I dont know if straight razors are for me??

Glad I didn't go off on the deep end regarding straights, just too much ritualistic maintenance with stones, pastes, strops etc...

I bet an electric shaver thinks/says the same thing when he/she sees us with soaps, brushes, blades, razors, and 3 passes.
You are right. Just saying ...

I dont think I want to buy expensive stones. Plus learning to use them is probaply a challenge. I had got to where I liked natural finished edges, such as jnats. They are kinder to the skin more that synthetic edges, and pretty $!!$

40 minutes is a bit for a shave. I wouldn't force yourself to like something - if something shaves you just as good and quicker, then I'd go for it!

+1 to what SCShaver said. My varying hair growth, coupled with my facial features just didn't suit straights.
I get fantastic shaves with my DEs, so I don't regret not being able to use my straights, daily.

You could always use DEs during the week and straights on the weekends.

I agree with these guys, and besides the part-way options that have been mentioned, you might try one of these (sorry if I missed them):

• You can shave with a shavette.  The maintenance is nil, entry costs are low, and you will me maintaining and developing a very similar skill set.
  
• You can shave parts of your face with the straight and finish with a DE
  

Good luck.  I myself have put off straight razor shaving for now and opted use shavettes and (mostly) DEs for now.  Like some have already mentioned, I have challenges.  I bleed easily these days due to some medical issues, and the hair map of my neck looks like a Jackson Pollock painting.  

Good luck whichever way you go.  It's all good if you are diggin' it, and not good otherwise.

Great thread. Bottom line I think is you do what you want and what you enjoy. A 40 minute shave for one guy is way to long and perfect for another and some guys love to tinker with stones and strops and pastes and all that honing and grinding. Other guys just want to slip a fresh DE blade out of a tuck and get the job done. Thats the beauty of this whole thing - there's no right or wrong, you just do what you like. OK, maybe slicing your face open is wrong. I never even got to the trying out a straight razor part. I read an article on what was involved in the preparation and maintenance of the razor and I decided right then and there that there wasn't enough time in the day to do all that but thats just me. I also thought that shaving one face a day wasn't enough to really get good at it. I'm ok with my decision and I'm happy with my DE razors - I do think straight razors are impressive tools, I just have no interest in applying that tool to my face.

Straight Razors are a true love-hate relationship for me as well. I love the shave (at least first two passes) when the edge is nice. I dislike everything else about straight razors - stropping, being careful with water, storing (trying storing without oil, 2 of my razors showed rust within months), sending out for honing, refreshing. I think about selling my SRs and related stuff every week. Then after a few good shaves with them, I end up buying more stuff (1 razor coming next week as we speak).

My shoulder/back RSI is in such a state that I don't see myself enjoying stropping, honing etc. any time soon. So it will remain a love-hate relationship for me.

Today I gave me De a go again. I popped a Derby blade in my Slim adjustable. I didn't get the best of a shave. I stated @ 7 and finished @3. My shave definitely wasn't bbs. I always use alum and I did get some sting after the de but, with a straight I got to the point to were i could get a glassy smooth shave, with no burn when using the alum. I'm still going to experiment with different blades I have many from years ago I bought to sample and never got around to them . I went ATG every where except my neck and I still feel rough spots . With a straight I've actually had a bbs last 10-12 hours. I've always liked adjustable razors. How does the Rex Ambassador shave in comparison to the slim or fatboy?

I may need to experiment with finishing on higher settings with the slim . Derby blades are not known to be sharp, but I did get a few weepers where I had a few bumps, and I still got stinging with the alum and after shave. I agree you are limited to the closeness of the shave on the neck area with a straight, unless you are blessed with whiskers that only grow north and south. I don't have to worry about getting a bbs on the neck. For some reason no matter which razor I choose I can only do a with and a semi-across grain, because I get ingrown, but every where else I can go ATG. Even the mustache area.

... How does the Rex Ambassador shave in comparison to the slim or fatboy? ...

I would stick with one razor, or at least stick with one razor for a month at a time. This is not to take away from the Rex. It's a fine razor, and it has a big fan base. So do Slims, Fat Boys, and Parker Variant adjustables. Personally, I like my Slim (about $45 on eBay) and Variant ($57) the best. I like my Fatboy about as well as the Rex. But all will do, and all will probably do better if used daily rather than in rotation.

I agree! A man don't need to change the variables to much. Oh yeah I like the slim also! The only thing I don't like at the higher settings is i get a bit of blade chatter. I do think I need to finish off on a higher setting. I usually start off mild to mow the bulk down, then go mid-aggressive, and finish at a low setting. The shave I last night with the slim I finished way to low. I think I will finish @4 next shave. I think I will still use the same Derby blade. Definitely not the sharpest, but sometimes I don't always go for the sharpest blade. I have these to try: Crystal, personna lab, Gillette Yellow 7 0clock, Voshhod, Gillette Naucet, Gillette Rubie and Polisiver.

This is off the subject, but how do you post part of something someone else posted? I dont know how to do that.