http://www.amazon.com/Derby-Extra-Double-Razor-Blades/dp/B00AGG3MZ8

http://www.amazon.com/Proraso-Shaving-Eucalyptus-Menthol-Formulation/dp…

As someone recommended, don't cheap out on the shaving brush. I had one that came out of some gift pack years ago and I took it with me on a trip one time...it was the most worthless thing ever. It couldn't build a lather and was horrible at applying the shaving cream. You may want to buy a stand for the razor as well. The brush in the link above comes with one, but it's rather junkie so I grabbed a decent razor/brush combo stand that looks really nice on the bathroom counter. I also picked up a travel case for the razor and a travel tube for the brush, somethings to consider if you intend to use it while traveling (see caveat below).

All-in-all, I think you get a better quality shave with the DE, for a fraction of the price. You can easily get more than one shave out of each blade if you wish, meaning the pack from the link above could last you the better part of a year, for just $15. If you think you can not misplace or lose the actual razor, you will swiftly make up the investment.

Lastly, let me caveat that, for me, it takes a bit longer to shave with a DE razor than the Machs/Turbos/Fusions of the world. Part of that might simply be me afraid of decapitating myself, but generally, I think you will be a bit more methodical about the shaving process with a DE. So, with that said, I would recommend keeping the Fusion as well, for a couple reasons. (1) You might just happen to find yourself in a rush and that Fusion can be whipped around your face without the severe consequences you might experience with the DE razor. (2) At this point, you can't travel on a plane with the DE blades...so clearly a problem if you aren't checking luggage (nearly found out the hard way).

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 
Loki777:

anyone use alum blocks?

I actually use a crystal deodorant rock, which stops the blood flow from any cuts and disinfects the skin.

http://www.deodorantstones.com/order_products.html

I picked up the 'Mid-Size Oval Stone in a Basket' from Whole Foods for $5 or $6. The main downside is, if you drop it, it's probably going to shatter into 10,000 pieces...so maybe get the stick instead. Also, supposedly it is bad for metal, so you keep it in the little wicker-esque basket they sell with it and keep it a decent distance from your razor, etc.

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 

In terms of quality of shave, straight razor > safety razor > cartridge razor.

I've used all three. The straight razor will give you the best shave, but it has a long learning curve and will chew up a lot of time per shave until you become good. As an analyst, I used the safety razor during the week and the straight razor on weekends if I had some time.

The safety razor is the way to go for most people. It costs less and gives a better shave. The only people against it haven't tried it or work for Gillette.

If you think it is more expensive to go safety over cartridge, see below:

http://www.electrogent.com/2012/10/cost-analysis-double-edge-vs-cartrid…

Like Waymon3x6, I also recommend fatboygeo's YouTube page.

 
Bolt:

In terms of quality of shave, straight razor > safety razor > cartridge razor.

I've used all three. The straight razor will give you the best shave, but it has a long learning curve and will chew up a lot of time per shave until you become good. As an analyst, I used the safety razor during the week and the straight razor on weekends if I had some time.

Impressed by this thread. Electric saves so much time that unless your facial hair/skin needs a safety or double edged razor, its very hard to justify anything else (maybe keep a mach 3/fusion in your desk for all-nighters).

 

I'm convinced and am making the switch....help me decide between these kits please.

http://www.classicshaving.com/sets-kits/safety-razor-sets/classic-safet…

http://www.amazon.com/Baxter-of-California-Shaving-Kit/dp/B00F3J0WGA/re…

Leaning towards the first because I think it looks much better, unless the razor is inferior (doesn't seem to be a Merkur). Will I do fine with the former or should I get the latter?

 

@Nefarious:

thanks for that. I can't get a straight razor right now simply because I won't have the time to use it/master it during my upcoming IB SA stint but I'm definitely switching to a safety razor. See my earlier comment quoted below- can you comment on which kit would be a better starting point (or on which brush, shaving soap etc I should buy individually)? Kit would be nice because it's easy.

notthehospitalER:

I'm convinced and am making the switch....help me decide between these kits please.

http://www.classicshaving.com/sets-kits/safety-raz...

http://www.amazon.com/Baxter-of-California-Shaving...

Leaning towards the first because I think it looks much better, unless the razor is inferior (doesn't seem to be a Merkur). Will I do fine with the former or should I get the latter?

 
notthehospitalER:

@nefarious:

thanks for that. I can't get a straight razor right now simply because I won't have the time to use it/master it during my upcoming IB SA stint but I'm definitely switching to a safety razor. See my earlier comment quoted below- can you comment on which kit would be a better starting point (or on which brush, shaving soap etc I should buy individually)? Kit would be nice because it's easy.

notthehospitalER:

I'm convinced and am making the switch....help me decide between these kits please.

http://www.classicshaving.com/sets-kits/safety-raz...

http://www.amazon.com/Baxter-of-California-Shaving...

Leaning towards the first because I think it looks much better, unless the razor is inferior (doesn't seem to be a Merkur). Will I do fine with the former or should I get the latter?

I don't think you need to spend that much for a kit starting out.

Head over to www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge and read up on some info located in the sidebar. They even have specific kit suggestions in broken down price ranges.

You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son.
 

I made the switch to a safety awhile ago. Didn't feel ready for a straight razor, and even learning how to use a safety razor has taken me sometime (still get myself pretty good sometimes when I'm in a hurry), and getting the neck is a little tougher due to the angle.

Bottom line though, I actually think that it's cheaper to use a safety razor in the long run. Up front costs are pretty high, but once you get the basics, a 10 pack of blades costs like $8 and they last you way longer than a normal disposable razor pack.

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for freedom of thought which they seldom use.
 

Here is something I wrote for a post about shaving a while ago:

Don't worry everyone - I am here. Stand by for my extensive knowledge of shaving.

First and foremost: Shave with a straight razor. There isn't even really anything else to discuss. Sure, there will be a nominal upfront capital investment, but what you are investing in (if a quality product like a dovo) will last you forever. You will simply need a sharpening stone to sharpen it when it starts dulling over time.

The straight razor provides the closest shave out of any option that you can find. Including over the safety razor. A safety razor would be a good second option to the straight; however, its downfall is you will need to continue to buy blades. Not only will you need to continue to buy blades, but you will need to test many blades to find which one is perfect for your face. This can result in a waste of time and money.

The cartridge razors are extremely overpriced for what you get. It has been a long time since I purchased a pack of cartridges, but I think the price of one pack (which lasts like, what, a month maybe?) is the cost of an actual safety razor - three months and you could have bought your straight razor for life.

Never use an electric razor to shave your face. It is like using a fucking cheese grater. As you can see from the following picture, there is a huge difference between using a blade and an electric and over time the continued use of electric razors can lead to acne, ingrown hairs and even a disgusting infection called folliculitis.

http://i.imgur.com/fkkn3.png

I typically shave at night - this cuts down on irritation. There is a proper format to the shave, it typically goes as follows:

1 - Shower (This will soften the beard and open the pores) 2 - Apply pre-shave cream or oil (optional - really depends on stubble thickness and skin sensitivity) 3 - Prep your shave (Strop the straight blade, soak the brush in warm water, etc) 4 - Prepare your lather 5 - Apply lather with brush 6 - Shave with the grain first, stretching your skin to create a flat, tight surface for the blade to pass on 7 - Re-apply shave cream and shave against the grain (optional, but will result in a smoother/closer shave) 8 - If you cut yourself, apply a stipic pencil 9 - Use a warm washcloth to clean your face 8 - Use a warm washcloth on your face to help cure your face and re-open the pores to remove excess dirt 9 - Apply a cold washcloth to close the pores, this will help prevent acne or infections 10 - Apply your aftershave 11 - Once the aftershave has dried, apply a face lotion

Voilà - you are now alpha.

link: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/shaving-0

You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son.
 
notthehospitalER:

I don't get a close shave using those anymore (unless I shave with the grain, then across it, then against it) why is why I want to switch.

I guess that depends on what you consider 'close' and how worn out your blade is but personally I have no desire to make my face look as smooth as a baby's bottom. A slight amount of stubble/scruff is perfect.

 
DickFuld:

I just slap on some foamy shaving cream and shave, using Gillette Fusion. Works just fine. I would imagine most people have slightly better things to do with their time than spending three hours shaving.

My thoughts exactly. Who has time for all of this?

Must be nice to be born with skin that doesn't get razor bumps. FML
 

I'm not going to lie, I initially got turned onto it after watching Skyfall. With that said, I think it's awesome despite all the fuck ups I had early on.

Not sure, I enjoy chiming in and sharing my thoughts on other threads and I'm not sure there is a whole lot for me to add if I did an AMA.

 

It is nice not having to buy those little fucking Gillette razors. Now if I hold one I feel like a massive pussy, I never thought of myself as vain but the notion does make me laugh a little bit.

I'd show the wife how to do it for me but I'm not sure I want to endure the nicks and cuts of her learning curve.

 

Started using a DE safety several years ago and never looked back. Get you a good brush/soap and makes it even better. I also use Art of Shaving pre-shave oil.

Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.
 

Great thread, been meaning to make the switch for a while, just haven't done it yet for whatever reason. I really get tired of the irritation and redness I get from my Proglide, although I have to say that new Flex Ball handle helps a bit.

However, I also have very thick and very curly facial hair, so ingrown hairs are a constant worry. And I need multiple passes even with a fresh Proglide cartridge. After constantly reading rave reviews of straight razors, especially by people with my type of facial hair...I think it's time to try it.

"When you stop striving for perfection, you might as well be dead."
 

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