They are cheaper to buy. Cheaper to collect. And you get to experiment with changing the blade. I am going to say: DE's are EASIER TO USE. But this is an uninformed opinion. I have never used a straight. But when you think about a hone, a strop. And then add to it that you are trying to keep a piece of steel, that is designed to get wet, from rusting. VS changing the blade after a week or so. I think that all the stainless steel in my shave closet looks dead sexy. Straights look great when they are open, but a bit boring in storage. Now after saying all that, I have 3 straights at lynn's being honed, a staight in my socks drawer, and my eye on one at billysblades(dot)com.
I am using straights on the weekend when I have more time and I can take more time. The DE is what my grandfather used, and I could dive right in. Plethora of DE available, plethora of blades, etc. Straight requires so much blade prep time to get a satisfactory shave,, but I am getting there. I am sure some day I will be doing straights more than DE's, seems to be the progression, but right now its 70/30 DE to Straight.
I have both in my arsenal, DE's are fun too...and I can get through a shave pretty quick with one ( When rushed )..so I guess the time saving thing is a plus sometimes.
Not even close. A straight shave is closer than anything you have experienced. There are folks that enjoy great shaves with DE's and dont feel the need to change. Whe I started on this path I had a goal and that was to learn to shave with a straight. But shaving with a straight is not for everyone. It is a skill that takes time to learn. Some folks learn faster others take a bit more time. Once I made the switch I shaved with one every day and I also used both hands to learn. Raf
For a short time I did, until I had a good understanding of my facial growth characteristics. Once I was confident I could shave with a DE I made the switch. Raf
Unitl recently, I had never thought about using a straight. There is a cool factor to using a straight, but after reading all of the prep necessary, it's way too much work. I am also getting bbs shaves with my DE's. A straight may be able to deliver a closer shave, but I don't see how right now. There is also another reason. The safety razor as we know it was developed to be safe and not spill blood. That was King Camp Gillette's impetus and it remains a good reason. But if you like a straight, you have my admiration.
I just dunno!!! Convenience maybe... But I'm leaning towards a straight and I'll probably buy one soon... As a matter of fact, I'll probably buy the whole kit and kaboodle... when I get involved with something, I dive in whole Hog... You think this is expensive... Try skydiving... That's a story for another day... Enjoy your shave...
'Cause I'm fond of my throat just the way it is. I always wanted a barbershop shave. Then I started wet shaving. Now I'm less inclined to have a total stranger wielding razor sharp metal against my throat.
I can certainly see the connection between jumping out of a perfectly good airplane and shaving with a straight when you have a safety razor in your drawer.
I like the cool factor of a straight razor. I enjoy the maintenance of the edge. I'm not skilled enough for restoration. My sr shaves rival my de shaves, but in the end, my de shaves are easier and quicker to get bbs. Not to say bbs hasnt been achieved with sr. But de is the easier road. (For now). But i do believe that my de and sr experinces have complimented each other. The back and forth has made each easier and better. Every time i put one down for a while, i return to it feeling more proficient. I am enjoying both.
