Electric shaver or straight edge razor?

[SQUACKEE]

I had been using an electric shaver for decades and the last one finally died. I decides to try scraping foam off my face with a razor. I get a closer shave and can complete the task pretty much as fast as the electric.

I assume most people are electric and im a freak, yes?

[TNT]

No, I hate electric razors and prefer to scrape, but yes, you might be a freak.

[SQUACKEE]

No, I hate electric razors and prefer to scrape, but yes, you might be a freak.

A super freak?

[BisonHurdler]

Best tip I ever received on shaving: regular blade, but use some kind of thick hair conditioner instead of shaving foam. Say what you want, it might sound funny, but it's an infinitely better shave than with foam/gels.

[SQUACKEE]

Best tip I ever received on shaving: regular blade, but use some kind of thick hair conditioner instead of shaving foam. Say what you want, it might sound funny, but it's an infinitely better shave than with foam/gels.

So after you shave do you rinse and repeat? Seriously, you have to wash your face with water afterwards, right?

[Marlow]

I don't know what's wrong with me (no remarks from the Peanut Gallery, thank you), but I have NEVER been able to shave with a blade. It TEARS my chin up - I mean bloody. In order to press down hard enough to get the whickers anywhere near the skin, it always takes the skin too. What's up with that?
[doesn't happen on my cheeks or throat!]

[gh]

The real secret to a close shave is to start with soap & water, to strip the body oil off the hair so it becomes water-permeable. Then whatever you put on it softens the hair more easily and renders it easier to chop.

I've shaved in the shower for the last 40 years; that ensures maximum wetness. (A habit picked up in college when me and my roommates were too cheap to turn the heat on in our apartment, so in the winter shaving and teeth-brushing became in-the-shower functions!)

Obviously, that makes me a blade man, but I'm guessing Squack didn't really mean "straight edge" razor. Those things are deadly!

[TNT]

Hopefully not a super freak. Seriously, even though I try to go green, disposable razors seem to work best. Ironically, disposable razors can be re-used and seem to last virtually forever. While I use high end shaving cream, soap seems to work just fine.

[TNT]

I agree with gh. Warm/hot water is a must. Helps to run the razor under the warm water also. Additional question: do you shave up or down? I need to do a little of both.

[guru]

The real secret to a close shave is to start with soap & water, to strip the body oil off the hair so it becomes water-permeable. Then whatever you put on it softens the hair more easily and renders it easier to chop.

I've shaved in the shower for the last 40 years; that ensures maximum wetness.

Yep - always post shower for me. I use disposables, and like TNT said they seem to last forever as long as I shave right out of the shower - usually two to three weeks per razor.

I have an electric but never use it for close stuff - just trimming the goatee(which I suppose helps the life of the blades since I have less skin to clear, and no chin! lol)

[SQUACKEE]

I don't know what's wrong with me (no remarks from the Peanut Gallery, thank you), but I have NEVER been able to shave with a blade. It TEARS my chin up - I mean bloody. In order to press down hard enough to get the whickers anywhere near the skin, it always takes the skin too. What's up with that?
[doesn't happen on my cheeks or throat!]

Does your neck resemble this?

[BisonHurdler]

Yup, shaving in the shower is the way to go. The hotter the better. Again, I use conditioner instead of shaving cream/gel, and if you let it sit on your face for a minute or two, even better.

As for with/against the grain, I go with for most of it (my neck/chin/upper lip area) but can get away with going against the grain for the rest.


Edit: and by far, the greatest razor is the Mach3. Better than any of the other razors with more blades. Three seems to be the correct number (although not according to SNL), and the smoothest shave, I've found, is from a Mach3.

Also, if I haven't shaved in several days, I'll take an electric razor and gently just sort of trim some of that down. I've got thick hair, so doing a little "pre-shaving" with an electric razor right before doing the whole thing with a blade helps the blades last longer and makes it a lot easier. My skin gets really irritated really easily if I don't.

[SQUACKEE]

Obviously, that makes me a blade man, but I'm guessing Squack didn't really mean "straight edge" razor. Those things are deadly!

Yeah, i meant blade, mine has 3. My best shave is after a hot shower. Do you have a mirror in the shower? If you do, does it get fogged up and if yu dont how can you know if you didnt miss a part?

[highjumpfan]

I am a blade man. Went for a professional shave on Monday though and loved it. Highly recommend it at least once. Did make me think of a scene in Eastern Promises. If anyone has ever seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about. Third time I've ever had someone else shave me. Each time in a different continent. Maybe that's a new competition how many continents can you get shaved in. Need Africa, Asia, Australia and Antartica (Do penguins shave?)

[Marlow]

Does your neck resemble this?

here - judge for yourself - here's me this morning after i tried using a blade again: