Has anyone ever used a shave chart before?

dasistmineoz · Nov 19, 2014

I just downloaded a shave chart from a website.

It looks simple enough, but does anyone else here actually plan out the direction of their hair before you shave?

I got mine from stubblebubble.com but there are a few on google images too.

letsgofire · Nov 19, 2014

Awesome first post!

BrooksLauren77 · Nov 19, 2014

I have not, nor ever heard of such a chart prior.

dasistmineoz · Nov 19, 2014

lol not sure if shaving questions are part of 'Menswear' but they are seeming like an accessory lately.

BrooksLauren77 · Nov 19, 2014

dasistmineoz said:
lol not sure if shaving questions are part of 'Menswear' but they are seeming like an accessory lately.

Straight-razors are rather popular with some; gives quite a close shave I've read. Literally.

chogall · Nov 19, 2014

http://badgerandblade.com/ will be a better resource for these type of questions.

dasistmineoz · Nov 19, 2014

Yeah when I was at shave shop a while back I heard people went crazy over them after the release of one of the bond films.

CarlaVan · Feb 14, 2016

I've been doing family hair for 20 years and that includes men's haircuts and beard trims ...recently, I began some part time hours in the busiest barber shop in DC. A friend of mine owns it , but all the other barbers do use straight razors and change the blade with each shave . I'm a full cosmotologist, and do color and highlights as well as updos , but never felt comfortable using the straight edge razor on necks and throats or faces . I cut hair with them for textured effects, and trine beards with the electric clipper and T edger , I also have a small safety mini style razor trimmer for close cut detail around and inside of ears or mustache etc , but refuse to go with the straight edge ....regardless of the closest shave , I think it's too risky and they're too sharp

Andy57 · Feb 14, 2016

I think the idea of shaving with a straight razor is mighty romantic and appealing...right up until you actually use one. When I was a young man, I fell into the trap of assuming that all the old ways were better. I bought a good-quality German straight razor, a strop, shaving cream, brush, etc. I knew that it would take a little while to get good at shaving with a straight razor.

Well, I never did get good enough for my satisfaction. The truth is, a straight razor does not deliver a shave anywhere near as good as a modern blade razor. Whether I've done it myself or had a shave from a professional, a shave from a straight razor is not a close shave, not as good as an electric, frankly. What straight razors are good at is shaving off all the little bumps and irregularities of your face and neck. And leaving you with some pretty impressive-looking cuts on your face, too.

The best shave I ever had is with a modern Gillette Fusion 5-blade cartridge.

comrade · Feb 14, 2016

Many decades ago travelling through Europe with some college classmates, a guy from my school whom
we ran into in Paris, had taken to using a straight razor for the same romantic reasons noted above, plus
the American in Paris in the '20s creative thing. The result: He looked like he had gone through the windshield
of the 2CV we were driving that summer. I certainly hope that he wasn't permanently scarred.

Alex Hayes · Feb 14, 2016

Shaving with a straight razor is like anything else, it requires some practice to get it down right. Once you do, you shouldn't cut yourself too much and I believe you will get a close, comfortable shave. The reusable nature of a straight razor is appealing to some I'm sure as is the "craft" behind it much like the craft behind fine clothing. I personally haven't had any problems using a straight razor and do find some advantages over the modern cartridge razor.

bahlsdheep · Feb 14, 2016

It takes a while to get used to shaving with a straight (and even longer to develop stropping technique to the point where you don't cut your strop to pieces), but when you do I personally would say it's totally worth it.

I've got a rotation of three straights, and with my thick beard these blow safety razors out of the water. I used to go through Mach 3 blades every 2 weeks and never be able to shave against the grain. With a straight it takes no preassure and doing a second pass against the grain is effortless with no razor burn, cuts or, nicks. If you use a pre-shave oil or cream this can make shaving considerably easier.

CarlaVan · Feb 14, 2016

Andy57 said:
I think the idea of shaving with a straight razor is mighty romantic and appealing...right up until you actually use one. When I was a young man, I fell into the trap of assuming that all the old ways were better. I bought a good-quality German straight razor, a strop, shaving cream, brush, etc. I knew that it would take a little while to get good at shaving with a straight razor.

Well, I never did get good enough for my satisfaction. The truth is, a straight razor does not deliver a shave anywhere near as good as a modern blade razor. Whether I've done it myself or had a shave from a professional, a shave from a straight razor is not a close shave, not as good as an electric, frankly. What straight razors are good at is shaving off all the little bumps and irregularities of your face and neck. And leaving you with some pretty impressive-looking cuts on your face, too.

The best shave I ever had is with a modern Gillette Fusion 5-blade cartridge.

Yes, I agree ....and while it may be that some old school barbers "forte' , I can understand getting on a guy wanting to get one on occasion, but for the average guy, I think they're just fine with a preferred way, whatever works comfortably...I generally do shape -ups with the electric shavers, T-Edger, and a nifty little " safety-disposable ," but just prefer not to venture into use of the straight razor

Randy Brooks · Feb 15, 2016

Andy57 said:
I think the idea of shaving with a straight razor is mighty romantic and appealing...right up until you actually use one. When I was a young man, I fell into the trap of assuming that all the old ways were better. I bought a good-quality German straight razor, a strop, shaving cream, brush, etc. I knew that it would take a little while to get good at shaving with a straight razor.

Well, I never did get good enough for my satisfaction. The truth is, a straight razor does not deliver a shave anywhere near as good as a modern blade razor. Whether I've done it myself or had a shave from a professional, a shave from a straight razor is not a close shave, not as good as an electric, frankly. What straight razors are good at is shaving off all the little bumps and irregularities of your face and neck. And leaving you with some pretty impressive-looking cuts on your face, too.

The best shave I ever had is with a modern Gillette Fusion 5-blade cartridge.

I've never used a straight, but I feel a bit down that the best shave you've had was with a Fusion as I've always found that multi-blade cartridges chewed my face up. Thank God for safety razors and feather blades.

Andy57 · Feb 15, 2016

Randy Brooks said:
I've never used a straight, but I feel a bit down that the best shave you've had was with a Fusion as I've always found that multi-blade cartridges chewed my face up. Thank God for safety razors and feather blades.

Let down? Do you have some personal investment in what I use to shave with?

Honestly, if a safety razor works for you, great. They used to leave me with significant razor burn, especially under my chin. At times I could only shave every other day. Twin-blade cartridge razors were an improvement for me, three-blade razors better still. And, yes, five-blade cartridges, for me, are the most comfortable and closest shave I've ever had. I rarely nick myself with one. I think the advent of razors that are hinged behind the blades were a big improvement over safety razors where you can put as much pressure on the blade as you want. That's one way to leave your face sore.

Shaving is a very personal thing, obviously. But, for me, there is no doubt that shaving technology has improved immeasurably over the last 30-40 years. But if people like the romance of old-fashioned shave systems, more power to them.

Has anyone ever used a shave chart before?

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