Guidance needed on shopping for straights

[Must Dash]

I'm taking the plunge soon and moving from DEs to straights. A mate has found a couple of antique shops a couple of hours drive from Sydney that have a large number of straights. Problem is, this is all new to me. Can anyone please give me some guidance on what to look for (what's worth buying and what's not), and brand names to purchase - or avoid. I know this is a lot to ask; essentially a beginner's guide to straight shopping. But right now my only criteria is whether the scales look nice or not.

Cheers

Jeremy

 

[R-James]

I'd be interested to hear suggestions on this too, I'm thinking of moving into straights and I have no idea of shopping except to look for solingen on the blade

 

[Thebigspendur]

First off read the resource material on this site and at SRP. The best advice is stay away from second hand shops until you know a little more about these things. Go to the B_S_T forums here and at SRP and get a kit or at least a razor pre honed from one of the guys. Thats the best advice your going to get.

 

[trewornan]

You want to get something properly honed, there are online shops which provide pre-honed razors, you can buy a razor and send it for honing or you can go to one of the forums ie here or SRP to buy one from someone there. You don't want to have to worry about whether your razor is properly honed while you're learning to shave - one thing at a time.

My advice (which is probably worth what you pay for it) is to get a cheap razor to start with so you haven't wasted too much money if you decide you don't like it. I particularly recommend Wapienica razors they're basic, good quality and very cheap.

When you get your newly honed razor, don't strop it before your first shave (possibly not before your second shave either) that way you know you haven't rolled the edge and can get a feel for how a sharp razor feels.

Leave the second hand shops alone - you don't have the knowledge to tell a good razor from a rubbish one and won't be able to properly hone it even if you do find a good buy.

 

[Must Dash]

I think I need to add more info.

I'm on the list for the Le Grelot (shave-ready), and have already placed an order with Tony Miller for a hanging strop, a four-sided paddle strop, a practice strop and some paste.

Meanwhile, if I go browsing in a second-hand shop, I have no idea at all what I'm looking at. I could be staring at a great razor, possibly even a collector's item, and not have a clue. Whether I find someone to hone it here in Australia, send it across the ocean to the US or even learn to hone it myself, is a different issue.

So, I'm hoping that you guys can at least provide some thoughts on the basics - names to look out for and to avoid, and key features that make a blade or scales worth owning.

Cheers


Jeremy

 

[Hawkeye5]

That is a difficult question.
Even Dovo and TI have expensive razors.
About the best thing I can think of is to find a Heckles Friodur in 5/8 or 6/8 round point.
While they are stainless, they are excellent razors and not uncommon.
Stay away from Chinese or Pakistani razors.
I just happened to think, there should be a goodly number of Sheffield made razors in the land of the Southern Cross. Bengall, Kropp, Mappin & Webb, Wade & Butcher, Rodgers, and several dozen more.

 

[Must Dash]

That is a difficult question.
Even Dovo and TI have expensive razors.
About the best thing I can think of is to find a Heckles Friodur in 5/8 or 6/8 round point.
While they are stainless, they are excellent razors and not uncommon.
Stay away from Chinese or Pakistani razors.
I just happened to think, there should be a goodly number of Sheffield made razors in the land of the Southern Cross. Bengall, Kropp, Mappin & Webb, Wade & Butcher, Rodgers, and several dozen more.

Thanks Hawkeye

That's exactly the info I'm after. From what I understand, many of the razors around here are Sheffield steel. If you have the time and inclination to add any more names to that list, I'll be very grateful.

Cheers

Jeremy

 

[kestrel]

MustDash

In Australia and New Zealand, look for a Bengall or a Gotta with as little wear as possible, and absolutely no corrosion on the edge. Stains and rust elsewhere can be repaired or lived with, (as long as you can see more blade than you can rust to start with), but the edge must be absolutely clean. I paid $40 NZ for my Bengall and it is in near mint condition. My Gotta cost $10 NZ and it had some staining and a lot of hone wear. Gottas seemed to run around $25 NZ in fair condition as did Bengalls..

As for hone wear look to see if the sides of the spine are flattened and bright, and whether and how far the visible polishing extends inward from the bevel at the edge. A razor with a fair amount of hone wear can still be made to work, but at this point you're guessing so get a blade as close to mint as possible.

Best Regards

Graham

 

[TrekRider]

This page might be of some help.
http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=28470

 

[Must Dash]

Thanks guys - advice and link much appreciated.

Cheers

Jeremy

 

[Doc4]

Thanks guys - advice and link much appreciated.

Cheers

Jeremy

Mr. Dash,

(Or can I call you "Must"?) There are so-o-o-o-o many brands out there ... so a good rule of thumb to live by is hard to come by, but I'd say look for either "sheffield" or "solingen" on the blade. That'd at least get you a decent blade. (Or a Thiers-Issard ... here I'll stop listing the 'others' from wherever ... for now, stick with the Two S's).

Look for a blade in good condition. You want an absence of rust, and an absence of chips or damage to the edge. You also want to avoid excessive hone-wear (either the edge of the blade is a 'smile' or 'frown' rather than straight, or the back-side of the blade seems to be worn away.)

If and when you decide to become your own honemeister, be sure to get an inexpensive razor or two to learn on, before messing around with the expensive ones ...

 

[Must Dash]

Mr. Dash,

(Or can I call you "Must"?) .

You could go for M Dash as a compromise. It makes for a nice parenthetical thought. (Sorry, lousy attempt at typographical humor.)

As for the rest, many, many thanks. Just the kind of advice I need to go shopping with. I've got the book 'Sharp practice' on order, and I'm hoping that will give me some insight into whether or not I want to learn to hone. But if I do, I'm definitely starting with a cheap blade.

Thanks and cheers and thanks again.

Jeremy

 

[Milbink]

Jeremy,

The place you were talking about had mostly Sheffields (dozens in fact) and one very nice wooden box with 2 Kropp razors.

Cheers,

Adam

 

[firebox]

Shop BST at SRP. Get a 'shave ready' razor. Most ofthe gents are going to provide you with a good shaver. Beats the hell out of 'pot luck' at the anitque stores or Ebite.

 

[redoak]

That is a difficult question.
Even Dovo and TI have expensive razors.
About the best thing I can think of is to find a Heckles Friodur in 5/8 or 6/8 round point.
While they are stainless, they are excellent razors and not uncommon.
Stay away from Chinese or Pakistani razors.
I just happened to think, there should be a goodly number of Sheffield made razors in the land of the Southern Cross. Bengall, Kropp, Mappin & Webb, Wade & Butcher, Rodgers, and several dozen more.

G'Day Gentlemen,

That's a great looking razor, Heckles Friodur in 5/8 or 6/8 round point, any recommendations on which vendors sell these beauties?

Jeremy (Must Dash), I’ll be following your lead here, I’m also contemplating the thought of switching over to the straights. Let me know how you go.

 

[Must Dash]

G'Day Gentlemen,

That's a great looking razor, Heckles Friodur in 5/8 or 6/8 round point, any recommendations on which vendors sell these beauties?

Jeremy (Must Dash), I’ll be following your lead here, I’m also contemplating the thought of switching over to the straights. Let me know how you go.

Red... certainly will. And after I've finished pillaging the shop that Milbink found, I'll post details of its location.

Cheers


Jeremy

 

[Doc4]

So, how's the straight razor hunt going?

 

[Must Dash]

So, how's the straight razor hunt going?

I found a grand total of nothing locally, but heading out to the source of shaving goodies next weekend.

Thanks for asking.

Cheers


Jeremy

 

[Must Dash]

Took me a while longer than expected but I finally made it out to the shop that Milbink found in Berrima. Unfortunately, Milbink had better luck there than I did; he scored a beautiful Aristocrat in a fine-looking metal case.

The shop has a fair number of straights, but nothing that really seemed worth buying - probably because they all had cheap, flimsy, plastic scales. They also had a bowl full of straights that look like they have never been used. Most have a little bit of rust along the spine, but other than that they are ok - and seem to be in their original oil paper wrapper and box. Hard to tell the brand name. The words 'Sheffield' and 'Made in England' are clear. The brand seems to be Taylor or Tailor or something along those lines. Price is $32 (roughly $30 US). I already have a Boker King Cutter than my son bought in Canada for $15 that I intend to use for stropping practice, so I couldn't see the point of buying something else along the same lines. Hope I haven't passed up something worthwhile.

Not wanting to leave empty-handed, I ended up buying an overpriced Rolls Razor in a leather case.

Cheers

Jeremy

 

[GsSixgun]

Oh man, not rain on this parade but a Taylor "Witness" for $30 USD ummmm yeah you "might" have missed out... Also the King Cutter yer going to use for practice, yeah that might be a waste of one of the smoothest shaving razors made.... There are many unknown brands, out there look for Sheffield steel or Solingen steel, look for little to no wear make sure the edge is straight and even and keep the price under $25-30 and you should be pretty safe.....I am assuming that if you guys are antiquing that you have the abilities to restore and hone these up?????
Because if not yer wasting time and money.... This of course is JMHO

Welcome to the dark side.....