Straight razors hold a special sway over today’s man.  Using one is in an echelon of masculine endeavor with smithing, outdoor sportsman games or horse-taming that serves as a cultural link to yesteryear’s manly men.  I looked into straight razor sets and found the prices either suspiciously high ($275 for a full chrome set) or suspiciously low ($3.00 for one made of bone, not just the handle, the whole thing).

I got a haircut later that day and asked about a straight razor, the first question the barber asked was “what do you plan on doing with it?”  I attempted to make a Sweeney Todd joke but quickly answered “shave”.  After an awkward silence he quizzed me on strop sharpening, and creating a proper lather and proving I’d done my homework he said he had an in “with a big wig in the straight razor industry”.  Big wig in the straight razor industry?  Really?  He mentioned he’d “hook me up” with some of the “newest technology on the market”.  Aircraft aluminum blades? No.  Lazer guided handle? No.  Some crazy curved blade that contours to the human face? Hell, no, it’s a straight razor.  “New tech” is apparently replaceable blades in a plastic handle which has only been around for about 70 years.

I hope to get the razor next week and I’m being positive, either I’ll have a stupidly smooth shave or will dress as a PEZ dispenser on Holloween next year.