Why do people choose a DE when a straight shaves better?

[StratMan]

Not this time...they are getting a new cage in PT Lincoln...

its def on my bucket list.. one day i'll have to do it

 

[Doc Dan]

The only thing scary about using a straight razor is between a man's ears. Once the first shave is done, a person will, like me, say, "Is that all there is to it?"

 

[Jaco]

I did it all wrong. Started with a shavette, then progressed to a SR, then got curious about DE's, tried it, but ended settling on Straights. If you can shave with a half DE blade shavette, you can shave with anything.

Guys kept on asking me if I am in a fight-club the first few months, but even an old dog can learn new tricks. Blood and pain is a good motivator to focus and do things right, but in reality what looks like a lot of blood are just a few drops.

Worst cuts from a SR were handling it, honing, restoring, and stupidly almost chopping of a finger with a HHT.

I am no expert with a DE, but can get by with my little Piccolo open comb. Cute! I can only grip it with two fingers. For some reason my skin always feel dry after a DE shave.

 

[Nanook]

I did it all wrong. Started with a shavette, then progressed to a SR, then got curious about DE's, tried it, but ended settling on Straights. If you can shave with a half DE blade shavette, you can shave with anything.

I actually think this is the best way to learn as there is a lot less fear with a shavette even if they are harder to use. You said it yourself. if you can shave with a shavette, you can shave with a SR.

 

[Jaco]

I actually think this is the best way to learn as there is a lot less fear with a shavette even if they are harder to use. You said it yourself. if you can shave with a shavette, you can shave with a SR.

I learned the hard way, by trying different things. I remember that I had terrible razor burn from the shavette, that took a few days to clear up. Nobody to couch me and to tell me the basics of blade angle and minimum pressure. Never had those issues with a SR. Biggest challenge with a SR was to learn to get it sharp enough. Started with a 3k/8k cheap stone, and a home-made leather paddle strop with CrOx.

 

[Mastropiero]

I think the best way to get somewhat proficient at honing is sticking to one progression, one system, not get crazy with all the different finishers you can have. I have been using the same progression for three years, slight variations sometimes, but I work on my technique, because I know the stones are very good.

Someday, in the future, if I've got nothing better to do, I will try more stones but, at the moment, if I am happy and, most important, if those who purchase razors from me are happy, I see no to get all crazy.

 

[Gargravarr]

Agreed, using a simple progression well leads to a happier life. There's an art least partly apocryphal tale that I'm 100% certain @Mastropiero is familiar with, where Joseph Haydn (sometimes known as the father of the string quartet) mentioned to English publisher John Bland, on being interrupted in the process of attempting to shave, that he would give his best quartet for a decent razor. Bland rushed back to his lodgings and came back with his own British razors, and Haydn in turn presented him with his Quartet in Fmin, Op 22 which became known as the "Razor Quartet".

Almost certainly a case of a poor workman blaming his tools. He wrote an awful lot of damn fine quartets though.