Stahly Live Blade

**Jack-in-the-Green** · 03-22-2009, 05:34 AM

The idea of a vibrating safety razor frankly scares the bejebus out of me, and yet I'm curious ...

Anyone here ever used it and lived to tell the tale?

**copperhead** · 03-22-2009, 05:54 AM

I remember reading about someone using it and lived to tell the tale. Just do a search and you might find it.

**AsylumGuido** · 03-22-2009, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by Jack-in-the-Green

The idea of a vibrating safety razor frankly scares the bejebus out of me, and yet I'm curious ...

Anyone here ever used it and lived to tell the tale?

Not only have I used one, but I featured it as The Safety Razor of the Week.

The Stahly Live Blade

**Milton** · 03-22-2009, 06:25 AM

I have one in my rotation. Its a bit unnerving to use the first time because you have less tactile and audible feedback from the razor, but it cuts through hair nicely.

**JimK** · 07-21-2012, 05:00 PM

I own one made in the 1950's, and gifted to me in the 1970's by the widow of it's first owner. I used it with other DE razors for many years, until I succumbed to the multiblade cartridge razor epidemic.... After I realized that five blade cartridges really didn't do anything that 5 minutes with a fine DE razor could do, yet they clogged in a flash, couldn't trim my neck at the hairline without clogging in one stroke, and cost hundreds of $ per year, I returned to DE shaving. I tried many brands of blades and razor handles, but the only razor handle (with any of my favorite blades) to allow me fast, baby butt smooth, nick free shaving on a daily basis was the Stahly!

I have been using my Stahly again daily for several years. I love it. I figured out why some folks who dislike the Stahly at first try prefer to "hear and feel" their razor cut their beards.... It's because their razor is dependent on the operator to make every part of every cut. With the Stahly, the operator is only required to gently guide the razor, as the vibrating motion handles most of the cutting work, while the same vibrating motion prevents the blade from becoming hung up on "tough, or difficult" areas. It takes a week or two to get used to trusting your razor handle to do what you used to do to "shave and save" your skin, but it is fantastic once you learn to trust it, and just guide your razor, rather than drive your razor... I can bust out a close, nick free shave in a few minutes with the Stahly. I can shave the fuzz off of the back of my neck, trim my beard, rinse it off, and repeat the same for well over a week with the same blade...

No kidding, no BS. That "live action" not only saves skin, it extends the life of good blades! Is there a downside? There always is... The Stahly is a real PITA to wind when your hands are wet. It takes a second wind to do a great shave, but you adapt... Use a face towel, or some other device to grip the smooth, chromed body in your wet fingers. Not that hard, just takes a bit of imagination. It's worth the trouble... Buy a Stahly, force yourself to use it for a month or two.... You will forget your fears, and discover that you can shave clean, fast, and nick free in far less time than it takes with a classic Merkur, or other popular non-vibrating razor handle.

This really is a classic case of over engineering applied to a fantastic concept. It's mass makes it perform even better than the best similar applications to modern cartridge blades, yet requires no batteries, works for 60++ years between tune ups, and looks as good as new despite the worst product abuse thrown at it after decades of daily shaving.... It's unfortunate that this product can no longer be produced in the US at this quality level, even at its high consumer price point. It is one product that I wish China would duplicate, but I think it is too much effort for too few $ even for China in today's market.... All you have left is to enjoy the cheap prices of those on the used market today, and hope there are enough left for future shavers to explore the concept again, and perhaps reinvent the ultimate wheel of DE shaving with future manufacturing technology....

Did I mention that I really enjoy shaving with the Stahly Live Blade razor?

**fcdiscus** · 07-21-2012, 05:15 PM

I have one and the bottom wind up part only lasts a few seconds- I imagine it is broken. But the head I have attached to an old Gillette reissue handle and it is a very very nice smooth performing razor like that. Anyone know how to repair the bottom part?