Shaving with a Straight Razor

[Mr. King]

I sort of became a collector of straight razors a few years back, and currently own 4 old ones, the oldest dating to the 1840s from Sheffield, England. Two of them belonged to my Great Grandfather who died in 1937, and have not been used since.
I've never used any of my antiques, mainly because they need reconditioning to be usable, but also because I lack the skill to hone one and maintain one.
I did recently get a "Dovo Shavette" for Christmas, which is a straight razor with disposable stainless steel blades, much like a modern barber might use. I must say that after using it 3 or 4 times, and shedding a little blood, I have gotten pretty dang good with it, and find it to be preferable to the normal modern razor blades.
That said, it's still a little too complicated for a soldier in the ACW to do on any kind of a regular basis, and especially not without soap & mirror on a muddy creek bank. I can definitely understand a little better why beards suddenly became popular.
It also means that that's how UNpopular beards were in the Rev War, and the War of 1812. They hated beards so bad, they went through the trouble to shave fairly regularly.

With all the reenactors and general history nuts in this forum, are there any straight razor users here?

 

[Michael W.]

No! I would cut my own throat....
Most people I re-enact with never shave at all at an event. I don't ever recall personally seeing someone shave at an event with a straight razor. I went to a new person recently to have my hair cut, and when she went to trim the hair on the back of my neck, she whipped out a straight razor. I said. "Whoa, what do you plan to do with THAT?" She said that straight razors give a closer cut than electric trimmers. She was right about that, but that blade on the back of my neck creeped me out a bit...

 

[DixieRifles]

I used to use a shaving Mug. Does that count?
I got tired of soap in a can. Too harsh. I finally found a shaving brush that was nice and didn't smell like the animal it was taken from. Then I quite buying pre-fab soap for my Mug and just cut a regular bar of Jergens to fit the cut.

 

[MRB1863]

Just ordered another cake of shaving soap for my mug! Ordered the Bay Rum fragrance, but still use a traditional double edged razor to trim around my beard. No straight razor for me, especially being on blood thinner medication!!! I do remember, when much much younger...going to the barber shop. He trimmed around neck and sideburns with a straight razor, then slapped some type of shave lotion on after finishing his crew cut masterpiece. Remember the wax that made the front hairs stand straight???

 

[Mr. King]

My grandpa's dad shaved without a mirror. He'd feel

I used to use a shaving Mug. Does that count?
I got tired of soap in a can. Too harsh. I finally found a shaving brush that was nice and didn't smell like the animal it was taken from. Then I quite buying pre-fab soap for my Mug and just cut a regular bar of Jergens to fit the cut.

My brushes always smell like a beast. I hate that part, but I have yet to find a synthetic brush.

I also have my great grandfathers brush, and it's actually in good shape. I still don't want to use it, knowing he used it last.

 

[Mr. King]

Just ordered another cake of shaving soap for my mug! Ordered the Bay Rum fragrance, but still use a traditional double edged razor to trim around my beard. No straight razor for me, especially being on blood thinner medication!!! I do remember, when much much younger...going to the barber shop. He trimmed around neck and sideburns with a straight razor, then slapped some type of shave lotion on after finishing his crew cut masterpiece. Remember the wax that made the front hairs stand straight???

I do remember "Butch Wax", though I am only 32. My grandpaw took my brother and I to the same barber shop every other Saturday for 15 years, beginning at 5 years old. We were only allowed flattops, and the old barber had been a navy barber in both ww2 and korea. He passed away when I was about 22 years old, and I swear, I havent had a decent "high & tight" since. The days of the old school barber shop are gone. It is a dying trade. very sad.

http://www.herbancowboy.com/
Here is the best shavng soap I have found, though they dont show it on their website. I can only find it at Whole Foods, and while I care little for the vegan label, it smells dang good. My wife says that "Thats how God intended for a man to smell."

 

[millerpsc]

I have a phobia of cuts so no thank you. I wait until I look like Chewbacca before I shave and that's with cheap disposable razors from dollar General. Just watching movies of people using a straight razor creeps me out

 

[Mr. King]

I can assure you fellas, straight shaving, minus the art of blade maintenance, is much easier than you think. It is a lost art, and something us history nerds have a duty to revive. I would even venture to say that it is much better for your skin, sighting the fact that you are dragging 1 blade instead of 3 or 5.

Also, as far as frugality goes, with the disposable I have, the handle was about $35 and the replacement blades are less than $1 each, and I have been getting 4 - 5 shaves out of each one. I could probably go more if need be.

The antiques I bought were all less than $20 each, and I have found multiple locations online that restore them to working order for $30, plus shipping.
I haven't invested in a strop and honing stone, or the paste it seems to require, but I see about $50 covering all that.

A new blade from a decent source will run you between $100 & $200. While that sounds crazy, consider that if you care for it properly, you should never have to buy another razor for the rest of your life.

I cannot see how anyone living out of a haversack would have had the time or the room in the haversack to carry the razor + the strap, which seems to be the minimum equipment requirement, not to mention the soap, which would be pretty hard to come by.

 

[millerpsc]

Being a deer Hunter I keep my knives razor sharp (I have the bald spots on my legs to prove it) I use a whet rock and an old belt. It's amazing how much sharper a knife can be when using a belt or piece of leather to hone the blade. Still wouldn't use one to shave with...just one mistake and you'll have a reminder for the rest of your life about why using a modern razor is safer.

 

[Mr. King]

Being a deer Hunter I keep my knives razor sharp (I have the bald spots on my legs to prove it) I use a whet rock and an old belt. It's amazing how much sharper a knife can be when using a belt or piece of leather to hone the blade. Still wouldn't use one to shave with...just one mistake and you'll have a reminder for the rest of your life about why using a modern razor is safer.

It's easier to use a straight razor than you may think. At one time, before WW1, every man with a clean face used a straight razor.
Slap on some nice pre-shve oil, which makes it safer, then dab on some lather, then start shaving. I find it safest and most efficient to hold it at about a 20 t0 30 degree angle. DO NOT move the blade laterally.
The hardest part for the first few times was the chin, which led me to believe that to be the origin on the goatee. If all I was shaving was the cheeks, I'd be done in 2 or 3 minutes, as opposed to 10 or 12 for the whole job.
The only cuts I've incurred were on my chin, and only the first couple times I used it.

 

[millerpsc]

It's easier to use a straight razor than you may think. At one time, before WW1, every man with a clean face used a straight razor.
Slap on some nice pre-shve oil, which makes it safer, then dab on some lather, then start shaving. I find it safest and most efficient to hold it at about a 20 t0 30 degree angle. DO NOT move the blade laterally.
The hardest part for the first few times was the chin, which led me to believe that to be the origin on the goatee. If all I was shaving was the cheeks, I'd be done in 2 or 3 minutes, as opposed to 10 or 12 for the whole job.
The only cuts I've incurred were on my chin, and only the first couple times I used it.

You sound like someone trying to sell me drugs...

 

[Mr. King]

You sound like someone trying to sell me drugs...

Well, I am in sales, but its structural steel fabrication that I am selling at the moment.
My personalty profile has me pegged as "persuasive", so I guess it fits the bill.

 

[Mr. King]

You sound like someone trying to sell me drugs...

 

[millerpsc]

Well, I am in sales, but its structural steel fabrication that I am selling at the moment.
My personalty profile has me pegged as "persuasive", so I guess it fits the bill.

If I had a little more faith in myself I would try it but I know how I think and what I'd be thinking about right as I'm about to run that blade across my face is, 'what if there's an earthquake?' Or 'what if I sneezed'?

 

[Mr. King]

If I had a little more faith in myself I would try it but I know how I think and what I'd be thinking about right as I'm about to run that blade across my face is, 'what if there's an earthquake?' Or 'what if I sneezed'?

Grandpaw said his daddy shaved with a straight razor w/out a mirror. He'd feel a little, shave a little.... feel a little....shave a little....

 

[DixieRifles]

My brushes always smell like a beast. I hate that part, but I have yet to find a synthetic brush.

I bought cheap brushes at Walky World or such & they stunk. I finally bought an expensive one at a cigar store and it was much better in every way. Still have in drawer by my sink--ready to use.

 

[FarawayFriend]

It's easier to use a straight razor than you may think. At one time, before WW1, every man with a clean face used a straight razor.
Slap on some nice pre-shve oil, which makes it safer, then dab on some lather, then start shaving. I find it safest and most efficient to hold it at about a 20 t0 30 degree angle. DO NOT move the blade laterally.
The hardest part for the first few times was the chin, which led me to believe that to be the origin on the goatee. If all I was shaving was the cheeks, I'd be done in 2 or 3 minutes, as opposed to 10 or 12 for the whole job.
The only cuts I've incurred were on my chin, and only the first couple times I used it.

If I had a little more faith in myself I would try it but I know how I think and what I'd be thinking about right as I'm about to run that blade across my face is, 'what if there's an earthquake?' Or 'what if I sneezed'?

My Dad always shaved with a straight razor and I must say, none of the men I came near was as clean shaven and had such smooth cheeks as my Dad. While growing up I have come to really appreciate a stubbled face also and even have discovered a liking for a full beard, but for those of you guys who are clean shaven and want to feel the difference, try a straight razor. And of course Uncle Youtube tells you how:

 

[7thWisconsin]

I used to shave with a straight razor while reenacting. You get a much smoother shave than with any other blade. That said, you also have to practice all the time. Going back and forth between disposible blades for a month, and shaving with a cut-throat one or twice a month is a recipe for getting cut. Just remember: the razor won't nick you if you cut downward with it, only when you cut side-to-side. Which is unfortunately when you make a mistake. The area around your nose and chin is the hardest and most time consuming. It's like that with an old-fashioned safety razor, too. I remember back in the late 60s when they began reshaping men's razors for a comfortable shave. The ads all emphasized how much easier it would be to shave under your nose.
Shaving at a reenactment always drew a crowd, especially boys. They would invariably ask the 2 following questions: "Is that a real razor?" followed a few minutes later by "Is that real blood?"

 

[kevikens]

I tried that, once.

 

[Mr. King]

My Dad always shaved with a straight razor and I must say, none of the men I came near was as clean shaven and had such smooth cheeks as my Dad. While growing up I have come to really appreciate a stubbled face also and even have discovered a liking for a full beard, but for those of you guys who are clean shaven and want to feel the difference, try a straight razor. And of course Uncle Youtube tells you how:

I have been under the impression that straight shaving is more popular abroad. Is that true?