Never shaved myself with one, but there’s a barber shop I went to once in Antioch, California, that shaved me with one. It was my first (and so far, last) time.
I was sitting there just waiting to be nicked a little the entire time. : p It never came, though. The guy knew what he was doing really well.
How did you like it? Any difference in the finished product as were compared to say a quadruple, triple bladed, laser sensing, super ultra thin bladed safety razor?
It did the job really well, I found. Closest shave I ever had. Not a single hair left behind.
I wouldn’t ever trust myself to do it, though…and I’ve yet to find another barber shop that still uses them here.
About five years ago, I was really interested in buying a high quality straight razor, leather strop, all the accoutrements, and then teaching myself how to use it – instead I grew a beard.
My old barber shaved the back of my neck with a straight razor every time I got a haircut. That was 20 years ago. After he died, my new barber used electric shears on my neck.
I have put a straight razor to my cheek and on the second swipe gave myself the smallest little cut you’ve ever seen and stopped. Even though lately I’ve cut myself worse with the 5-bladed Gillette Pro Glide Thingamajig.
I get a shave with a straight razor whenever it’s available. I haven’t used a consistent barber for a while now and not all shops offer the service. In general the older guys will do it but the younger ones won’t.
Being able to shave with a straight edge is a requirement for a barbers license in MA, so pretty much any barber ‘could’ do it, but not all of them want to take the risk.
not my face, but the barber takes a straight razor to the back and sides of my neck @ every haircut.
The guy who cuts my 16 year old son’s hair does some of the haircut, the shaving of the back of his neck and trims his eyebrows with a straight razor. It freaked me out the first time I saw him do it, with a straight razor that close to my baby’s eyes, but wow my kid’s hair looks fantastic.
(My poor sweetie has to manscape his mono-brow regularly, already.)
Yes, I tried shaving with a straight razor a few times because I was tired of the subpar performance I was getting from cartridges. I even shaved my head with the straight razor a few times.
Did you know that the head bleeds very easily and abundantly? It does.
If the barber is skilled, it is great. Need to know what they are doing and be used to western whiskers. I used to get the greatest straight razor shaves in Hong Kong. China was a little hit and miss. The best shave I ever got was in the middle of bumfuck nowhere in Tibet when I just couldn’t stand my beard for one second longer. The guy was a maestro. Best shave ever.
My stock reply to this question: I used to until a worsening hereditary tremor forced me to stop. But between the time that I learned my face and the time I stopped, it was consistently the best shave I ever had.
Note the term “learned my face.” You must have a working knowledge of your face in order to use a straight razor properly, and that knowledge only comes with experience. It’s really not an “I’ll try it every now and then” sort of thing. Also, between skin prep and razor maintenance, it’s not for someone who’s looking to save time.
I spent about a year shaving myself with an antique straight I picked up on ebay, and sent off to someone else to be sharpened/honed.
I loved it. It was an entire ritual, prepping the soap and the brush and then the actual shave. Took quite a bit longer than a “normal” shave with a disposable razor, but the end result was a MUCH smoother shave.
That being said, I could never get past the idea that if I spent the time shaving my face in the same way… with the grain, against the grain, pulling my skin tight, etc. I would get the same smoothness.
Every now and again, I ponder getting my razor re-honed, and going back to it. But my natural laziness keep kicking me in the shins.
Yeah - When I was in my teens, my brother and I went to this run-down old barber shop in the ghetto, run by a barber who had to have been in his 70’s.* Damn, could he cut hair! And cheap! Anyway, one day he offered to give me a shave, and having nothing better to do, I thought what the hell?
Best shave I’ve ever had.
*This barber shop adjoined a tavern next door. A door in the back of the barber shop led directly to the area behind the bar. During my cuts, the barber would have to excuse himself from time to time to go next door and rustle up a beer for a bar patron. :smack:
Ditto. I’ve had a beard or some variation of facial hair for years now, but will still get out the cut-throat if I need to look snazzy. Nothing else comes close enough.
I got a few straight razor shaves at a barbershop around the corner from where I lived in Manhattan. I felt like it was more of a “man facial” than a shave. Hot towel, then he’d work in a lotion, then the cream, shave and aftershave. Very nice and relaxing process.
I have been shaved with a straight razor twice. Both times it was by old barbers in old school inner city barber shops. Easily the best shaves I have ever had. Looking at this thread, I cannot help but feel that straight razor shaves are going to be nearly unheard of very soon. That’s a shame because you might feel like a mob victim when the razor comes out but you feel incredible during and after. It is surprisingly relaxing.
My barber does this as well (neck + sideburn area). Personally, I’m too lazy to bother at home so I just stick with the Fusion.
And luxurious. I only got shaved like that twice, but it was awesome.
I find that the learning curve is too high for my patience. When I shave with a straight razor I get a worse shave than with a mach 3 and it takes longer. I love the mug soap and my badger brush though.