Chasing the Closest...

Chasing the closest of shaves. But is it worth it?

I started with a DE like most. I've had a few, but I finally got a R41 about a month or two ago. I've shaved with it almost exclusively in that time. What a great shave. But now that I'm back home for a little bit (took a two year contract out of town, and didn't bring my straights), I'm shaving with my straights again, and there is just nothing closer.

I can't be scientific about this, but I shave every day when I use my DE. After the shave, it feels BBS, but it starts to grow back pretty quickly. I need to shave the next day. When I shave with my straight, I have to wait another day to let the stubble grow enough to make it worthwhile.

I don't understand this. All I can say is that somehow the straight "Diggs deeper."


At the end of the day, I believe that I enjoy shaving with a straight more than a DE when everything is working properly. But I do love my shaves, and the scent of my soaps, and I get more of that with my DE's... so it's a bit of a wash.

Perhaps we worry too much about the closeness over the experience. I mean, over x-mas I had to buy a Gillette Fusion, now that was close!!

Chasing the closest of shaves.  But is it worth it?

I started with a DE like most.  I've had a few, but I finally got a R41 about a month or two ago.  I've shaved with it almost exclusively in that time.  What a great shave.  But now that I'm back home for a little bit (took a two year contract out of town, and didn't bring my straights), I'm shaving with my straights again, and there is just nothing closer.  

I can't be scientific about this, but I shave every day when I use my DE.  After the shave, it feels BBS, but it starts to grow back pretty quickly.  I need to shave the next day.  When I shave with my straight, I have to wait another day to let the stubble grow enough to make it worthwhile.  

I don't understand this.  All I can say is that somehow the straight "Diggs deeper."


At the end of the day, I believe that I enjoy shaving with a straight more than a DE when everything is working properly.  But I do love my shaves, and the scent of my soaps, and I get more of that with my DE's... so it's a bit of a wash.

Perhaps we worry too much about the closeness over the experience.  I mean, over x-mas I had to buy a Gillette Fusion, now that was close!!

Interesting.  I don’t use straights but I do use DEs and various styles of SEs.  When I travel, or am in a hurry at home, out comes the Gillette Fusion.  While all of these razors will give me a BBS, the Fusion shave does not last nearly as long as the more traditional ones, basically what you find between your DEs and straights.  Also, as you say, the scents and the enjoyment of the shave is simply not there with the Fusion and canned gel or foam.  Today’s shave was a DE with Barrister and Mann Cologne Russe and it was more than worth the extra effort it took compared to a cartridge/gel shave.

Chasing the closest of shaves.  But is it worth it?

I started with a DE like most.  I've had a few, but I finally got a R41 about a month or two ago.  I've shaved with it almost exclusively in that time.  What a great shave.  But now that I'm back home for a little bit (took a two year contract out of town, and didn't bring my straights), I'm shaving with my straights again, and there is just nothing closer.  

I can't be scientific about this, but I shave every day when I use my DE.  After the shave, it feels BBS, but it starts to grow back pretty quickly.  I need to shave the next day.  When I shave with my straight, I have to wait another day to let the stubble grow enough to make it worthwhile.  

I don't understand this.  All I can say is that somehow the straight "Diggs deeper."


At the end of the day, I believe that I enjoy shaving with a straight more than a DE when everything is working properly.  But I do love my shaves, and the scent of my soaps, and I get more of that with my DE's... so it's a bit of a wash.

Perhaps we worry too much about the closeness over the experience.  I mean, over x-mas I had to buy a Gillette Fusion, now that was close!!

I see the same thing. I can't explain it either, but I think you're on the right track. What I can say is that once I learned to use the straight, my DE shaves became a lot more efficient. Still my (rare) DE shaves don't seem to last as long.

Again, I believe your final assessment's on the money: it's all about enjoying the process.

Chasing the closest of shaves.  But is it worth it?...

IMHO, no. It requires too much attention/work and oft times I can get irritation and/or ingrown hairs.  The gain is not commensurate with the pain.

...I'm shaving with my straights again, and there is just nothing closer.  

I can't be scientific about this, but I shave every day when I use my DE.  After the shave, it feels BBS, but it starts to grow back pretty quickly.  I need

That's because, as I am sure you know, nothing is holding back the edge from your face except your hand unlike a DE/SE/cartridge razor that has some form of bar regulating a set gap/angle. A cutthroat razor is basically limitless in this regard, but requires a knowledgeable person to operate one correctly and requires far greater attention.

I've said it before...what a time to be alive and shaving. Its incredible how this grooming "chore" has been transformed into such a pleasurable experience. Do you think we've attained "Peak Shave"? The absolute best that both software and hardware can be? Or...is there still room for more, better, smoother shaving out there? Shaving Nirvana? I suppose that might be subjective. I truly envy younger men like my son who at 23 has many years of pleasurable shaving in front of him. If this had all gone down when I was 19 man that would have been something but as they say, better late than never.

I've said it before...what a time to be alive and shaving. Its incredible how this grooming "chore" has been transformed into such a pleasurable experience. Do you think we've attained "Peak Shave"? The absolute best that both software and hardware can be? Or...is there still room for more, better, smoother shaving out there? Shaving Nirvana? I suppose that might be subjective. I truly envy younger men like my son who at 23 has many years of pleasurable shaving in front of him. If this had all gone down when I was 19 man that would have been something but as they say, better late than never.

This is spot on. I didn't move from carts and goo until I was 57 years old. Worse, I never used an aftershave for the first 57 years of my life. Oh, what I missed... As I tell my kids, however, never look back!

Perhaps we worry too much about the closeness over the experience.

My slightly sensitive skin has forced me not to worry too much about the closeness of the shave. I never do more than two passes, and that’s with a DE or an SE razor. However, I’m generally happy with the results. (Perhaps because I just don’t know of anything better.)

In all of this, I’ve found a bright side. Since there will definitely be some stubble the next day, I can shave again, and enjoy using more of the rather large collection of soap that I have.

...Do you think we've attained "Peak Shave"?  The absolute best that both software and hardware can be?  Or...is there still room for more, better, smoother shaving out there?...

IMHO the most advances have been:


1. the explosion of artisans, especially on the soap front

2. synthetic brushes

3. the incredible reduction in cost (per inflation) of top shelf blades.

Per BPman 's post above, I might have to try one of these newer synthetic brushes. I tried them several years ago and didn't think they performed as well as badgers so I've stayed away. I keep seeing people going on about them so maybe there's something to this Nah, badgers are better.

Per BPman 's post above, I might have to try one of these newer synthetic brushes.  I tried them several years ago and didn't think they performed as well as badgers so I've stayed away.  I keep seeing people going on about them so maybe there's something to this  Nah, badgers are better.

If you tried a synthetic several years ago I highly suggest you try one now. Trust me, it is a cheap experiment. I love my original plisson one for traveling. Synthetics have come a LONG way in just the last few years. I still like my boars/badgers better though.