I’m not sure what initially drew my interest, but the concept of learning to shave with a straight razor has been in the back of my mind for a while now.

It’s a bit scary, since they’re also known as cut-throat razors, since they’re something like a six-inch-long razor blade that’s kept extremely sharp for best results. Wikipedia notes that despite the name, you are “exceeding unlikely to cut anything vital” like your jugular. Somehow, that’s not entirely comforting. (In actuality, it seems that cutting yourself at all is fairly improbable with proper technique, and that, if you do, it’s a nick, not a huge hunk of flesh sliced off.)

Besides being nifty and old-fashioned and not as dangerous as I assumed, they have some other benefits. Many argue that they give a closer shave, and allow much greater precision. But the big advantage I see? They last forever. The blades on my Mach 3 last me a handful of shaves, and a 4-pack is about $20. A straight razor is much more money up front, but can be handed down for generations.

It does require more upkeep, though. Every six months or so, you’ll want to hone the blade to keep it sharp. More notably, though, it’s recommended that you strop the razor after every use, to keep the edge smooth.

The problem is that I don’t want to invest a few hundred dollars to decide I like it, but investing in something cheap will almost certainly mean it’s either inferior quality or needs to be honed.