How dangerous is a straight?

[diyguy]

Nicks and cuts in the beginning, sure. But after awhile it becomes much easier. There's always the risk of nicks, but nowadays they are very rare (and minor when they do occur).

[srmd22]

It's really pretty safe, you just have to go slow and be careful. Well worth it for the fun and cool factor, and the great shaves you will eventually get (so I am told, lol-- mine are pretty good after a few weeks of practice). One thing, my biggest concern, don't let any children get ahold of one-- keep 'em safely out of the way, or locked up if need be (I am getting a lockbox for mine, as my 2 y/o is starting to get around the house pretty good now. She figured how to drag a stool around and get to counter height!

[peterrdean]

You have as much chance of cutting yourself putting a new blade in a DE than with a straight.

Peter.

[kelton]

All depends if your significant other sees how much money your spending on it !

[thatsilverguy]

All depends if your significant other sees how much money your spending on it !

Too true! I have to take mine on monthly trips to the jewelry and/or shoe store to keep her from asking!

Straight-shaving is as dangerous as you allow it to be. If you are unfocused or drop things frequently it may be best to consider using something else. Research it like you would anything else dangerous - like riding a motorcycle. It's a whole lot less fun to you and your SO if you hurt yourself

[fccexpert]

Less dangerous than your daily drive to work, actually much less dangerous.

[Rob72]

That can (and does) happen with a safety razor.

I'm infrequent here, only being on my 4th week with a straight. I will disagree with you on the above. While it is certainly possible to cut yourself with a SE or DE razor, you won't sever nerves, tendons or major vasculature.

I've honed and restored custom knives for much of my life, of varying sizes, and there is not a whole lot of difference, when it comes to handling straights. If you are careless, it is possible to do permanent, irreversible damage with any fixed blade. The one advantage the poster who grabbed his razor has is that the cut nerve was (most probably) very cleanly cut, and therefore has a decent/excellent chance of restored sensation and movement. Table and circular saw injuries aren't nearly so convenient to repair...

[Great White Shavealo]

How dangerous are straight razors? As I have never used one myself and might want to get one in the future I'd first like to know how dangerous the can be for novices like me. I mean can you do serious damage to your face if your not using it correctly or is the worst like a nick like from another razor?

I have been straight shaving for about three months and have had no serious cuts. Although, I have had some weepers. Nothing that didn't stop bleeding after washing my face. There have been a couple serious injuries I have read about here on B&B though. I would say those were the result of carelessness. Just like any very sharp knife, you have to be cautious around it. Learn to respect the blade and it will do you no harm. Like others have said, if you drop it don't try to catch it. If you drop it stand back away from it and keep your hands away from it. Always know where your razor is at. When not in use keep it closed. When I finish shaving, I set the razor away from the sink, on the back of my toilet upon a towel where it can dry. That decreases chances of knocking into the blade when not in use. When I shave I lean a little over my sink so that if I drop my razor it will go right into the sink bowl. At the same time, by doing that, I am protecting the more tender bits should the blade drop.

[cb91710]

Less dangerous than your daily drive to work, actually much less dangerous.

Unless you straight-shave WHILE driving (or carpooling) to work.

Rechargeable electric? Safer than yappin' on the phone

[AverageJoe]

In the hands of someone who is either "all thumbs" or less coordinated than usual or has a very short attention span, it could be asking for trouble and some cuts. Just about anyone who really wants to learn it, probably can. You're sliding a razor around on your face and neck with no 'safety guards', so yes, there is potential for cuts, possibly worse cuts than with a safety razor. This is part of the attraction of str8's to a lot of us I think-----most people don't have the nerve to even try it, or realize anyone still shaves this way, so it's great conversation!! It's less intimidating once you get a few shaves under your belt with minimal or no bloodshed-----then you really start learning and getting more comfortable with it. I still don't want any distractions around me when I'm using my str8, though.

[bakerbk73]

I've been at it less than a week and I've made it so far. Getting it shave ready is the challenge ahead if you decide to go forward. I was lucky enough to find a B&B member locally willing to help a curious soul, maybe you can too. The skills aren't out of reach, but having a teacher is a real help.

[Samjax]

Mostly just a few weepers and occasional frustration in getting my technique down. The only "near misses" that I have had was when I let my mind "wander" a bit. Letting yourself go on "auto pilot" is not a good idea early on.

[hokahay]

According to Alan Harper, a lot of it has to with what exactly your trying to shave.

[strop]

A bit of cursing, some cold water, I was good to go.

There is no doubt in my mind that this is critical to stop bleeding. Maybe even more than styptic!

[brother cavefish]

very dangerous and sharp, i dont think there are many on here that have never been cut more than once face and fingers, one brother on here just caught his blade from falling and severed his tendon- total attention is required

[smalltank]

i cut my self more with "safety razors" than i do with straights...

I get nicks n cuts more with DE than straights..does this count as getting cut..
seems more of a technique thing getting those "tough spots" with a straight assuming you have a very light touch

[ouch]

Don't shave naked. Minimum, slippers and a towel.

I see a lot of rookies here recently. Hmmm. We may need an Official B&B LE Codpiece group buy. Better safe than sorry.



As for the OP's question, it's an exposed and unguarded blade that has been painstakingly honed and tweaked to an insane level of sharpness. Of course you can hurt yourself.

[Spoonylove]

These razors can be extremely dangerous if you are not careful. This laceration is about a week old...



This cut was pretty bad, and due to my own stupidity of not closing my door while shaving as it tends to get too hot and I start to sweat, SWMBO's 90 pound Boxer tore ass through my bedroom and into my bathroom in shear excitement as I was mid shave, as they arrived for a stay over the weekend. The dog leaped up on me while I was stretching my skin to shave the bit of sideburn under my ear, consequently causing the razor to slip and gauge into my neck. This cut is about an inch and a half long and bled badly. I felt faint and my girl was about to call an ambulance because of how much blood was pouring from my neck. I stopped the shave, splashed cold water on my neck and immediately started digging a styptic pencil into it out of sheer panic...

The point being, no matter how long you have been using these blades, you have to be smart, due to my own idiotic selfishness of not wanting to start sweating after a shower, I will be left with a pretty gnarly scar on my neck...

[brother cavefish]

These razors can be extremely dangerous if you are not careful. This laceration is about a week old...



This cut was pretty bad, and due to my own stupidity of not closing my door while shaving as it tends to get too hot and I start to sweat, SWMBO's 90 pound Boxer tore ass through my bedroom and into my bathroom in shear excitement as I was mid shave, as they arrived for a stay over the weekend. The dog leaped up on me while I was stretching my skin to shave the bit of sideburn under my ear, consequently causing the razor to slip and gauge into my neck. This cut is about an inch and a half long and bled badly. I felt faint and my girl was about to call an ambulance because of how much blood was pouring from my neck. I stopped the shave, splashed cold water on my neck and immediately started digging a styptic pencil into it out of sheer panic...

The point being, no matter how long you have been using these blades, you have to be smart, due to my own idiotic selfishness of not wanting to start sweating after a shower, I will be left with a pretty gnarly scar on my neck...

Oh crap your a pirate now matey, thats a 15yearer if not lifetimer- dang- i would not call it idiotic selfishness , you just got tagged

[brother cavefish]

lets start a scar topic, i got a 2 dayer on the back of my neck
your gonna get nailed, face it, embrace it , be at piece with it- wait till you start restoring, LOL