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between SB and DE shaving..is there THAT MUCH of a difference?

Hi everyone, well i'm thinking of delving into the SB world.I've been shaving with a DE razor for a few years now, but wanted to get your opinions on this....is there really that much of a difference between DE shaving a SB shaving? do you really get that much more of a close shave with a SB razor???I get a really close shave now with me DE razor...thanks
fabs
 
Do you mean a straight? If so then yes, there is a huge difference in shaving with a straight compared to a DE. Is the shave quality better? Well, BBS is BBS regardless of which razor you use.
 
For me, it is a totally different ball game. Whereas DEs give me a very good shave, their use is slightly on the uneventful side. When using straights I get a shave of comparable quality or maybe a bit worse (still not perfected the skill completely) but I have to stay focused all the time, there are endless possibilities to vary your shave, it seems kinder to the skin and the post shave satisfaction is unsurpassed.
 

Legion

Staff member
The quality of the shave is the same. Once you have removed all the hair there is really nowhere to go.

Straight razor shaving is much harder, especially when you are new. This makes it more fun, you will be seen to be more of a badass, and women will think you are stylish, hip and about six inches taller than you actually are.

Guaranteed.
 
If you want to try a straight razor do it because they are awesome and you want to try one. If you already get great shaves with your DE you are gonna be disappointed if you go to straights looking for a better shave. You can only get so close, and you're not gonna be there at first.
 
+1 on all the above.

I just started to try out DE razors and am only a few shaves in, but straights are much more involved. I Have been surprised to find that, after close to a year with a straight, a DE feels very weird. There are certainly many subtleties associated with a safety razor, but it is a blade in a holder. It's very design is one that is meant to take the guess-work away from shaving. A straight razor has a much higher learning curve and takes way longer to master, but it allows me to tailor a shave 100% to me. I can alter approach, blade angle and stroke type with much more precision. DE razors are great and do their job very well, but given a choice I will pick a straight razor.
 
oh yea WAAAAAAAAY different, the DE is much easier to master, straight there is alot more going on. Not only is ur shave dependant on ur technique but also how well u strop and how well u hone. Personally i have yet to have a BBS with a straight, DE however i hav quite a few or a DFS atleast. My straight shaves are getting better but still not close to perfect yet.
 
I've been shaving with a DE for over two years now and I just started using a straight. It's way more of a challenge, but lots of fun. I'm using a razor that's 130 years old which is really neat. Give it a try. Most people like the challenge.
 
My straight BBS lasts 12+ hours.

It never did that when I used a DE. I haven't gone back to see if I could achieve similar results. The last time I tried a DE I felt so far removed from the edge I had a hard time shaving with it.
 
There are huge differences between shaving with a straight, and a DE. You can master shaving with a DE in a few weeks to a month.

After 3-4 months of straight shaving I was still getting very sub-par results. I would suspect you won't get anything approaching a BBS shave for many many months (and that is assuming you straight shave everyday). So if BBS shaves are your goal you will be vastly disappointed.

The other major difference is the level of damage you can inflict to your face with a straight. You can give yourself large cuts that will leave prominent scars with a straight (I know from experience), with a DE you will get minor cuts.
 
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