# Do you use a straight razor? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769 "2007-01-27T22:30:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/1 "2007-01-27T22:30:02Z")
Tell me all about it. Difficult to use? How do you keep it sharp? What kinda shave do you get? What brand? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![xiix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d6d6ee/32.png) [@xiix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xiix)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/2 "2007-01-28T03:33:43Z")
hmm. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/3 "2007-01-28T03:38:59Z")
My boyfriend uses one. I’m afraid I’m no so helpful, but he says it’s easy to use with practice and he enjoys the shave he gets with it. He says it’s very close, but the first few times you try it a lot of people leave a lot of blood lying around. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/4 "2007-01-28T03:44:39Z")
I prefer to use a garrotte. Not as messy. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/5 "2007-01-28T03:45:46Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] he enjoys the shave he gets with it. [/QUOTE] Oh, you’re talking about _shaving!_. Erm… Please disregard my last post. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/6 "2007-01-28T04:10:04Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] Oh, you’re talking about _shaving!_. Erm… Please disregard my last post. [/QUOTE] Umm…yeah…shaving…that’s right. Shaving. Nothing illegal. Please keep replies in that spirit. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/7 "2007-01-28T05:13:54Z")
[QUOTE=Runs With Scissors] Umm…yeah…shaving…that’s right. Shaving. Nothing illegal. Please keep replies in that spirit. [/QUOTE] Running with scissors is dangerous enough. I should think that running with a straight razor would be even worse. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/8 "2007-01-28T05:15:33Z")
Not at all! You just make sure to use the proper grip. Then, right at the right moment… There I go again. Never mind. I’ll just nip off to read my JTHM comics. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/9 "2007-01-28T05:16:53Z")
I used to use one, but had to stop because I developed a “benign tremor” that tends to run in my family and makes the use of an unshielded blade kinda dicey. My experience was pretty much the same as **Zsofia** ’s boyfriend’s. It took a bit of getting used to — among other things, you have to be _very_ aware of the beard’s “grain” — but once you have it down, there’s no shave closer. Keeping the blade sharp is no problem: I stropped daily and touched it up on a whetstone from time to time. There used to be a barber supply store in town which could regrind a damaged blade, provided the damage wasn’t too serious (fortunately, I never had to avail myself of that service); unfortunately, such businesses have become about as rare as men’s hatters. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/10 "2007-01-28T21:51:24Z")
I use a straight razor. It is a lot more fun than a safety razor, you get a closer shave, and after the initial expense it is virtually cost-free. It is high maintenance, though. You have to strop it everyday and hone it occasionally, not to mention keep it clean. I liken it to driving a stick-shift. You get more control and a better experience at the cost of a little more work on your part. I’ll echo the poster above who talked about being aware of the “grain”, i.e. the direction the hairs grow out of your face. In general there is much more need for the proper technique (make sure your face is clean, shave with the grain, pull your skin taut, etc…). You can’t just phone it in like a zombie in the morning like you can with the throwaways. That said, although I shaved with it exclusively for about a year, I only use it once or twice a week these days. When I’m in a hurry or lazy (like most weekday mornings) I just use a throwaway bic. They’re good enough for government work. When I feel like taking my time and doing it right I go for the straight razor. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/11 "2007-01-28T21:54:36Z")
Does that mean I’m using a gay razor? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/12 "2007-01-28T22:23:55Z")
No. Too big a wuss here. I cut myself enough with a safety razor. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-a-straight-razor/389769/13 "2007-01-28T22:39:47Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Does that mean I’m using a gay razor? [/QUOTE] You know, I thought about it, and then I thought, “Naaah…”. 😉