Thread: Most serious straight-related injury?

Early on I had a couple of near misses. I was holding the razor close to my face getting ready to make a pass. Reaching around with my left hand to stretch I bumped the razor in my right hand almost cutting either my face or my left hand. I seem to have developed an intuitive feel for moving my hands around now and thankfully it hasn't happened again.

Recently someone asked if str8 shaving wasn't dangerous? I said,"not as dangerous as driving a car".

For some reason all the nicks and a couple slices that I have inflicted on myself have healed nicely. I think it may have to do with the sharpnes of the blade. Very clean entry and exit wounds.

I've only had 3 injuries, none of which I'd call serious. When I first got a spike, I was cleaning up my sideburns and ended up slipping the spike inside my ear and just barely resting it on the bottom...on both sides. I have tiny, identical lines in both ears. It was shortly thereafter that I decided spikes weren't for me.

The third one was my own stupidity. I was shaving my chin with a shavette, started looking at something else, but my hand was still shaving. I gently set the blade on my chin- at a 90 degree angle- and cut myself something fierce. That's also the worst bleeder I've ever had.

The great part about straights is that they're so sharp, you have to either really slice yourself or do it in a stretchy place for it to scar. You can tell your wife that we have yet to lose any members to shaving

No serious injuries here, but I do know of two gentlemen who cut a finger tip each off. Luckily finger pads actually grow back, the only part of the human body to do so naturally, but don't feed that nonsense. If she starts freaking again ask her to find you one example of someone who has been seriously injured using a straight razor. That'll keep her busy for a while.

X

You'll almost certainly nick yourself on your first few shaves, but we're talking paper cut level cuts here. As far as serious injuries go, as long as you give the blade the respect it deserves, you'll be fine. If you are being careful and not trying anything stupid, you would actually have to actively try to hurt yourself seriously, IMO.

Several months ago I gave myself a shallow 1/2" slice on my cheek (with a round point!) - I was just starting the downward stroke when one of my dogs started to bark at something outside. I turned my head toward the noise but forgot to lift the blade off my face first.

I'm a eye contact conversationalist, and the sharpness of the razor doesn't combo well with that urge. I ended up with a inch long slice (shallow) just above my jaw line under the sideburns. I had responded to my wife by turning my head and I guess the razor as well, I asked it not to bleed but it decided to anyway. All in all it looked worse than it actually was, fortunately it healed up pretty quick. Just a different mindset is all, be mindful of the open sharp instrument laying on your face an you will be okay.

Important Safety Tip: Make sure your hands are dry when you shave. Once, while shaving, my hands were wet, I dropped a Vintage Goldedge I believe, before it hit the sink, (if your wondering, the razor was OK!) it hit my thumb and just about took it off, It was sharp. I could have used stiches, but was too lazy to go and wait in the hospital. I think there's a post on here somewhere. That was my one and only injury. Hope it's the last, now, I always have a towel, either drapped over my shorts, Like a Mason, or on my shoulder to wipe my hands....

If it helps any, I finally had to just look SWMBO in the eye and say: "look, people have been using these for hundreds of years. As long as I'm not bothered, I'm not going to kill myself accidentally. Besides, how about this (rub your BBS face on her)." The only trouble I get from her now is having so many...and I've only got 3. Oh well, you can't win 'em all.

Originally Posted by gregs656

When I told my mum (student) that I had a straight razor she said 'i don't want it in the house' needless to say since I've started shaving every day and she's felt my smooth as silk face she doesn't complain any more lol.

That just sounds so wrong!