And that's CLOSE! Baby butt smooth close. I have a pretty heavy beard, but I can shave the night before and get through the next day without noticeable stubble.
I popped myself a couple of times (minor) when I first started with the shavette, but since then I can only tell when I rub the alum bar over my face or splash some Osage Orange AS on.
It takes a bit longer (being careful, you know), but with the DE or the shavette it's more of an experience than a chore.
What I'm looking for is some counsel. Besides the romance of a pure straight razor, what are the advantages of one over a shavette? Will it shave even closer? Is it enough value-added in the experience category to make up for the added effort/expense required?
Et cetera...
You probably know what I'm asking, because if you're a straight razor shaver you went through the same process.
Thanks!
C
I went down that route too.. I’m back on vibrating 16-blade razors now.
I have some thick hairs - I can kill 3 disposables in a morning. With the ridiculously expensive cartridges it costs me about $20 per season to shave.
And I’m sure that when there are 20 blades on the thing they’ll offer financing. :)
If you’re going to be a real cut throat shaver you’ve got to get into the zen of doing your own stropping and honing.
A little off the subject, but a note on sharpening.
I bought a cheap belt sander 30” belt 1” wide. I can now shave with all my good knives. A Canadian company sells all manner of Belts, 250 grit to 1200 grit to leather strop belts.
I have maybe $100 invested totally and after a little practice free-handing the edge angles is simple.
Death?
Have you ever seen Sweeney Todd?
This is off topic, but that reminded me of a funny story I read a number of years ago.
There was a debate between 2 candidates for some local office, and one of the candidates was completely bald. His opponent jokingly put his hand on the bald one's head and said, "That feels as smooth as my wife's bottom." The bald guy reached up, rubbed his own head and said, "You're right, it does."
I just wanted to say that I am glad to hear that your razor is straight. Other orientations can create troublesome dilemmas...
Can’t help on this one.
I’m leaving enough blood around already from somewhere (foot, leg, arm, hand, head) about every day just from normal work around the house and I get the “Where are you bleeding now?” from the wife...
I’ll stay away from the straight razors. No sense adding to the blood loss, carpet, sheet and furniture stains.
You are correct about honing, but I bought the stones required and do the honing myself. There are a couple of dedicated forums for straight razor shaving and there will be a bunch of good information for you there. I took it up about 6 years ago, after inheriting my great grandfather’s shaving mug. Once you get the hang of it I guarantee you, nothing else shaves as close. But, there will likely be some bleeding involved to get to that point!
I’ve used a straight blade for a couple of decades, and never needed to have one honed for me. My present razor (I’ve owned two) is a Solingen stainless (DOVO En Vogue No. 105) and it has served me very well with proper care and use of a strop.
it pays for itself after the first pack of triple-tracks you DO NOT have to buy
If the razor is shave ready, it should never require more than the occasional touch up on a barber hone or a modern equivalent unless you drop it (don’t try to catch it—get away) or bang it on the sink, etc. I’ve been using my current razor almost exclusively for the last several years and have never sent it off. When a good stropping fails to revive the edge, I give it 5-10 laps on a barber hone and I’m off to the races. I touch it up once a month or so. As for shave quality, it really depends on technique. I can get closer than with other methods, but it takes time and effort, so mostly I just do a quick couple passes and call it done. My reason for using the cutthroat is twofold. First, I find it to be the least irritating method for me. Second, my penny-pinching nature appreciates using one blade for decades as opposed to dropping $20 every few weeks for disposable blades. And yes, I do get a little jolly shaving with a lethal weapon.
Try Dollar Shave Club for cheap disposables.
If nothing else, they have a hilarious video....
As a woman I really have to ask: what’s your problem with stubble? Does it itch? Does it hurt? Does it cause you discomfort? What’s wrong with it, from a male point-of-view? I don’t get it.
If hubs his a bit scruffy, it can hurt; but that’s not the norm. Usually takes 24 hours before it’s a problem.
Say, that reminds me. I’ve not seen Sweeny Todd in a while...
In the book KING SOLOMON’S MINES, one of the explorers is shaving with a new fangled “safety razor” when a knife hits the tree near his head. He mentioned that if he had been using a straight razor he would have cut his own throat.
Funny, in the CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED comics of the 1950s they show this scene with the explorer using a straight razor.
Bad, bad Leroy Brown
He got a gun in his pocket for fun
and a razor in his shoe.
Say Captain, if we join the army can we carry our razors?
If we carry our razors in this war (yak,yak,yak,)
We’ll cut dose Germans to the core (yak,yak,yak)
I may be singing loud but a razor in a crowd
does more execution than a fourty four!(Yak,yak,yak)
They’ll be no dogone Kaiser,
If we carry our razors in this war!
Good on you,but, why? There is a reason why those aren’t so popular any more...
I use a triple blade gillete, can’t remember the name, and probably spend about $35 total a year on replacement blades. I shave pretty much every day too.
Don’t bother. Sign up with the Dollar Shave Club. It’s a great deal.
If you weren’t supposed to have hair on your face it wouldn’t grow there. Leave them whiskers alone and save time and money.