![]() You can find my recommendation in our last shaving article.Ĭaveat: This is just a introduction to straight razors. If you’re interested in trying it out, it’s highly recommended to pair it with a quality shaving cream/soap. For those just starting out, consider a solid entry blade such as the “Dovo Stainless Shavette” which is both economical and effective. ![]() Recommended razor brands:Ī good razor can cost anywhere from $30 to several hundred. James Whittall of MensEssentials recommends starting with “safety zones” by isolating your use of a straight razor to just your sideburns, shaving the rest of your face with your normal safety razor, and expanding to more parts of your face as you get more comfortable. If you’re a newbie, moving up from a safety razor to a straight razor can be a scary jump. The safest route from Safety to Straight: You can see some the prep work / method in the video below: Whereas honing re-establishes the fine edge of the razor by removing metal from the razor, stropping aligns and straightens the edge. The next equipment you’ll need is the strop. You can learn more about the different types of hones here. In order to sharpen the blade, you need a hone like the one below: Almost paradoxically, you’re more likely to cut yourself with a dull blade than an extremely sharped one. The key to getting a good shave with a straight razor is keeping it extremely sharp. But there seems to be a method to the madness, a consistent way of cheating the potential consequences and be left with a sense of accomplishment each day, each shave… Or is it the allure of the danger? that childish symptom of wanting to touch the fire and get away unharmed? Perhaps. Then there’s the simple cool factor of using an incredibly well-crafted knife to cut the hair that you used to grind out with a stick of some plastic contraption. But many claim that the straight razor provides the closest thing to the elusive “perfect shave.” Shaving with a straight razor covers much more area per stroke due to the fact that the cutting edge of a straight razor is much longer than other types of razors. For some, it’s the economic benefits from not having to buy disposable blades. So the question remains, why bring back an ancient tool? Advantagesįor many straight razor shavers, it’s a nostalgic hobby or a masculine ritual. Back then, Barbers were specially trained to give customers a thorough shave with a collection at hand. However, contrary to popular fears, there is very little risk of seriously injuring yourself while shaving if you exercises proper method.Īlthough you barely see them anywhere now, straight razors were the most common form of shaving before the 1900s. With the proper disclaimer set in place, courtesy of popular culture, let’s dive right into this… The Cut-throat RazorĪlso called open razors or cut-throat razors (quite the comforting name), straight razors require a considerable level of skill to maintain and master. ![]() – Stories circulate as to how gangster Al Capone got his nickname Scarface: attributing it to an irate barber, who allegedly cut him with a straight razor. This forced him to shave with a straight razor, resulting in a bloody mess. – In an episode from The Simpsons, Homer Simpson is forced to live in house that only allowed the use of items from the 1800s. Blonde slices off the ear (off-camera) of kidnapped LAPD Officer Marvin Nash in one of the film’s most memorable scenes. – In the film Reservoir Dogs, Michael Madsen’s character, Mr. 2, when Uma Thurman’s character is buried alive, she uses a straight razor to cut the rope that binds her – In The Matrix Reloaded, the Twins use straight razors to fight Neo’s entourage Not only was the straight razor Sweeney Todd’s weapon of choice, but these notorious razors have showed up all over film & popular culture: A month ago, we did a post entitled “ The Elusive Perfect Shave.” This weeek we’re going to take it one notch extreme with the feared and revered “straight razor.”
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