Considering straight razor: real thing from the start?

[Juraj]

Gentlemen,

I think I would like to try straight razor shaving.
(there, I said it!)
Obviously, I don't know whether the thing is for me, so I don't want to invest in something really expensive, plus the hones etc. I have the following options:
1./ Get a cheap shave-ready razor and strop. E.g. whippeddog seems to be great choice, or pick up something at a local trashyard and have it honed.
2./ Dovo Shavette. As I understood, this thing should provide decent shaves and should be a bit more difficult to handle than a real straight. This should mean that once I get the technique down with it I should be ready to progress to the real thing, however, as I also understood, the learning curve with a Shavette is considerably steeper than with a real straight, so it's easy to get discouraged. NB I was given a Shavette as a gift, so this piece of hardware I already possess. I found the blade a bit too flexing, otherwise it wasn't too bad when I tried it.
3./ Some other disposable straight, albeit of higher quality (Feather?). Feather seems as close to the real thing as possible, with no maintenance, alas, the replacement blades still need to be bought. From what I read handling of that should be very similar to the real straight razor though. Just today I stumbled across a brick shop that stocks them.
4./ Local shaving shop has now an offer: Buy a real straight (seems to me a full hollow 5/8 rounded Dovo) and a strop for around $100, and you get $80 back when you return the thing in 2 weeks.

Now, I am pretty happy with the DE shaves I am getting now, but I am possibly missing the ultimate experience and I'd like to give it a shot. Brush, soaps, lathering technique I should already possess, it's only the iron that is missing.
Also, I am based in Europe, so shipping costs need to be factored into anything that I possibly order from the New World.

Thanks for feedback!


Juraj

 

[gull]

I have no experience with shavettes, but a guy posted a topic explaining why he thinks they should be used by newbies. I agreed with his points.

You run this risk of dulling the blade in the beginning and then you start getting poor shaves and have no clue whether to blame yourself or the blade.

Learn to shave with a shavette then go for a real straight when learn how to shave with it. At least then, if you dull the blade, you know you stropped it improperly.

I'm not sure if the shavette you're looking at are expensive or not. Assuming they are expensive, just go with a regular straight. You'll be fine!

 

[Big.Dave]

I shave with a shavette I think a real straight would be easy to learn on but not one with a spike point. Shaving with a shavette is a bit like shaving with spike point because the sharp corners of the DE blade are exposed.

Shavette pro's and cons

Pros
no stropping or blade care
blade will always be sharp.
Cheap to buy and use.
will give you a taste of using a straight and help you to learn how to move the blade around your face and get a feel for this type of shaving.

Con's
The shave like a spike point so a greater chance of nicks and cut.
light weight so will feel different to a straight.
some of the blade holding arrangements can be inconsistant. The dovo can allow the blade to move others have a fixed holder for the blade like the focus shavette.

 

[Arrow]

I've heard that a shavette can be overly harsh. They don't have the smoothness that a properly honed straight can. I've not used one, but I've read this more than once on another forum...

 

[rockviper]

What about the Feather ACs? Just like TS, I am thinking about a straight (well, "longing for" more than thinking) and the disposable blade type seems a nice entry point, but I'm just a babe in the woods on this.

 

[instpasr]

I shave with a Feather so my advice is to go that way because I feel the learning curve is similar. But be careful because the blade is very sharp. Out of a 20 pack of blades you'll probably average 200 shaves, so you need to figure how many times you'll need to send out a regular straight for honing and weigh that cost out. Good luck.

 

[Juraj]

I've heard that a shavette can be overly harsh. They don't have the smoothness that a properly honed straight can. I've not used one, but I've read this more than once on another forum...

That's also what I thought. I found it harsher than a DE blade (of course), but I wonder whether that's due to the "harshness" or just lack of technique.

 

[dakotaev]

That's also what I thought. I found it harsher than a DE blade (of course), but I wonder whether that's due to the "harshness" or just lack of technique.

I suspect so, I've read in several posts that a DE blade is much sharper than any straight around (Albeit a totally different type of sharpness). So improper technique could potentially only amplify the harshness that much more.

 

[Luc]

This page should help: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Straight_Razor_FAQs

I tried both shavette (2 different models) and real straights. I was disappointed with both straight razors with a disposable blade. Some do like the higher end disposable straights such as Feather that you named. I did not try that one so I cannot comment.

The learning curve will be longer than 2 weeks and the first few shaves can be difficult. Keep in mind that you won't get your closest shave right away. Some do and they are part of a minority.

What you really need is a shave ready straight razor and a strop. That's what I would recommend. Using the shavette for a while, the feeling is so different that I had to re-adapt the shave when I switched for a real straight.

 

[Legion]

In for a penny, in for a pound.

Learning to shave with a straight is only half the battle. Keeping it sharp is the other half. If you are going to learn you might as well start to learn it all and get a real straight from the beginning. That is not to say you cant cheat and tidy up with a DE when you first start. But stropping, and later honing, are things you must master if you want to really be a straight razor shaver.

Since even a new razor will need to be honed by a pro in the beginning to get it shave ready, I would probably get myself a refurbished one from someone with a good rep (like Larry) and save some coin. Straight shaving is quite hard when you first start and a lot of people find it is not for them. Keep your costs down in the early days but do try to experience the whole process.

 

[Shangas]

I agree with Legion. If you're going to learn how to shave with a straight, you may as well do it properly. Half the time using a straight razor is learning how to maintain it as well as how to shave with it.

And do you really want to be spending money on more and more and more and more replacement blades when all you really have to do is buy ONE blade and just keep sharpening it? I don't!

You will get the hang of it eventually and you'll thank yourself for buying a proper setup and razor.

 

[dpmtherrien]

Let me chime in on the side of disposable blade straights. All I use are such razors. I will admit that I have both the Feather and the Kai straights, and these are top of the line. I also have both in the Japanese style straights, and these too are excellent shavers. I also have 3 Parker straights, these are not very expensive, but are quality razors, and have it all over the Dovo shavettes. I tried the Dovo and found it to be a piece of crap.

I have never used a regular straight so I really can't compare between them and the disposable blade straights. I did learn open blade straight shaving using only disposable blade straights, and I'm quite sure that I could use a regular straight without a problem. I believe that if you have the desire to shave with any straight you must take your time, go slow and careful, and just practice and practice until you get your technique down. At first your shaves will not be all that good, but they will be presentable. As time and technique progress the shaves will get better. Just keep in mind that using any open blade razor will be a fairly long learning curve until you're comfortable in their use, and your shaves are the way you'd want them.

There are pro's and con's to both regular and disposable blade straights, but either one can give a rewarding, and an enjoyable shave. Just pick the type you'd like to use, and decide for yourself if it meets your needs and requirements. Neither one is wrong, its all up to what you like. For me using my disposable blade straights are all that I need.

Good luck on whichever you choose, and enjoy your shaves.

P.S. Keep in mind that these also is nothing wrong with using your DE either.

 

[Proinsias]

I'd go for a cheap vintage straight with an edge that's been done by a repected honer, a cheap strop and some cromium oxide, fine diamond paste or something similar on balsa. I'd also buy a cheap shavette as they're dirt cheap and it sounds like you want to see how they differ from a cut-throat.

I picked up a shavette from the bay for a few quid when I was starting out with straights a few years ago, I'm not too keen on it but it cost next to nothing, gives the rough gist of shaving with a straight and when starting out I found it useful to have something a bit like a real cut-throat around which was guaranteed to be sharp. If you're used to using a certain blade in a shavette it can give you a more objective point to guage the decline of the edge on your real one. Ideally you want a favourite honemeister sharp razor ever ready to compare things with but that's not possible when when you're not sure if your day to day stropping is doing more good than bad and you've only got one razor.

 

[rockviper]

Thanks for all the information gents. I've fired off a note to Alfred at Fendrihan's about some NOS Wapi's he has. If all goes well, I'll have one before SWMBO sees the credit card charge. After all, it's much easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission

 

[rockviper]

Holy poop-on-a-stick! Alfred responded to me already (11pm on a Saturday night of all things) and I've place my Wapi order with an entry level strop set (i.e. cheap so I won't cry when I butcher it). Wish me luck!!

 

[Legion]

Cool. Let us know how you go.

 

[Proinsias]

After all, it's much easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission

I use a bit of both, swmba is much more approachable if I switch between begging and permission, switching between the two is also a catlyst for her asking me if I want shaving stuff. It works well, if I'm happy to go Christmas shopping in June, she's happy to authorize an excessive shaving purchase.

 

[slpknt10l03]

yesterday morning using my shavette i didnt notice i had the blade in wrong - but that was my best shave with it to date! (minus the blood running down my right cheek ) lol .. but getting experience with my shavette is only fueling my interest in the real deal -- wont be long before i make the plunge and go all the way. I think at this point i'm just waiting on one to really catch my eye at some garage sale or something. I'm really looking forward to taking an old beat up straight and fully restoring it to really make it 'my own' .... to shave with something that I spent hours and hours on perfecting and making new seems fascinating.

 

[Gustav]

I have never used a shavette so I can not compare. So far I have only shaved with vintage straights. Also I have not bought any stones although I intend to buy a barber's hone. I have used one of the straights for at least 40 shaves and when it became dull I just stropped it on Thiers Issard paste which I bought for 5€ and spread it on an old paddle (I have enough paste left in the tube to last me a long, long, long time). The upkeep of a real straight is no big deal, IMHO. Get yourself a good strop, paste the opposite side or apply paste to a cheap paddle or a piece of balsa and you will be fine.

 

[Zarniwoop]

Has anyone considered bringing out a non sharpened (ie blunt) straight to learn the technique with, in the safest possible way?

What I mean is perhaps a wooden blade in a set of scales roughly the same shape, size and weight of real straight. This could be used with soap on the face to help practice and learn how to hold and manoeuvre a straight around the face with out cutting.