Straight razor shaving...

Chasaway

[Chasaway]

I need some straight razor advice, from some straight razor veterans. I've been shaving with a safety razor, mug and brush for 12 years. I've moved to a shavette straight razor in the last 3 months.

It seems to me that moving to a pure straight razor will mean sending razors off to be honed 3-4 times per year @ around $30 per pop.

Besides the "romance" and general badass-ness of using a true straight razor, what would be the advantages/disadvantages of moving to a pure straight razor/throat cutter?

[Army Air Corps]

That may be true for some men, but not for all.

[Chasaway]

You’re bad....

[roamer_1]

WTH is a body grinder?!!

Well, I'd like to say I was drunk and not paying attention, but I was just not paying attention. ; P

[Chasaway]

Oh, just dayum.

[Chasaway]

I’ll tell you this: it may not be the easiest way to do it, but like the poster upthread said, it’s a man’s bubble bath. It’s relaxing, it’s therapeutic and it gives one a sense of pride in their grooming.

I recommend either safety razor or straight razor shaving.

Thanks for your comment.

[Army Air Corps]

For me, it would be a way to connect with my forbearers. My maternal and paternal grandfathers shaved with safety razors and their fathers shaved with straight razors, so it would be akin to carrying a tradition into the present.

[roamer_1]

Oh, just dayum.

Yeah... that was a bad day... Kept it off my face, other than a nick out of my nose. Saved the grinder, but the beard had to go - What was left of it after chopping the grinder loose wasn't much to look at, what with all the bleeding and everything...

[roamer_1]

disposable blade that is generally acknowledged to be SHARPER, and thus less irritating, than any regular straight razor.

There ain't no such thing this side of obsidian. If that razor ain't sharp, it's because it wasn't sharpened properly. My hunting knife is sharper than most folks' razors. It seems it is a dying art. Just sayin.

[VR-21]

I own a translucent Arkansas stone, so I guess I have the wherewithal to hone it if I needed to, but I never have. A good quality strop will combine a heavy fabric strap with a leather strap, and the heavy fabric one is used somewhat as the coarse ‘sharpening’ surface (though it doesn’t actually remove any metal) and the leather one does the usual stropping job of restoring the keen edge. Use a good dressing on the strop, and dry your razor after you use it and you should be fine. While shaving, mine seems to give a better shave when I rinse it in cold water for some reason, and I usually shave before I shower as the hot water softens my beard...and the razor shaves closer when the whiskers are ‘standing-up.’ Good Luck. Oh, there’s a bit of a learning curve, and you’ll experience a few nicks and cuts when you begin. I believe that being ‘tentative’ when you begin is perfectly understandable but I think it causes the cuts. An even firm stroke PERPENDICULAR TO THE BLADE is preferred. Methods vary from man to man because beards ‘lie’ differently. I took it up for the same reason you seem interested...I wanted to keep an old way alive.

[Marie]

You have no idea! :)

[papertyger]

There ain't no such thing this side of obsidian....

That may well be, FRiend, but I've seen the same comment come up enough times, and from enough different sources (shaving forums, videos, etc.) that I'm inclined to believe these people know what they're talking about.

These Feather blades are so renown for their sharpness there's even a third party manufacturer making an alternative blade-holder/razor called the "Cobra" that orients the blade like a modern disposable. They sell for something like $165-$180, and there is a perennial waiting list to obtain them.

I think if anyone COULD manufacture a blade that out sharpens a real master with the waterstone, it would be the guys that make scalpels.

[Chasaway]

Does anyone have any experience with “Dr. Matt” - from Youtube fame (drmatt357)?

He uses a little unorthodox sharpening method to (purportedly) get an extremely sharp edge on straight razors. For example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRMu-WEaFNE

His videos are very interesting and he shows the whole process.

The bits I’ve watched indicate that the level of sharpness is unsurpassed. I’m interested in learning how to hone, etc. my own stuff and what he has to say is intriguing.

Comments?

[The Cajun]

WOW! Well I'm going to be ordering one of those USB microscopes, kind of a good thing to have anyway.
Not really interested in straight razors, have a beard for the last 40 years, but am a fanatic on sharp knives.
Lots of good info on video that can be applied.
Never really thought of using a microscope to look at the edge, usually went by feel for any "fold over" and how well it would shave the hair on my arm as a test.

Thanks for the vid.

[Chasaway]

Thanks for the reply.

The dude seems to have something going on.

I’m gonna see if the edges are as sharp as presented.

If so, I’m doing all of my knives, as well as my razors.

I like me a sharp edge.

[The Cajun]

Already been checking out USB microscopes.

Looking at one close to $180, goes from X5 to X500 power, has a nice microscope stand with a vernier control knob height adjustment, compatible with Win 8.

Celestron, the well known telescope outfit, has some models also.

[Army Air Corps]

I am looking at a model with a nice wood handle. Do you prefer shaving soap or shaving cream?

[Chasaway]

I use several different things, varying on my mood.

1. Proraso Eucalyptus/menthol cream
2. Proraso Sandalwood cream
3. Arko stick
4. Musgo cream
5. Tabac soap (puck)

I also use Cremo, but I use it as a “pre-shave”. I put it on and then apply a lather on top of it. It seems to slick things up some.