straight razors

[john keyes]

has anybody actually really shaved with a straight razor or razor sharp knife?

I suppose folks use to have to do it all the time back in the old days.  no wonder so many people had beards, I wouldn't want to try it.

[streak]

Yep!
I have shaved with a sharp knive -once!! it worked, but very tedious operation.
For straight razors, I used to watch my granddaddy shave with his straight razor and he would put a dab of his hand made shaving foam on my cheek and shave it off! I thought that was cool! He also had a razor strop and he used that for "dual"purposes!!
After I got a little older, the barbers always used straight razors to clean up around my ears and neck after my haircut.
I look back now I sure must have had a lot of faith in those barbers capabilities.

[Reverend Recoil]

$10 got me a haircut and a hot shave with a stright razor in Dubai, UAE.  My Indian barber did a good job.  No nicks.  The fun part is when he slapped on the after shave.  For a second I thought my face was on fire.

[streak]

Yeah! After he got through with the straight razor around my neck and ears he would throw on a hot towel on my neck and ears, wow!, then would bring out the talcum powder brush and dust my neck. Ahhhhhhh ! That felt good and smell good too!!

[pastorp]

When I was a kid we always tested the edge on our knives by shaving a patch of hair off our arms...   However I was much too young to have a need to shave my face.     Now days I wear a beard.
 
Regards,

[GeneRector]

   Howdy! When I was a teenager my Dad told me to never buy a straight razor. He said it was too easy to cut yourself with. Thus, I have never used one. It is done all the time at the barber shop, but they are really experienced with using one. That said, there seems to be an re-emerging interest in wet shaves using old time soaps, brush, and cup. There are several web sites that discuss it. You Tube has some videos of how to correctly shave as well. Anyway, it is nostalgic to say the least. I am now using brush,soap, and sometimes creams. It is a bit time consuming, but fun! Always, Gene
 
 

[Rex in OTZ]

looks like a hassle, I'll think I'll stay with My Gillett III
 
 
 
http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/conk/
 
http://www.nashvilleknifeshop.com/straight-razors-and-shaving-html1.html

[Rex in OTZ]

 
It was the end the Edwardian era they came out with the safty razor, WWI allot of dough Boys bought em for use oversea's and they kept useing them when they returnd home.
 
 
http://www.nashvilleknifeshop.com/merkur-safety-razors-html.html
 
I recall my father useing the safety razor in the mid 60's, by 1972 was useing a Norelco electric, think the last I saw he was using Bic disposables.
 
 

[SHOOTALL]

Twice both times was my leg before an operation .

[Joel]

  Howdy! When I was a teenager my Dad told me to never buy a straight razor. He said it was too easy to cut yourself with. Thus, I have never used one. It is done all the time at the barber shop, but they are really experienced with using one. That said, there seems to be an re-emerging interest in wet shaves using old time soaps, brush, and cup. There are several web sites that discuss it. You Tube has some videos of how to correctly shave as well. Anyway, it is nostalgic to say the least. I am now using brush,soap, and sometimes creams. It is a bit time consuming, but fun! Always, Gene

I've been using a mug/brush for years and it's really not that much more time consuming...and it does feel good.  Back when I was on submarines we weren't allowed to use aerosol shave creams since then contained freon back then, and that would set off our atmosphere alarms; living in a closed cycle environment as we did. Some guys used gels, some used the brush and some just didn't shave while on a mission.  I picked up the habit and have had it ever since.  It is getting popular again.

[gcrank1]

Im thinkin' there is a reason the replacement was called a 'safety razor'.
Ive got too many lumps & bumps to to be getting too close with a blade like that. Maybe If I had been usin' one right along I wouldnt have them.........