Straight Razors, does anyone use them regularly?

[Bruno22]

Just got myself a German made straight razor that uses half a regular blade. Its quite scary to use it. On the first attempt (never done it before) I cut myself thrice. Promptly went back to the Gillette 5 blade turbo whatever. Now once my cuts have healed I will try again.
By the way I am a right handed person so shaving on the right side of my face was simpler. Doing the left side was a nightmare.

[eljefe]

Reverse the direction
Push and and go against the ' grain'

[full_circle]

I was hooked on straight razors for a long time... my first "try" was with the one that came in a Camlin dissection box (which used half blades)! It wasnt as comfortable as the one at the barber's, so I remember scouring the barber's wholesale shop area near Dagdusheth Halwai in Pune for a decent straight razor... where I found a made in Taiwan but imported from UAE piece!
The time required, my lack of blade maintenance technique as well as the convenience of a disposable blade led me to a shavette. This too was abandoned when I moved here, as I was informed that its difficult to source single blades.
Thanxx to this thread, I am again thinking of straight razors... maybe this time, I will first learn and practice blade maintenance before starting using one.

Chief, a damascus straight razor... its not a boker is it? They have two offerings with 180 layers! Also, in my experience, going against the grain is the surest and fastest way to a cut. Ofcourse, it is all about individual technique and preference, but I find going with the grain with a firm hand easier... just stretch the skin and repeat for a closer shave

[slingshot]

I have this deep seated suspicion against shaving. I mean, why would we have a 5 o clock shadow, if it was never meant to be there....evolution should have taken care of it by now . But that said, I do have to shave everyday, since all the companies who manufacture this stuff have brainwashed me (& society at large) into accepting it as part of my life. I started shaving with a safety razor with the detachable blades. Now I use Gillette.

Gillette started a campaign a few months ago, about how the fairer gender prefers men to be clean shaven...what brazen manipulation! Imagine what would happen if 80% men stopped shaving? Gillette would go bust I think!

And then...we would all have to go back to our father's cut throat razor...and learn to shave again...lol.