Anyone here shave with a straight razor?

[JRoot]

If you have pulled a straight razor across the grain of your facial hair, you have known what it was to be a shaven man for the two centuries that preceded our birth. In the process, you have learned why it is that so many men in old photographs had moustaches. By far, the most difficult part of the face to shave straight is the upper lip. The nose and the cleft between the nose and mouth both present difficult and dangerous obstacles to cutting the hair to the quick.

I bought my straight razor on our honeymoon in a hill town in Tuscany. Although this was three years ago, I don't feel like I have my strop skills on lock. Pointers are welcome.

Sharp.
JRoot

 

[Flomotion]

Straight razors are strictly for barbers - shaving yourself with an open razor takes serious practice to get an even shave and there's always a tiny nick somewhere on the edge that just makes the whole thing a real number. I had no choice but to use one for six months. Never again. Shove your strop up your arse.

 

[sabadabada]

whats a "razor"?

 

[resk]

i cut at a barber shop for about 8 months when i was doing undergrad. The shop was illegal as fuck, there where 4 barbers who came in at about 5pm (when inspectors stop coming) and stayed open til 1-2am. Anyways, i learned to use a straight edge. There are two type of blades, one that was kinda expensive, almost a dollar a blade (i started with this one) and one another one where you snap into two and was dirt cheap and comes in a dispinser. This one worked straight with me.

Anyways, even when i was cutting at a shop and was very comfortable using a straight blade, i wouldnt try it on myself as you have to get some crazy angles that i couldnt imagine trying on myself.

Also, none of us barbers just jumped straight into using blade, we would line you up first with trimmers such as these

then use one of these

and my most known client was probably mista sinister formerly of xmen/xecutioners

 

[canonical]

haha, this thread is fun to read.

I would like to try to shave with a straight but don't want to go through the hassle of purchasing one as I'm sure I'll f*** up and never do it again.

 

[Lazer]

some serious shit

serious shave talk

 

[the_average_man]

The shop was illegal as fuck, there where 4 barbers who came in at about 5pm (when inspectors stop coming) and stayed open til 1-2am.

inspectors? What the frig were they inspecting? And barber shops that stay open til 2am are

but in this country so non-existant

 

[profeign]

If you have pulled a straight razor across the grain of your facial hair, you have known what it was to be a shaven man for the two centuries that preceded our birth. In the process, you have learned why it is that so many men in old photographs had moustaches. By far, the most difficult part of the face to shave straight is the upper lip. The nose and the cleft between the nose and mouth both present difficult and dangerous obstacles to cutting the hair to the quick.

I bought my straight razor on our honeymoon in a hill town in Tuscany. Although this was three years ago, I don't feel like I have my strop skills on lock. Pointers are welcome.

Sharp.
JRoot

I started using my feather straight razor a few weeks ago and it's in the house. Best. shave. ever. but it takes hella time.

The best part about it (you guys with safety razors/wetshaving folls and probably already in the know) is I take a pyrex nearly full of water and throw it in the microwave 'til it's ~boiling and then put a little sauce dish on top and let that shit heat up my fly ass british sandalwood shaving cream. With the pyrex and shit I feel like my rig should be in the liner notes of Only Built for Cuban Links.

Hot shaving cream and a brush is So, so, so, so

Can I get a witness on the hot shaving cream? Best part.

Anyway picture of rig to come.

As for stropping there are videos on youtube and some sites like the well shaven gentleman. there are at least five shaving (straight and safety razor) forums on the web that are a wealth of info.

Some are:

shavemyface.com
straightrazorplace
wetshavers

look at shaveblog online to find links to shit. Apparently to strop properly you need strop paste and a light technique. There are even DVDs on honing and stropping if you're that into it.

 

[profeign]

and PS: the upper lip isn't nearly as hard as the line of the jaw where it changes from your face to your neck. from about one inch on either side of the chin to the other is the hardest. Plus the neck is easiest to nick up because it's the thinnest skin. Folls that shave with any type of blade razor probably get most irritation/bleeding/bumps on their necks for this same reason.

Light touch is the key with a straight razor AFAICT

 

[profeign]

I use a merkur safety razor. The blades are dirt cheap, fuck a mach7turboshitmagiclevel9 razor.

Cosign on the Merkur. I use one of those also.

If you'd like to learn more about how to use it the guy that owns the store below has a wealth of information. People from all over the country go into his shop for shave clinics to learn his wet shave technique.

http://enchanteonline.com
http://enchanteonline.com/pages/faqs/primerfinal.pdf

-billb
Do you use the adjustability on that thing? I want to try a DE safety but I don't want to drop $50 on an adjustable if I can get a standard for $18...

 

[profeign]

This is the new blade I'm getting shortly:

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

$60, which is cheap for a new straight razor, but still hella bank for a razor in general.

 

[Bambouche]

I bought my straight razor on our honeymoon in a hill town in Tuscany. Although this was three years ago, I don't feel like I have my strop skills on lock. Pointers are welcome.

The guy that used to give me tattoos would shave the area with a straight razor before putting on the stencil. It doesn't seem like a big deal when it's your arm, but getting my neck, chest (nipples!), lower belly (pubes!), and armpit shaved with a straight razor was fucking chilling. Not to mention the dude was the scariest fucking guy I've ever seen. Pure.Evil. When he shaved my neck, he put a brand new blade in the razor, held it up, leaned in real close and whispered, "Now, you're gonna wanna hold reeeeal still."

Never even a nick. Perhaps 30 years in prison is good for something?

 

[Gnat]

Hell sometimes I use the box cutter at work if I miss a spot.

Not trying to blow up anyone's ego or anything, but seriously...