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rstrawsb
02-24-2006, 07:23 AM
I been wet shaving for a couple of months now and I am armed with both a Merkur DE and Dovo Straight. I don't have any trouble with the DE but the straight blade is giving me a fit! No matter what I try I alway end up cleaning up with the DE. It just shaves closer quicker and it doesn't scare me like the straight does. One wrong move with the blade and I could lose a large chunk of facial flesh. :eek: Well I haven't thrown in the towel yet, but if I had to choose between the two I would have to pick the DE.

If you had to choose, what would it be. Straight or DE?

Regards,
Ron Strawsburg
Scotto
02-24-2006, 07:35 AM
Hi Ron,

Str8's are a labor of love. DE's are more utilitarian, and generally will get you much closer unless you are a very experienced str8 shaver. You need to decide whether you are willing to put in the time to become a str8 expert. I'm not.
rstrawsb
02-24-2006, 07:43 AM
Hi Ron,

Str8's are a labor of love. DE's are more utilitarian, and generally will get you much closer unless you are a very experienced str8 shaver. You need to decide whether you are willing to put in the time to become a str8 expert. I'm not.


I'm sporting a 3" line on my cheek today due too str8 practice. I don't recall cutting myself. I finally got the razor sharp enough to shave with and now it is deadly. Not for a man in a hurry to get out the door and on the road to work or the grand-dad with a toddler pulling at his leg.
:smile:
threeputt
02-24-2006, 08:19 AM
Straight for me. I can get a close shave with a DE or with an injector, but for some reason I get more irritated with anything other than a str8. I really enjoy all aspects of the str8s anyway, and yes it does take some commitment, but I love it. I can get closer with a str8 and no irritation, or very very little occasionally. Shave seems to last longer too. If I am in a big hurry and HAVE to shave, I'll reach for one of the others, but after doing it for quite some time, I can shave with a str8 in about 10 minutes. 15 minutes for a "date" shave, and that includes stropping, beard prep, lather building, and cleanup. The maintenance isn't that bad, the only real effort is getting them shave ready in the first place. THAT is a labor of love, as it is definitely a skill learned through practice and practice and practice. As far as shaving with them, same story. Practice makes perfect. I had a Merkur slant bar for about a week, and that thing scared the sh*t out of me. I'm MUCH more relaxed with a str8 in my hand. Of course, the POTENTIAL danger with a str8 is greater, but the incedental damage (burn, irritation) is greater, for me at least, with a DE.

Jeff
ouch
02-24-2006, 08:32 AM
If someone were to point a gun to my head and ask me to choose between the two, I'd have to say "both".

I can't picture shaving without either of these two devices. As already noted, the straight is a labor of love- if you have to think about whether or not you want one, the answer is no. If you're willing to put in the required time and effort, certainly give it a try.
Scotto
02-24-2006, 08:52 AM
Straight for me. I can get a close shave with a DE or with an injector, but for some reason I get more irritated with anything other than a str8. I really enjoy all aspects of the str8s anyway, and yes it does take some commitment, but I love it. I can get closer with a str8 and no irritation, or very very little occasionally. Shave seems to last longer too. If I am in a big hurry and HAVE to shave, I'll reach for one of the others, but after doing it for quite some time, I can shave with a str8 in about 10 minutes. 15 minutes for a "date" shave, and that includes stropping, bear prep, lather building, and cleanup. The maintenance isn't that bad, the only real effort is getting them shave ready in the first place. THAT is a labor of love, as it is definitely a skill learned through practice and practice and practice. As far as shaving with them, same story. Practice makes perfect. I had a Merkur slant bar for about a week, and that thing scared the sh*t out of me. I'm MUCH more relaxed with a str8 in my hand. Of course, the POTENTIAL danger with a str8 is greater, but the incedental damage (burn, irritation) is greater, for me at least, with a DE.

Jeff

Yikes, that is part of the shaving regimen I haven't heard of yet!
guenron
02-24-2006, 09:38 AM
Yikes, that is part of the shaving regimen I haven't heard of yet!
That is not to be confused with bare prep... Which is obviously what you are thinking..
xChris
02-24-2006, 09:46 AM
I'm like threeputt on this...

I can get an irritation & nick free shave from my straights, and tear myself up with the one single-blade razor that I do have (my Grandfather's Gem Micromatic). I like having the increased feedback received from using the straight too -- much easier for me to assess how the shave is going.
Scotto
02-24-2006, 09:46 AM
But can you shave a bear? :eek:
rtaylor61
02-24-2006, 10:11 AM
But can you shave a bear? :eek:

I've had days when I could "bearly" shave!

Ron,

I use both. I like the variety! When I first started using a straight, I only used it on weekends or on days when I had plenty of time to shave. Patience is not just a virtue, it's a way of "saving face"!

Use both, but take your time.

Randy
threeputt
02-24-2006, 12:05 PM
Why bother with proofreading with you guys around? Correction made :redface:

Jeff
Scotto
02-24-2006, 12:19 PM
It's all in good fun, Jeff. :001_smile :tongue:
threeputt
02-24-2006, 01:33 PM
It's all in good fun, Jeff. :001_smile :tongue:

Oh, I know Scott. Sometimes my fingers outrun my brain. Or, maybe my keyboard is faulty. Gotta have that "D" looked at...:biggrin:

Jeff
atnight
02-24-2006, 04:18 PM
Straights are kinda like fancy desserts to me. I won't make them at home, but I'll buy them sometimes when I'm out. For now I leave them to the barber and the DE is my main face shredder of choice. Which DE is another question...
Dave_D
02-28-2006, 09:39 PM
I would like to learn the art of a str8 razor shave one day, the tools are at hand when I get the time. Time constraints have made the DE the more practical choice at this point (good luck getting bathroom time in the morning for a str8 shave if theres a woman in the house) The DEs do give a great shave.
rtaylor61
02-28-2006, 09:41 PM
I would like to learn the art of a str8 razor shave one day, the tools are at hand when I get the time. Time constraints have made the DE the more practical choice at this point (good luck getting bathroom time in the morning for a str8 shave if theres a woman in the house) The DEs do give a great shave.

Dave,

I don't know the type of beard you have, but I am lucky. My beard is not heavy, and is light in color. I started shaving at night just to get more straight razor time.

Randy
Dib
04-09-2010, 05:18 PM
DE all the way. I love the process.
JPM
04-09-2010, 06:24 PM
Straight all the way!
Ru4scuba?
04-09-2010, 07:02 PM
I'm with Ouch....both. But if I were a Newb starting out? DEs first...more forgiving and you can still look decent even on a bad shave day.
Stubblefield
04-09-2010, 07:12 PM
Hi Ron,

Str8's are a labor of love. DE's are more utilitarian, and generally will get you much closer unless you are a very experienced str8 shaver. You need to decide whether you are willing to put in the time to become a str8 expert. I'm not.Very well put. I personally am more of a utilitarian when it comes to shaving, so I will probably never try a straight razor.
Dave Deluxe
04-09-2010, 07:36 PM
DE >>> or <<< Straight?

How about a compromise?

SE shaving.
The close irritation free shave of a straight razor, with the convenience of double edged safety razor.

DD
djh
04-09-2010, 10:01 PM
I am in the process of learning to straight shave at the moment as well. If you need to be really close-shaven because of your work envinronment, you might want to tidy up with a DE but I have been at it for a week and my results are acceptable for me. Great results are still a little ways off :wink2:
perogee
04-09-2010, 10:09 PM
If, for what ever reason, I could only have one, I would choose my straight. While I do like my DE, the straight just has so much more "personality" for me.
ddaley212
04-09-2010, 10:10 PM
DE. im scared id cut my throat with a straight
huntmol
04-09-2010, 10:24 PM
I felt the same way you did when I first started, but 1.5 years into straight shaving have made it so I never use my DE razors anymore, except when I travel. There's just something raw and vintage about shaving with a straight, I love it. Another neat thing about straight shaving is that I'm still learning! There's always room to improve your technique.