SR starter on a whim...

[RonPac]

I haven't been in a Badger & Blade forum for awhile, I was over in the safety razor section until I got my set up (Edwin Jagger, bulldog handle, superfine badger brush, etc.). I recently installed a magnifying shaving mirror and it works so well, I thought I would try a straight razor shave... Well, sort of, it's a straight razor you load single edge blades into, I guess it is called a shavette (don't judge me I was on Amazon and it was super cheap, $10 and came with 100 derby blades.
I also purchased some E-Z blade gel, that was more that the razor set up $12. It goes on clear so, I thiutho that would help until I get a feel for the process.
My question is: Can the shavette give a satisfactory experience? Or is it like I'm using training wheels and it's not the same? I didn't want to make a big investment and the idea of having to hone a blade too, at first didn't interest me. Like I said, It was on a whim. I was bore looking at deals on Amazon and with the nice lit magnifying shaving mirror, I thought I'd give it a go.

 

[Luecke2326]

There is nothing wrong with starting on a shavette. There is a steep learning curve to start with, but there is no need to strop a blade and if you damage your edge, you can easily replace it. They can provide a satisfactory experience, but for myself, I found them a bit too aggressive and dangerous(YMMV). For myself, once I moved 100% in to using a traditional straight, my shaves greatly improved, though my technique had improved quite drastically by then. A Straight and a shavette are two different animals, but similar in the ways that count. You'll learn to shave with both your left and right hand. You'll need to learn new angles and how to best stretch your skin and you'll learn to have a light touch. If you take your time and ease into using a shavette, many people find them to be very nice shavers.

Being a nearly exclusive vintage shaver, once I transitioned to a traditional straight razor, I really came into my own. I wish you good luck! Don't look like me at the end of your shave.....

 

[Twelvefret]

Nothing wrong staying with a shavette. I still enjoy the Feather SS very much and use it frequently for a pass or two.

 

[RonPac]

Interesting and thank you for your reply. After a little more, I can see how this is really the "cutting edge" of the shaving experience. I did say in my post, it was on a whim.
The shavette is used by my barber to clean my neck up and they seem to have no problem with that process, that gave me a false sense of confidence. For one, the back of the neck must be much easier to shave for them and the skin is much thicker/tougher. Maybe I will hold off in using it or just use it on my sideburns. I'll have to read up I. The newbie "real" SR forums if I make the dive again. Funny, the reason I never made the jump before was because I thought I why nick/cut myself? I thought, just stay with the safety razor. (I still manage to occasionally get a small nick on the chin or upper lip)

 

[Twelvefret]

Interesting and thank you for your reply. After a little more, I can see how this is really the "cutting edge" of the shaving experience. I did say in my post, it was on a whim.
The shavette is used by my barber to clean my neck up and they seem to have no problem with that process, that gave me a false sense of confidence. For one, the back of the neck must be much easier to shave for them and the skin is much thicker/tougher. Maybe I will hold off in using it or just use it on my sideburns. I'll have to read up I. The newbie "real" SR forums if I make the dive again. Funny, the reason I never made the jump before was because I thought I why nick/cut myself? I thought, just stay with the safety razor. (I still manage to occasionally get a small nick on the chin or upper lip)

Watch this 12 times.

 

[RonPac]

Watched once, so far, I'm going to again, skipping fwd to shave. Putting shaving cream right into the brush was new to me. I wish I could see the products he uses and am going to use his chin skin spreading technique too. Very low angle on the blade, like 15 degrees were my first impressions.
Thanks!

 

[steveclarkus]

Just start with your cheeks and nothing else and finish with your DE. If you don’t like it, don’t give up on straights. A regular straight is a bit easier and safer but vintage straights of good quality can be had for very reasonable cost. With practice and patience, they can provide the best and most comfortable shaves possible.

 

[Twelvefret]

Watched once, so far, I'm going to again, skipping fwd to shave. Putting shaving cream right into the brush was new to me. I wish I could see the products he uses and am going to use his chin skin spreading technique too. Very low angle on the blade, like 15 degrees were my first impressions.
Thanks!

Something I enjoy is doing a knock down pass first thing. If you notice his first pass, he's just reducing growth. The detail work comes later. I now do, one knock down followed by one or two detailed passes. I set my sideburns and up against my nose with a mid '30 Schick injector razor. For me this is the best detail razor.

Since I began doing the knock down, I've gotten my best results. I think this is because the tendency is to try to accomplish too much on that first pass.

 

[rudyt]

I wish I could see the products he uses

He's using a Vanta shavette, an Omega 10048 boar brush, and Proraso green (menthol and eucalyptus) cream in the big barber tube size.

 

[RonPac]

Thanks

He's using a Vanta shavette, an Omega 10048 boar brush, and Proraso green (menthol and eucalyptus) cream in the big barber tube size.

I have an Omega brush, similar. It's so large I use it to apply talc.
I