Does a DE length straight razor exist?

[alfaphlex]

Hi everyone. This is my 1st post here. Is there such a thing as a DE length straight?

I've been shaving with a Parker SRW and Sanguine Coolcut 4 shavette for a while now and have enjoyed the experience. Learned a lot and felt ready for a real straight, so I ordered a Sight Unseen from Whipped Dog and it's awesome.

Having said that, the length of the blade has made it a bit difficult for me to shave E/W along my neck (ATG for me), no matter how I stretch it. With the shavettes, this wasn't a problem because the shorter length of the blades made it easier to maneuver along my neck.

Btw, I'm really enjoy reading the threads on this forum. Very informative and welcoming (most online forums aren't).

 

[luvmysuper]

There are some shorties out there. Some made that way, others modified to that length.
The DePew was extremely small as are a few others.
For all that, it does take some getting used to, but you don't have to use the entire length of the blade when shaving with a straight. By holding it in different ways, you can use the equivalent length of the blade as you would have with a shavette or a shorty, and still have the other parts of the blade available for other areas.

 

[Loric]

Welcome to B&B! I'm glad you joined the conversation, I think your right that the gentlemanly atmosphere is one of the best things about this place.

As for a short straight, most are 3" though I do have one 2" (maybe its 2.5") in my collection. Though that was a rare find. Some of the Japanese non folding style straights are shorter though, you might have some luck with one of them.

 

[Wid]

Although not a traditional straight razor the Feather line of razors are real nice and are shorter than a traditional straight.

 

[goatee]

maybe try a rolls razor? i have several and love them. great shavers.

 

[mainaman]

Kamisori are 45mm for the shortest ones, some other Japanese western style straights are ~2" long on the edge.

 

[Kentos]

A shavette like the Parker uses a DE blade.

 

[jred]

I'm with you, I'd like to find a decent shorty. It's on my list.

In the meantime, I find myself using the toe (end) of the blade a lot when shaving my neck. Luckily it's a round-tip

 

[MilkyLee]

I have 2 Brian Brown custom razors that both have around 2" cutting edge, one a western and one a kami, and love using them. My suggestion is getting a bunch of the $4 gold dollar razors and a dremel, then custom make some in the length you want. I plan on doing the same thing with a couple of gold dollars and sell the rest of my full length straights. I also have an Engels Wedge that has a 2.5" cutting edge from the factory which I like a lot as well.

 

[alfaphlex]

Thanks everybody! This is why I like this forum so much.

I took MilkyLee's suggestion and bought a couple of gold dollars (I know, I know, lol). I love modding stuff and wanted to start learning to hone eventually, but not mess up my only straight (so far). At $4 each, that is too good a price for a modder like me to pass up,lol.

I used to buy cheap MIC guitars to learn to do my own setups, fretwork, etc and turn them into winners. When I got good at it, I would then start doing my own setups, mods, fretwork on my MIA guitars. I will be doing the same with razors so that I can buy antiques on ebay/craigslist/shops and fix them up!

Can't wait till I have my own custom shorties, maybe even make one a kamisori style. Thx everybody.

 

[Legion]

Thanks everybody! This is why I like this forum so much.

I took MilkyLee's suggestion and bought a couple of gold dollars (I know, I know, lol). I love modding stuff and wanted to start learning to hone eventually, but not mess up my only straight (so far). At $4 each, that is too good a price for a modder like me to pass up,lol.

I used to buy cheap MIC guitars to learn to do my own setups, fretwork, etc and turn them into winners. When I got good at it, I would then start doing my own setups, mods, fretwork on my MIA guitars. I will be doing the same with razors so that I can buy antiques on ebay/craigslist/shops and fix them up!

Can't wait till I have my own custom shorties, maybe even make one a kamisori style. Thx everybody.

That's cool, just be sure to keep the blade nice and cool when you are grinding on it. A good rule of thumb is, if the edge gets too hot to touch, it goes in the bin. I like to wrap the blade on a wet cloth, or sit the edge on a block of ice while grinding. As the metal warms it "cuts" deeper into the ice, and gets more cooling effect.

And EYE PROTECTION!

 

[rimmini]

That's cool, just be sure to keep the blade nice and cool when you are grinding on it. A good rule of thumb is, if the edge gets too hot to touch, it goes in the bin. I like to wrap the blade on a wet cloth, or sit the edge on a block of ice while grinding. As the metal warms it "cuts" deeper into the ice, and gets more cooling effect.

And EYE PROTECTION!

WHOA!!!! If you need eye protection to grind your blade your are using the wrong tool. A 1000/6000 grit stone is good for setting the bevel... ( I have the best luck with a edge trailing approach for that) then use an 8 K to hone the edge and a 10/12k to finish it.


Good choice for a GD for your first hone job when you get it right you'll have a good shaver. If you mess it up 4 bucks is good for a lesson.

Have fun and welcome to the club.

 

[MilkyLee]

He's talking about using a grinder to shorten the blade, not hone it.

 

[alfaphlex]

lol, I can only imagine how funny that's look. Honing the blade so fast, sparks flying everywhere. But yeah, I will be cutting it with one of my Dremel's cutting disks, so it should be a quick an simple job. I've already researched on the forum a couple of threads from other members making shorties out of cracked blades, some really amazing ones too.

So happy. I didn't know I could enjoy shaving so much, lmao!

 

[theJJ]

I do have one 2" (maybe its 2.5") in my collection.

 

[superbleu]

maybe try a rolls razor? i have several and love them. great shavers.

Very true, a rolls is like a straight on a stick.

 

[Rob72]

Two thoughts: I have a Wester Bros that I had to cut down to ~2.25", and I put a slight round on the tip. It does fairly well, but my big smiling Reynolds and Wolstenholm really do a better job.

 

[deezyrocks]

I was perusing whippeddog.com last night and in the services tab of the site there is something called the ugly duckling where he sells short or extra skinny razors. Might want to look there.