Do you shave old school?

One of the things that will quickly be used up in a long term meltdown is disposable razors. While there is nothing wrong with allowing a beard to grow, gas masks, and related NBC equipment, will not seal properly on an unshaved face. Solution? Straight razor, strop, and related. From time to time, I shave with a basic straight razor to keep in the habit.

Anyone else have a straight razor, and the experience to use said, as part of their preps? Have any pics of your setup? Thanks for sharing!

 

I have disposables enough for a decade then I have several straight razors as eventual backup!

 

First of all, a regular gas mask will seal just fine even if you have a beard. That is assuming it's a small beard, not one of those "been living in the woods for 3 years" one.
I don't really shave nowadays, nor would I do so in a survival situation. However yes I can use a straight razor if I need to.
Also what Arkane said makes a lot of sense... a simple GOOD razor will last you a couple of months at the very minimum, unless you do decide on shaving each and every day. So just a regular pack of those (I think there is 5-10 blades in a pack) and you'll be good to go for a couple of years.

 

My son is in trouble then. He failed at using disposable razors as he couldn't develop a light touch. Poor guy would have razor burns on his face for days. He uses an electric razor currently. I would not trust him with a straight razor at all.

 

From the US Army manual Operator's Manual for Mask, Chemical—Biological TM 3-4240-279-10.

Keep face clean shaven. An unshaven face could cause a bad seal between face and facepiece.​

From research conducted on civilian-employed negative-pressure respirators:

"The effect of facial hair on the face seal of negative-pressure respirators, both half-masks and full facepieces, has been investigated. Three hundred and seventy (370) male employees were fit tested both qualitatively and quantitatively. Of these, sixty-seven (67) had fully established beards varying in length, shape, density and texture. Bearded subjects consistently failed the qualitative fit test protocol."​

Not a risk I'm willing to take if we're talking a chemical agent.

 

You can quote as many manuals as you want but it will never beat actually putting a gas mask on and verifying if there is a seal or not.
Also keep in mind the wording on that army manual: "could cause a bad seal". There are a million things that could cause a bad seal, yes having a beard is one of them. Doesn't mean it will cause a bad seal. And one final thing... the manual you (and so many others) love to quote, according to a quick google search, is over 30 years old.

Now there is nothing wrong with it if you choose to shave for this reason. However, from my experience, they work just fine with a beard. (haven't tried with a massive beard though)

 

I also have a straight razor, my facial hair grows short so I look ludicrous with it. Is not so hard, since I have to only shave a little sometimes. Can't imagine how you people shave with a straight razor without putting some shaving foam first.

 

Beyond the military, current FEMA and OHSA training material and standards state the same thing concerning facial hair and sideburns.

Perhaps you are talking about some of the hood type masks that may work fine with facial hair. Up to a point, of course; ZZ Top might have a problem.

However, the type that requires a skin-tight seal, it is a dangerously bad idea to risk it.

A good shaving cream or soap is indeed a very good idea. They do cut very close and smooth though. Beyond the tangent that the thread took, there are other reasons (medical or otherwise) why one might wish to remove facial or body hair.