Straight Razor Resurgence

Is there a Straight Razor Resurgence going on?

It seemed to be an almost lost art with just a small but loyal following. Now, I'm seeing more and more people interested in it. I mainly attribute this to Gillette, who keeps pricing the Mach 5 and Fusion blades higher and higher, thus making people consider looking for alternatives.

Thoughts?

Yes
Gillette's costs increasing drove me to straights and wet shaving.
Funny thing is I've spent more in one year than probably twenty with Gillette. But, it's been my choice on what to buy instead of $60 for a pack of twenty cartridges.

I've notced it too and mentioned it. Especially over the past say 6 months. I'm not sure what's driving it, straight sales went very high after "Skyfall", but the number of new folks getting into straights in the past few months seems to be unrelated.

I'm with Mischief", the price of throw-away blades is just stupid. I think all of us spend more on wet shaving but enjoy it far more, and we don't put empty goo cans and plastic razors in the landfill.

Cheers, Steve

I have a friend with a college-age son who's never shaved with anything BUT a straight. Kid saw it in a movie, decided that's what he wanted to use, and he's been happy with it ever since.

I see that as a good sign!

Definitely....barber shop's are coming back as well. We need more time for us in a crazy busy world.

Something about barbers with beards would make me uncomfortable about being shaved.

Yeah, there's a new barber a few blocks from me who offers high-end straight razor shaves, marketing them as sort of a "spa" experience for guys. It costs $35, and is apparently very popular.

SpikedLemon said:

Something about barbers with beards would make me uncomfortable about being shaved.

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By the others.lol.

Cheers, Steve

I think the popularity of youtube straight razor shaves pushes enthusiasts out of the comfort zone that can develop using a DE.

For me, there was something a little silly about watching a man lather up and shave with a DE, but as soon as that became a straight razor, for which there is another level of craft and elegance available which pushed me beyond.

I have been both a straight and DE shaver, and have more or less retired my DE experience. Straight shaving is better in every way for me, it is a much more comfortable shave (sounds impossible, right?), and I am using lovely vintage blades from Germany and Spain that I will be able to use for the rest of my life.

Once it became a spectator sport, it made men want to try it. Having already learned to lather and prep, straight shaving is an easy adventure.

SpikedLemon said:

Something about barbers with beards would make me uncomfortable about being shaved.

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Yes, those beards caught my attention

I wish I had a good barber shop by me. Actually my current barber "Sal" does straight razor shaves for 15 bucks. Hot cream from the machine... I guess I should try it.

I'm in the suburban Detroit area and it's hard to find a traditional barbershop around me that does straight razor shaves. I've only known a couple of people who've had them done and both said that they weren't very good at all. One of them was either at a Saks or a Nordstroms and the other was from a barbershop in the city itself. Neither was cheap and the guy who got the shave at the barbershop said they did didn't go ATG either, so it was a poor shave. I'd be pissed if I paid $30 + for a bad shave or if I sat down in a chair somewhere and some pulled out a shavette. No thanks!

If I get a shave, I want a traditional barber who's been doing it since they invented straight razors and when I sit down, I expect him to unfold the razor and strop it, along with getting the hot towels ready! If that can't happen, I'll just do it myself!

Quite honestly though, anything more than $10-15 for a straight razor shave seems to be too much to me. Yeah, it's a straight razor but it's a SINGLE shave and it's not like it's going to take an experienced barber more than 20 minutes or so to do it anyway.

steve0580 said:

I'd be pissed if I paid $30 + for a bad shave or if I sat down in a chair somewhere and some pulled out a shavette. No thanks!

If I get a shave, I want a traditional barber who's been doing it since they invented straight razors and when I sit down, I expect him to unfold the razor and strop it, along with getting the hot towels ready! If that can't happen, I'll just do it myself!

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I think it's literally impossible for a legal shop to offer anything but a shavette these days. But there might be exceptions somewhere that I don't know about.

coase said:

I think it's literally impossible for a legal shop to offer anything but a shavette these days. But there might be exceptions somewhere that I don't know about.

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Why is that?

I agree with the "no shavette" crusade for a barbershop shaving session. By the end of the 70's -80's and mostly due to contageous disease prevention, straights have been banned. A NOS razor would have cost nothing at these times since barbers were almost throwing them away....but they are coming back, at least in Europe.

Close by my wife's hairdresser in Milan there is an antique barbershop I visit sometimes. I take 1 hour to relax, switch off my brain, listen to his stories ...(barbers know everything about everyone�&#56842 and have a full shaving orthodox session: hot towels, pre-shave oil etc....
a true authentic pleasure. Old times where good for this kind of things. Barbershops where places to socialize (and not Facebook !) exchange views on what was happening in the world and in everyday' life...."do you think the war will take place in Europe James ....?☺&#65039

Yes, definitely a resurgence for good.

+1 Mango.

Cheers, Steve

Just out of curiousity. i ve seen some "barbershop?" videos on youtube where the use lather dispensers instead of brushes. Is it true that brushes prohibited for barbers in the usa assomeone mentioned in the comments? Oo

coase said:

I think it's literally impossible for a legal shop to offer anything but a shavette these days. But there might be exceptions somewhere that I don't know about.

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My barber says the laws on this vary by state. Further, he says it is legal in Ohio to use a traditional straight but he prefers a shavette because there is no blade maintenance.

FonGu said:

My barber says the laws on this vary by state. Further, he says it is legal in Ohio to use a traditional straight but he prefers a shavette because there is no blade maintenance.

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It is legal in Ohio, but requires a prohibitively expensive insurance policy.

I can't say I jumped directly into straight razor shaving because it was going to cost me $30 for another pack of blades but it was a contributor that led to the sequence of events that got me here. It was the realization - that a DE blade can shave as well and is just as easy to use as a multi-blade cartridge and gave me a much better shave than my electric.

Now, to be honest, I would have likely been happy with DE razors had this forum not had a straight razor section to it...


To the "shavette" disdain: I switch back and forth on a regular basis to a DE blade shavette. I would not be disappointed if I were to get a good shavette shave by a barber - though would be impressed if he took the time to use a traditional straight (considering the H&S hoops that would need to be jumped and the additional effort on his behalf on preparation of the razors for a multitude of customers). I think a disposable blade would be the prudent choice and, from what I hear, the Feather SS razors don't leave much behind by having a blade that can be disposed after a shave.
I would, however, be eternally disappointed by a bad shave (regardless of tool).