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Straight razor is the name given to reusable knife blade used for shaving hair. They are also called cutthroat razors, particularly in the UK and Australia. Although straight razors were once the principal method of manual shaving, they have been largely replaced by double-edge or cartridge razors that use disposable blades, and by electric razors of various types.
Nevertheless, some shavers still prefer to use straight razors. New straight razors are still being made in Europe and Pakistan. Both new and antique razors are also considered collectibles.
History
Straight razors were the most common form of shaving before the 20th century and remained that common in many countries until the 1950s. Barbers were specially trained to give customers a thorough and quick shave, and a collection of straight razors ready for use was a common sight in most barbershops.
Straight razors were eventually superseded by double-edge, cartridge, and electric razors. These were easier, potentially safer and often faster to use, did not require constant maintenance, and required a smaller initial investment. As they became popular, the need for barbers to provide shaves decreased. Now, only a few barbers in the United States still shave with straight razors.
Construction
Straight razors consist of a semi or full hollow-ground blade sharpened on one edge. The blade rotates on a pin through its tang between two protective pieces called scales; when folded into the scales, the blade is protected from accidental damage. Handle scales are made of various materials including mother-of-pearl, celluloid, bone, plastic and wood. They were once made of ivory, but this has been discontinued, though fossil ivory is still used occasionally.
Method of Use
To be effective, a straight razor must be kept extremely sharp. The edge is fairly delicate, and during use is easily bent and folded over. To unfold and straighten the microscopic sharp edge, one must strop the blade on a leather razor strop before every use. The blade must also be sharpened periodically by honing with a razor hone. Strops prepared with pastes containing fine grit are also used for honing but are not recommended for the inexperienced user as they can easily rake off the edge. Some strops have a linen or canvas back used to roughen the edge prior to final polishing with the leather. A face's worth of thick hair may require multiple stroppings for one shave, but a blade is usually honed only two or three times a year. Occasional regrinding by a professional may be required to restore a badly worn or damaged edge.
In the heyday of straight razor shaving, wealthy users maintained a weekly "rotation" of seven razors to reduce wear on any one piece. Straight razors were often sold in special boxes of seven. However, many users owned only one razor.
Modern Use
Straight razors are still manufactured. DOVO, of Solingen, Germany, and Thiers-Issard of France are two of the most well-known European manufacturers. Feather Safety Razor Co. Ltd. of Osaka, Japan makes a razor with the same form as a traditional straight, but featuring a disposable blade.
Modern straight razor users are known to favor them for a variety of reasons. Some are attracted to the nostalgia of using old and traditional methods of shaving. Others profess an interest reducing the waste of disposable blades. Still others claim that straight razors provide a superior shave through greater control of the blade angle. For all these reasons, devotees of the straight razor make an active market for them.
Many barbers who provide straight razor shaving now use a version that employs a disposable blade system. This eliminates the need for sharpening and provides greater assurance of good hygiene.
Razor Collecting
There is also an active market for antique razors in many countries, especially those in Europe and North America. Some collectors use their antique razors for shaving, but many simply collect them as memorabilia.
Use as a Weapon
The typical straight razor's extreme sharpness, portability, and ease of concealment has led to it being used as an illegal weapon. As a straight razor has a slashing action and not a stabbing one, it is often used to disfigure the victim of the assault. Slitting the victim's face from the corner of the mouth to the ear is called a Chelsea smile, as this was said to be a method of punishment dispensed by criminal gangs in the Chelsea area of London. The prevalence of attacks involving knives in Glasgow (Glasgow's "knife culture"), has also led to the term Glasgow smile being adopted for the same injury. As massive blood loss occurs from such a wound, these injuries can prove fatal. If they do not, a distinctive scar is formed. Straight razors have featured in some films as both weapons and torture implements. For example, a straight razor was employed in the film Reservoir Dogs as a torture implement, and as a weapon by The Twins in The Matrix Reloaded.
Tom Anderson designed a weaponized version of the straight razor in the form of a locking tactical folding knife. It is called the Raze-Tac, and is produced commercially by Master Cutlery.
See also
External links
"Straight razor"