WHY a STRAIGHT razor?
- Thread starter RicoSuave
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #62
@RicoSuave, I thought this was all so weird with all the talk about fear of losing your _____ and then it hit me you're that guy looking for a monster brush. Now it all seems "perfectly logical"
Fattest/widest knot? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/fattest-widest-knot.609126/post-11309094
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It’s the best shave there is. They got it right first time and no modern, updated system can hold a candle to it. I’d never use a DE again.
It takes a little practice to use it to its full potential but you don’t have to be a wizard, it’s just a shave.
£50 for a decent usable vintage razor,
£25 fir a usable strop.
That’s pretty much it.
A Naniwa 12k sharpening stone is about £50. This is a handy thing to have and will be all you need if you want to maintain your own razor.
It’s not hard to do, you just glide the razor lightly back and forth a few times. You do this every 10-15 shaves or so depending on your beard.
If you stick with it’s fun and is a house of many rooms, plus you’ll be rewarded with the best shave a man can get.
It takes a little practice to use it to its full potential but you don’t have to be a wizard, it’s just a shave.
£50 for a decent usable vintage razor,
£25 fir a usable strop.
That’s pretty much it.
A Naniwa 12k sharpening stone is about £50. This is a handy thing to have and will be all you need if you want to maintain your own razor.
It’s not hard to do, you just glide the razor lightly back and forth a few times. You do this every 10-15 shaves or so depending on your beard.
If you stick with it’s fun and is a house of many rooms, plus you’ll be rewarded with the best shave a man can get.
- Thread starter
- #64
Wonder how BAD those first, initial shaves were for you guys? 
You have to stick it out for 20 crummy shaves. Most quit after a few. After 20, you will say " yeah, I can do this". Yoi won't be great but the painful shaves will.mostly be behind you.Wonder how BAD those first, initial shaves were for you guys?
To help get thorough these 20, start with only WTG on your cheeks for the first few shaves. Finish with your DE. Shaves 5-10, add WTG neck and maybe chin. Finish with your DE. Next few shaves, add XTG on your cheeks, finish with your DE. At about 15- 20 add ATG if you wish and feel comfortable.
I am sure you get the point. Finishing with your DE will give your skin a break and prevent irritation. This will also allow you to use a straight everyday while not being too time consuming. Learning to hold the razor, shave with no pressure and maintain correct angle while shaving will take some time. Do not go for BBS on these 20 shaves. This will lead to more.passes and irritation. Let BBS come to you. Once you get past 20, your shaves will get better. At 100, your doing pretty good, but shaves not as good as DE. As you progress, you will feel very comfortable holding and shaving with a straight. That's when you will learn little tricks to get the best shaves for you.
Remember, commit to 20. That's the price. Some get great results immediately, but that's not likely.
Bad? Well, they certainly weren't up to the standard of my 5-years-of-practice DE shaves. And I'll admit to a bit of blood leaking out here and there.
But as a first SR experience, it wasn't bad at all. I only did my cheeks and only WTG for the first few shaves. The feeling of accomplishment was incredible.
Mine were shaky hands and nervous to start, clumsy in execution, no blood (a few nicks on subsequent shaves as I tried various things, some dumb, some just unsuccessful). Not particularly close because I quit while I was ahead. I did my pass and took what I got.
As time went by they got closer and closer. Other than rare moments of inattention, virtually *all* of my weepers and irritation in early days (and still to this day) were because of stubbornly repeating passes, stubbornly buffing — you get the idea.
At the very beginning, one pass and done, clean up with a DE. After a few I was calm enough after the first pass to do a second, etc. Even then, once weaned off the DE or Feather DX as a finisher I had to work hard mentally to quit while I was ahead.
As time went by they got closer and closer. Other than rare moments of inattention, virtually *all* of my weepers and irritation in early days (and still to this day) were because of stubbornly repeating passes, stubbornly buffing — you get the idea.
At the very beginning, one pass and done, clean up with a DE. After a few I was calm enough after the first pass to do a second, etc. Even then, once weaned off the DE or Feather DX as a finisher I had to work hard mentally to quit while I was ahead.
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I have tried the SR route and it does give a great shave, but it requires more input of energy than I am willing to do at this point
- Thread starter
- #69
Wonder how BAD those first, initial shaves were for you guys?
The first 3 or 4 were pretty bad, cuts aren't really horrible, but I did get a slice under my chin once. After that it just seemed to turn from bad to good overnight. It was literally a one-shave difference, around the 6th shave that it just changed and I was able to get a good shave without any issues. It really doesn't take that long to pickup and the change can be overnight.
Also, as mentioned above, a lot of people don't go whole hog the first few shaves. You can just do a single pass on your sideburns for the first few shaves then move to the full cheek, and then progress to the neck and finally the chin and mustache area once you are more comfortable.
Here's a good video that discusses a phased approach to learning. You'll do mostly DE shaving for a while but it's an easier transition.
I am one of those that believe we should retain the "old knowledge" from when people did a lot more for themselves, and relied less on paying someone else to do it. I am by no means a hippie or tree hugger, and if you offer me tofu I will trow it at you. I just believe that sometimes it's better taking your time and doing it right.
I try out various things like making my own bacon, leather crafting, knife making, making cheese, catching and cooking my own fish, preserving and fermenting various foods, making my own sausages, etc. Some of the results are amazing, some I end up with a product that I could buy at half price for better quality. Keep the good and stop wasting time with the ones that's not worth it.
Ask any 12 year old today and they would master a new smartphone in a matter of minutes, but how many would recognise a potato plant in a field? Their only association with potatoes is a Mcdonald's sign.
Shaving in the most basic way turned out to be one of my successes, and something that developed into much more than a practical way of shaving. It's something I love doing, gives great results, and sets me apart from the herd because I developed a skill that few have mastered today.
BTW I shave sitting in a bath with a mirror stuck against the wall above the taps. Needless to say I don't ever drop a razor!
I try out various things like making my own bacon, leather crafting, knife making, making cheese, catching and cooking my own fish, preserving and fermenting various foods, making my own sausages, etc. Some of the results are amazing, some I end up with a product that I could buy at half price for better quality. Keep the good and stop wasting time with the ones that's not worth it.
Ask any 12 year old today and they would master a new smartphone in a matter of minutes, but how many would recognise a potato plant in a field? Their only association with potatoes is a Mcdonald's sign.
Shaving in the most basic way turned out to be one of my successes, and something that developed into much more than a practical way of shaving. It's something I love doing, gives great results, and sets me apart from the herd because I developed a skill that few have mastered today.
BTW I shave sitting in a bath with a mirror stuck against the wall above the taps. Needless to say I don't ever drop a razor!
As far as starting out on a straight razor journey:
I recently helped a new guy to get going by sending him a free Gold Dollar 66 with a great edge on it. Then told him how to make a diamond pasted balsa strop to maintain the edge indefinitely.
The only other equipment he needed was a strop which he already had.
Last I heard from him he was up and running, now owns three razors, a happy SR shaver!
It doesn't have to be complicated, or expensive.
I recently helped a new guy to get going by sending him a free Gold Dollar 66 with a great edge on it. Then told him how to make a diamond pasted balsa strop to maintain the edge indefinitely.
The only other equipment he needed was a strop which he already had.
Last I heard from him he was up and running, now owns three razors, a happy SR shaver!
It doesn't have to be complicated, or expensive.
That’s the Blackland Vector. Another sensible option. Always worth having one of those in the garage.@Tomo, how about folks who just drive a car?
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I use a straight as it is my way of getting the mind right to face the day. A period of me time in the morning. The process of stropping and the shave itself is my meditation.
Using a de (which I still do on occasion, perhaps 3 or 4 times a year) is just a shave, whereas a straight shave is an experience.
Much good advice has been given on starting on the journey. In response to the question what were the first few shaves like, my first few we're not great. Then they started getting better fairly quickly. Improvement came in spurts with periods of seemingly no improvement. There was improvement in these times, but it went unnoticed. Eventually everything clicked and the shaves were as good or better than de.
I'll add a caution here though that I have posted before. When you're getting good shaves, don't get overconfident. You still have to show caution, or you could end up with a scar to remind you in the future.
Using a de (which I still do on occasion, perhaps 3 or 4 times a year) is just a shave, whereas a straight shave is an experience.
Much good advice has been given on starting on the journey. In response to the question what were the first few shaves like, my first few we're not great. Then they started getting better fairly quickly. Improvement came in spurts with periods of seemingly no improvement. There was improvement in these times, but it went unnoticed. Eventually everything clicked and the shaves were as good or better than de.
I'll add a caution here though that I have posted before. When you're getting good shaves, don't get overconfident. You still have to show caution, or you could end up with a scar to remind you in the future.
Ralf Aust razors come shave ready if you order them directly from Ralf himself...I can attest to that. Furthermore, why buy from a second party dealer when you can buy directly from the artisan himself? I have posted this picture before but I cannot resist posting it again. My first love...I still have it, I will never sell it. In fact, I have been shaving with it this entire week, even though I have a half dozen Tanifuji's and a few Filarmonica's waiting in the wings. 6/8" Ralf Aust in horn scales.
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The TI and Dovo razors have wonky grinds half of the time. If you are a perfectionist that will do your head in. The basic strop will cost you 30-40 $. For 10$ more you will get a leather strop from an artisan that is much better than the cheap Solingen strops and with a leather from one of the best tanneries possibly in the world.”lapping film?” “polishing paste?”
Just when you thought you knew it all… (smh).
Seriously, IF I were to join the “SR” club, it wouldn’t be my everyday go to method (too time consuming).
Also, I’d probably go for a basic model from Dovo or Theirs Issard (they seem to be the most prominent manufacturers).
I’d probably invest in a basic leather strap as well.
Initially, I’d probably send my razor out to get honed professionally, from time to time, unless or until I decide to buy a whetstone and learn to do it myself.
Then, if I become enthralled by the whole process, I might even upgrade to better razors/strops.
Sounds like a plan?
(Surprised at the lack of SR inventory from the “usual suspects” - WCS, Maggard’s, Fendrihan’s. Guess that’s due to the limited manufacturers as well as the general consumers preference for DE safety razors).
Heed his advice. Aust razors are better quality for not much more that the other two makers. All the ones I have seen have perfect grinds. And as mentioned the lapping film route is inexpensive and very effective. I started with the films and went to naturals, as I prefer smoother edges to super keen ones.
Good luck whatever you decide. It is fun and once you master it, it won’t take you more than 10-15 minutes for a 3 pass shave. You will also have to change your lather probably, as DE lather doesn’t work well with lather required for a straight razor shave.
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I can confirm the excellent quality and shave readiness of Ralf Aust razors. And if you are not dazzled by the other scale options, you can get one in basic black scales, like mine, for a very reasonable price. Less than any TI, I would have thought, though I have not checked.
Even Dovo fans will tell you to steer clear of their lower-end razors. Does going for the higher end ones eliminate the wonky grind possibility? No idea.
Ralf Aust makes a fully worthy, very well-made razor at a very reasonable price, that you will probably continue to treasure even if you start really geeking out and getting a lot of razors.
Even Dovo fans will tell you to steer clear of their lower-end razors. Does going for the higher end ones eliminate the wonky grind possibility? No idea.
Ralf Aust makes a fully worthy, very well-made razor at a very reasonable price, that you will probably continue to treasure even if you start really geeking out and getting a lot of razors.
So I have over 30 razors, only one was bought new, the rest are at least 70 years old… but Ralph Aust is definitely on my shortlist if I am going to buy another new razor. While I have no direct experience, the consensus seems to be that his razors are truly shave-ready.
Truth, my first Dovo Best Quality razor had a rather pronounced frown in it and the store replaced it with one that was fine. My Bismark was much better out of the box, but my TI Spartacus was pretty much shave-ready.
And they probably think those potatoes come from a grocery store not a field!
