My theory is that because a straight can do significant harm if you are careless, developing patterns that are mindful and careful of the edge but are easy and natural to do with muscle memory makes us appreciate the whole experience more. Probably BS, but that’s my thought for today.
I guess you are right with this one. The fact that I cannot (rather: learned the hard way that I absolutely must not) shave with a straight when in a hurry or when tired, and that safety precautions have to be enforced makes it that a minimum level of concentration or mindfulness is required, rather than nice-to-have.
Also, what I found interesting (or challenging) with straights is that you can not only harm yourself, but also your razor if you’re not careful.
Yes, definitely! I have only dropped one straight razor and, thankfully, that was a Gold Dollar purchased many years ago for ~$15. A big part of straight razor shaving that we don’t talk much about is the actual handling of the razor while shaving (rinsing, wiping, switching hands, etc.). This is a skill in itself.
I’m rinsing with clear water, and then I wipe with a microfiber cloth. I’ve set a precise disposition for my shaving implements when using a straight, and if the razor is not being used, I keep it closed at all times. Better safe than sorry!
I believe I could optimize my hand changing routine: I switch 2 or 3 times for each pass - if I only did it once, it would be much faster. But this is also constrained by wiping, especially for the XTG pass.
I guess you are right with this one. The fact that I cannot (rather: learned the hard way that I absolutely must not) shave with a straight when in a hurry or when tired, and that safety precautions have to be enforced makes it that a minimum level of concentration or mindfulness is required, rather than nice-to-have.
Also, what I found interesting (or challenging) with straights is that you can not only harm yourself, but also your razor if you’re not careful.
Yes, definitely! I have only dropped one straight razor and, thankfully, that was a Gold Dollar purchased many years ago for ~$15. A big part of straight razor shaving that we don’t talk much about is the actual handling of the razor while shaving (rinsing, wiping, switching hands, etc.). This is a skill in itself.
I’m rinsing with clear water, and then I wipe with a microfiber cloth. I’ve set a precise disposition for my shaving implements when using a straight, and if the razor is not being used, I keep it closed at all times. Better safe than sorry!
I believe I could optimize my hand changing routine: I switch 2 or 3 times for each pass - if I only did it once, it would be much faster. But this is also constrained by wiping, especially for the XTG pass.
I use lather build-up as a signal for rinsing and switching hands.