Combining straight and DE shaving

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New Forest, England.
As I look forward to my straight razor and strop which will arrive next week, I am wondering about the feasibility of combining straight with DE shaving. I am getting superb shaves now with DE razors so it is hard to imagine that straights will be a huge improvement. It would be heretical to say this in the Straight Razor forum. One guy thinks I will be one in a thousand if I retain an interest in DE shaving. Well since I'm one in 6 billion that doesn't bother me.
I had in mind that it would be pleasant to use a straight razor 2-3 times a week leaving the rest of the week for my favourite DEs. There is so much to enjoy in this hobby of ours I see no reason to be dedicated to only one type of razor.

Any thoughts from the straight users here?
 
I am not a straight user-yet. But i can definately say that i will not give up on DE shaving until i retire. The way the economy is performing I may have to work until I cark it :lol:

This is for two reasons, i have to shave Mon - Fri for work & i have more than a couple of DE blades to keep me going. I cannot see my stash overtaking the Superthinmosnters, but, i am not too far behind. ;)
 
It is certainly 'do-able'.

Some DE shavers will save their straight-razors for the weekend when they have more time. Others will grab one when the fancy takes them (as DE shavers do with different razors when they have more than one to choose from).

Oh, and I don't think 999 out of 1000 men who try a straight end up turning their backs on DEs - those numbers are WAY out. There's been a few posts already from DE users who've dabbled but not converted. Me included.
 
I can see myself "upgrading" to a straight razor... but see, sometimes on a weekend I like to cook a nice meal for me and the lovely Mrs. Cheese Dave, and have a few glasses of wine... and some beers... and while I'm happy to take a DE to my face in such a "contented" state, I certainly wouldn't entertain a straight under such circumstances ;)
 
I combine them. As has been said I generally use my straight at weekends and the de's weekdays. There are also bits I can't get at with the straight so do a bit of touch up with the de anyway.
Don't expect too much from your straight at first. Settle for one pass and some de touchup and keep a close eye on the blade tip. I neatly slit a nostril losing track of the shiny little bugger once, it took a good fifteen seconds for the blood to flow so I wasn't convinced I'd actually nicked it at all. Never felt a thing, damn sharp!
As you said, no point limiting your options, I'm just waiting on delivery of a 63 superspeed and can't wait to see how that goes!
 
I dont think you will use one or the other, I use several DE's and a straight it all depends on my mood and how much time I have, oh and i still use my mach 3 from time to time ( :eek: there I said it)
 
Dizz - barbers often use a Mach 3 to tidy up chin and above the lip. I did for a while, but I found it made me a bit sore. Now I just take a bit more care with the DE.
I'm still poised for my full straight debut. I've decided to wait for the Video made by Lynn, founder of the Straight Razor Place Forum. I think I'm likely to do what you do. There are bound to be days when I really don't have the time or inclination for a straight shave. There are other things in life to get on with!
 
Today I went two passes with my straight razor leaving the tricky chin area alone. Then I finished off against the grain on my neck and completed the chin area with my Jagger DE. Result? As smooth and comfortable as I would wish to be. So I had the best of both worlds today. The pleasure of straight shaving the easy bits. And the comfort of a DE razor to do the rest. I could get used to this.

My original post was about combining a few days of DE with a few days of straight shaving. But there may be merit in using two razors for each shave. An option open to us old codgers with a little time to spare.
 
Straight is not easy. It's a skill I want to learn, but man alive I have to confess I get "teh fear" [sic] when trying to straight razor some of the more difficult parts of my face. It's the knowledge that the slightest sideways movement will result in a ribbon of blood. Yesterday I shaved most of my face WTG using my grandad's old razor. It was almost with relief that I finished off using a DE.

Come on, Fido, let's crack this.
 
You have to condition your mind to avoid carelessness with a straight in your hand. Don't move the blade to your face until you feel certain it's at the right angle. So it's a real effort to concentrate throughout the shave. With the DE back in your hand you can relax because that feels so easy in comparison. The up pass and down pass should soon become quite easy. Learning to go across and round the chin seems like it's going to be the final assault on the Everest summit. Could be bloody difficult - literally! But get there we will.
 
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