Hello, I'm sort of a newbie, I've been wetshaving for about 2 months now, I get a nice shave with my assorted DE's my best DE shave comes from my slim, I also have an eveready 1912 which gives me a phenomenal shave and a quicker shave a step above the slim. I used a straight for the first time last night,Only did the sides of my face,My mustache and chin area were giving me a problem so I quit with the straight and finished off the ATG and problem areas with a DE. I think my problem with the straight is that it's not sharp enough. Now my question is. Is it even possible to get a better shave from a straight than with a single edge? I can get 100 DE blades for $8 that give me a good shave and each blade lasts me about 5 shaves. Is the shave from the straight that much better? Taking into consideration the price of a hone and strop and anything else needed to maintain a straight? Thanks in advance to anyone who helps me with this question.
Better is subjective. I get a "better" shave with a DE or SE than a str8 if I'm talking about nicks, cuts, or weepers. Usually wind up with one or two of those with every str8 shave. I also get a little closer, smoother shave with a DE or SE. That's the main reason I only use a str8 on Saturdays. I can take my time and reduce injury I get a "better" shave with a str8 if I'm talking about the sheer fun of it. For me it's just too cool to be shaving with a str8.
Somewhere I saw a post, maybe by Danny, or Bob, or Basil about how when he got into straights he had to switch from shaving everyday to every other day or do because the shaves were so incredibly close... But, there there are a lot of people who use straights every day too, like Dov or Mike, or Bruce (Bruce - c'mon back! One more photo okay?) What really matters is that you are getting the quality of shave that you desire and hopefully having fun doing it!
Better !!! Better, as already stated is subjective.. First SR's are a learning experience, even a week of shaving doesn't tell you anything... The razor is probably sharp enough, your technique using a SR probably needs honing (assuming you bought a Pro-Honed blade) Stropping is the most important part of a smooth comfortable shave, it takes at least 6 months to develop a stropping technique that can correct the edge properly...You can get by with good shaves as you learn but somewhere around the 6 month mark the lights will come on the angels will sing sweetly that OMG that was a nice shave happy102 One of the best quotes I have seen in a SR Sig line is the one that says "Using a SR is not a destination, it is a journey" Now for me there is no question about what is better, a properly honed and stropped SR will leave my face smooth and COMFORTABLE not a mass of red bumps like every other type of razor, next in comfort is a DE after that I won't touch them... I am also assuming that you already know about lathering and proper angles from DE shaving
Thanks everyone for the replies,I'm pretty sure i have the proper angles and technique from DE shaving down,I have no problem with any irritation or nicks or anything from single edge or DE shaving,I was just trying to figure out if the journey to straight edge shaving was worth the price of the boarding pass. I think it will be a journey i will travel on but it will be a slow voyage with DE being my primary tool,The straight edge skill will be built up slowly because it is a skill I'd like to acquire but if there isn't a massive advantage over DE then there's no rush. Thanks again for everyone's input. I'm loving this website and the plethora of information.
Only for so long buddy - just until a mod noticed and removed the duplicate. On subject - I only use DE/SE razors as I simply don't have the time to learn and maintain a straight. At some point this all becomes about enjoying shaving and at some point economics and subtle difference in results aren't as important. Unless getting a good shave really cheap or getting super-duper smooth are what you enjoy most. So, do you think you'd enjoy the straight more than the SE you're using?
I don't shave with a str8 for a closer more comfortable shave-at my level I'm definitely getting that from the DE/SE. I do it for (as Glenn quoted) the journey-it's just a very cool thing to do. It's also a great challenge to learn a new skill, one that ties me to the past. I suppose there's a romantic aspect to it. After several months I'm definitely getting better and safer shaves from a straight. I also do this only on weekends as I quickly learned it is not very forgiving if you try to rush it. My straight shaves are currently much better than my cartridge shaves ever were, but not as good as the DE/SE. It'll be interesting to see how it develops in the future. I'm in no hurry.
I suppose if I were only interested in the economics of shaving, I’d grow a beard! But there’s so much more to it. When I first started with a DE…..the learning curve was pretty short and after a few months of BBS shaves I had an unquenchable urge to move on to the next logical thing – Straights. That learning curve is steeper, but no less satisfying. And besides, there’s so much neat equipment you get to accumulate other than just razors and blades. I’ve tried to convert some of my buddies to wet shaving. Some of them have, and some haven’t. Some seem to like DE, but don’t want to go further, and some, like me, have the urge to move on up to Straights. When I was younger, I figured that anybody that didn’t think and do exactly like I did, was just flat out mixed up….But, as I got older, I mellowed and now I understand that the things that trip my trigger won’t necessarily trip everyone’s trigger. Like the commercials say….Some get it – some don’t. If I have to explain – you wouldn’t understand. To each their own. Different strokes for different folks. -FREEHAND-
Yes Jeff, it was me! Str8 shaving wrecked my everyday shaving routine, that and the slant. But with SR shaving, for me anyhow, it is not the most comfortable shave...yet, but I get way closer than any other way I have shaved. Also, it is as close to being Clint Eastwood as any of us can really get. It is the skydiving of the shaving world; there isn't anymore freer way of doing it. Its just you and your skill vs your beard. Somedays, the beard wins but every time I do it, I get a smidge better, both in the shave and in the stropping. There have been a few times that, as Glen said, "you can hear the angels sing," but that doesn't happen every time, which is part of why I keep trying. I'm to the point now to where I'm going to get stones and a new strop because I haven't nicked my old strop in a while, so I have progressed to the point of beginning to take it a bit more serious. Whatever you choose, best of luck to you.
Just wanted to thank everyone for the replies. And somewhat of an update,I tried a straight for the second time This time I used hot KMF and Bigelow cream lather and a Karbono Spezial I just got off the bay. The shave had to be 80% better than last time,Still needed the DE on the chin to get the BBS and definitely didn't want to attempt it on my head yet,I like the challenge and will keep on trying it. Thanks everyone for their suggestions.
