Best Straight Edge on Amazon

[dietz_james]

I have been using a Gillette Fatboy with feather blades fit some time, unfortunately the adjuster is no longer working (something happened when we moved). Between this and the fact that I have a $140 Amazon credit, I think it is time to finally switch to a straight razor.

What are your recommendations that I could get on Amazon close to this price range?

 

[Zach]

I have been using a Gillette Fatboy with feather blades fit some time, unfortunately the adjuster is no longer working (something happened when we moved). Between this and the fact that I have a $140 Amazon credit, I think it is time to finally switch to a straight razor.

What are your recommendations that I could get on Amazon close to this price range?

I'm curious to hear what advice you get as an answer to this question. You may have researched this, but it's worth restating: just because it says "shave ready" doesn't mean that it is! If you *do* order a straight from Amazon, plan on having someone hone it for you, especially when starting out with straights. There are lots of variables even when coming from the shavette world, and it's nice to have a solid yes to the question "is my blade really shave-ready?" That's the advantage from ordering your straight from somewhere smaller with someone you can email or get a guarantee that it has an edge which will give you a nice shave. Maybe someone on B&B will sell you one and you can spend that amazon money on other shave supplies.

All this being said, I had a friend who ordered a Dovo stainless from Amazon. I honed it up for him and it came out great, though I wouldn't have considered it to be shave-ready in the condition it was in coming out of the Dovo tin before I put it on the stones. He also got a Thiers Issard from Amazon which I did not have as much success with getting to where it would shave. I'd say order if you have someone you trust who you can send it to for honing. Good luck!

 

[ajduplessis]

My Bergisher Lowe was shave ready out of the box after stropping, but I confess its the exception to the rule. Ralph Aust should also be good to go.

I would suggest finding a reliable and highly recommended honer in your area to assist with honing. Once ready, stropping will keep the razor going for many, many months. If you like to tinker you can learn the trade yourself, or use honing services when needed.

Having a razor honed once a year might be a better and cheaper option. Many members here use pasted balsa (the method) to maintain their razors indefinitely, it might actually be a good method to refine a new razors edge. Few are shave ready but the bevels are set, however not keen sharp for shaving.

Hope you find something that will work for you.

 

[RayClem]

Using a straight razor is a lot more complex than purchasing a razor and learning to shave with it. You also need to maintain that razor. I do purchase shaving supplies from Amazon: some DE razors, blades, soaps, etc. However, the only way I would purchase a straight razor from Amazon is if the product shipped directly from a reputable shave vendor. For example, I know that The Superior Shave sells straight razors on Amazon. Until recently, TSS maintained a brick and mortar store in Jacksonville, FL. They had to close the retail store and are now selling their products online, including through Amazon. Jarod knows how to sharpen razors, so if products are coming from TSS and the description says "shave ready, unsealed product", you know that Jarod has inspected the product and honed it before shipment.

In addition to the straight razor, you will also need a suitable strop. it does not have to be an expensive strop, but do not expect a $10 strop sold by Amazon to do the job. However, it is also foolish to purchase an expensive stop to start as you are likely to damage the strop as you learn to use it properly.

 

[Suhrim21]

I started with an AP Donovan straight from Amazon. It works well. You do need to have it honed and there are a few people here who could help you with that. The razor is 60. But holds an edge well and has a straight spine. You will then need a cheap but decent strop to start with so if you destroy it learning it's no big problem.

Razor
https://www.amazon.com/P-Donovan-st...d=1567585330&s=gateway&sprefix=ap+don&sr=8-13

Strop

https://www.amazon.com/Leather-Stro...+razor+strop&qid=1567585572&s=gateway&sr=8-13

My AP razor is on loan to my brother so he can try shaving with a straight.

That is the strop I bought and worked well. As a matter of fact I loaned it to a member with another straight so he could try straights.

For a starter set you could also do this

https://www.amazon.com/P-Donovan-st...ds=ap+donovan&qid=1567585747&s=gateway&sr=8-6

The strop in the picture looks like the same as the one I posted.

Of course AP Donovan does have some starting sets that are a bit more. You can search and see if you want to do a better kit.

 

[FOG]

I bought one of my Dovo Bismarcks on Amazon, though I see that the price has risen some. It was actually "shave ready" but I gave it a bit of honing anyway to improve the edge. The Bismarck is probably my favorite razor, so much so that I have two.

 

[hydro-magic]

I've bought a few FatBoys and I think all of them had the adjusting mechanisms frozen. Even if you could turn the dial, the baseplate wouldn't move. Soaking in very hot but not boiling water, maybe a few times should free it up. It's good to have a DE to fall back on as you learn with the straight IMO.

 

[ajduplessis]

I bought one of my Dovo Bismarcks on Amazon, though I see that the price has risen some. It was actually "shave ready" but I gave it a bit of honing anyway to improve the edge. The Bismarck is probably my favorite razor, so much so that I have two.

They are beautiful and efficient razors that take and hold keen yet smooth edges. Best possible bang for your $ IME/opinion. The Dovo Flowing & Carre uses the same #2 blade as the Bismarck and I would rather add a Flowing/Carre instead of owning 2 Bismarck’s...

 

[LJS]

If amazon is your only choice - dovo bismarck

 

[Wallerwilly]

I'm not a fan of hollow grounds, not one bit.
The only thing i could find off amazon that wasn't a full hollow or extra hollow was a Parker quarter hollow.
Anyone know of other similar razor on there ?

 

[miguel]

The superior shave has an Amazon shop that you could use your credit. the owner Jarrod Connerty hones all the razors he sells. His Amazon shop is here: TheSuperiorShave @ Amazon.com:

 

[RayClem]

I'm not a fan of hollow grounds, not one bit.
The only thing i could find off amazon that wasn't a full hollow or extra hollow was a Parker quarter hollow.
Anyone know of other similar razor on there ?

This is very much a personal preference. I have quarter hollow, half hollow, full hollow, extra full hollow and bellied hollow straights. I have a coarse beard and sensitive skin and get better shaves with full hollow and bellied hollow than I do anything else. However, I do have to refresh the edge frequently. I love hearing the steel sing as it slices through my beard.

I realizes others prefer different options.

 

[ajduplessis]

extra and full hollow grinds is also my preference. My favorite is a 6/8 Hamburg Ring

 

[Wallerwilly]

I personally prefer the rigid plowing a wedgy does. It just goes, stealthy and does it's job. Some prefer getting feedback that an hollow gives, i don't. I got a medium beard with really tough whiskers and i don't like the feedback it gives. So my options are quite narrow, old sheffields or custom grinds. The later can get really expensive really quickly.
That's why i'm trying to find a new blade at a decent price with good quality in the grinds i'm comfortable with.

 

[Suhrim21]

I personally prefer the rigid plowing a wedgy does. It just goes, stealthy and does it's job. Some prefer getting feedback that an hollow gives, i don't. I got a medium beard with really tough whiskers and i don't like the feedback it gives. So my options are quite narrow, old sheffields or custom grinds. The later can get really expensive really quickly.
That's why i'm trying to find a new blade at a decent price with good quality in the grinds i'm comfortable with.

If you search wedge straight razor on the bay they have more options. Salamander has a wedge. Spike has a wedge. And there are a few others. Red imp has a wedge.

 

[RayClem]

I'm not a fan of hollow grounds, not one bit.
The only thing i could find off amazon that wasn't a full hollow or extra hollow was a Parker quarter hollow.
Anyone know of other similar razor on there ?

Everyone is different in their preferences. I have about 25 razors ranging from very cheap Gold Dollars up to an expensive San Mai pattern steel custom. All but one is either full hollow, extra hollow, or bellied hollow. The quarter hollow was a custom razor, but I do not particularly like shaving with it. I have a heavy, coarse beard and the thinner grinds seem to cut better.

 

[SailorTodd]

You are going to find greater variety with a higher likelihood of the razor being shave ready from sites dedicated to straight razors and shaving, like The Superior Shave or Maggards or wherever. My personal recommendation is to save the Amazon credit for shave soap or other home essentials and look elsewhere for a straight razor.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I second (or third or fifth, whatever) the Bismarck or Bismarck pattern razors. Very ergonomic form. A hollowground will be easier to learn to hone, when you are ready to jump into that tar pit. Jarrod puts a pretty decent edge on his wares. If you can't shave with his edge then you just can't shave.

Most ebay and amazon sellers do not even shave with a straight razor. Half of tthem, being of the fairer sex, do not shave their faces AT ALL! How could they possibly know what is and is not a shave ready edge, much less how to create one? Every know-nothing says his (or her) razors are shave ready. It is just a buzz word, unless you verify that the seller is reliable. If you want to take their word for it, I have some beautiful high and dry swamp land to sell you. VERIFY the seller here, is my strong suggestion.

A shave ready Gold Dollar, truly shave ready and not just internet shave ready, is an economical starter razor. The cheap and common model 66 is kind of meh but it will get the job done. I recommend the much nicer 1996 or W62. The bevel angle is better, the edge and the spine are more accurately aligned, and the grinding overall is a lot better. I think Fendrihan's has the W62 for $20 but it is not listed as shave ready. It is pretty darn close, though, and any honer would be happy to take your money and make it right for you. They are pretty easy to hone, even straight out of the box. I don't know if Fendrihan's has an amazon store or not.

Pretty hard to beat the Bismarck. However it is slightly more than your budget. Around $170 or a bit more, I imagine.

 

[SailorTodd]

A shave ready Gold Dollar, truly shave ready and not just internet shave ready, is an economical starter razor.

I agree with Slash, and further recommend, if it has to be Amazon, Wet Shaving Products sells on Amazon (in addition to their own website), and I think their shave ready Gold Dollar 208 is one of the items available on their Amazon store front. I bought one from them about a month ago (from their own website), and it was in fact shave ready. Still holding its edge reasonably well after several shaves.