First Straight Razor!

[Ssccience]

Hello Everyone!
Is my first time here and sorry for a new Thread like many old others.
Well, my name is Sam and I'm Brazilian.
Im a DE Razor (Merkur HD, Progress and Muhle 41 are my favourites) always using a feather blades and sometimes a Polsilver.
Well, why is to difficult choice our first Straight razor? More different than buy a DE Razor... After spending about 4 hours per day in 2 weeks i can see that a first Straight needs to be 5/8 or 6/8. But now i also see that I cant to decide it alone and need a big help from this forum: full hollow or 1/2 or 1/4 (I dont have a heavy beard)? Stainless or Carbon? Thiers are my favourites but which model to buy??? Round, French or Spanish point? I'm accepting suggestions about the others brands and the name of the model...
Wackers also looks very beatiful but more than a beatiful Straigt I want a great shave.

Thanks everyone and a big hug.
Sam

 

[superbleu]

Hi Sam.
Don't stress too much on what to get, you will get MANY more regardless of weather or not you find it perfect for you.
SRAD is just that way.
a 10 dollar ebay special will shave just as well as dare I say a custom, but I think it's true, besides when you first start out you won't be able to tell a difference even if there is one.
contact our favorite crack dealer larry at whippeddog.com and get a starter kit from him.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Hello Sam, and welcome to Badger & Blade! Do introduce yourself to the rest of the gang, in the Hall of Fame forum...

There is a learning curve involved with straight-razor shaving. So before buying a super-expensive or top-of-the-line straight, because it gives the "best shaves," I would recommend settling for something more common from the start, since good shaving is as much about the shaver, and everything else, as it is about the razor. Many people here will suggest that you pick up a "sight-unseen" deal from whippeddog.com. I haven't tried this so I can't speak from direct experience, but it does enjoy a good reputation. If you are looking for a new razor, then I would suggest one of the most standard from the start--a Dovo "Best Quality" 5/8 full-hollow from The Superior Shave (specify that you want it "shave-ready" and Jarrod will do this for you, if he hasn't done it already). You will also need a strop; so if you e-mail either whippeddog or The Superior Shave with your concerns, they will be able to help you out here. Star Shaving also has some cheap latigo strops. Again, don't go overboard here as you will probably cut or knick your first strop in unforeseen ways.

 

[Ssccience]

Good morning Potash! Thanks for answer me so quickly last night. I sent and email to Jarrod this morning and wahit a reply. Are you a Dovo or TI lover?

 

[Luc]

Welcome, sounds like you would need to have a look at the interactive guide to straight shaving: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Interactive_Guide_to_Straight_Razor_Shaving

 

[Alum of Potash]

Are you a Dovo or TI lover?

No favorites; I like 'em all. Luc's above link seems a good one for starters.

 

[BakerAndBadger]

Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of Straight razors. Don't worry about your first too much, you'll soon want to get another and another and before you know it SRAD will have set in. As the others have said whipped dog is great, haven't tried superior shave but he gets a lot of good feedback here. Whipped dog does special sight unseen deals, it's a lottery - you don't see the razor until it arrives. I have one and it cost about 25 dollars, great shaver but not a looker!
Let us know how it goes

 

[Ssccience]

Hi Everyone... just to let you know that I decide for DOVO #1186810. Also will pick-up Dovo 193-45002 Linen/Russian Leather Strop and Dovo White & Yellow past. Thanks everyone for help and let me know if was a very good choice to my fisrt Straight?
Hugs

 

[Alum of Potash]

Wow, jumping in with both feet from the start! Sure looks nice though. My first strop was a small Dovo linen/Russian leather. Still use it regularly to this day. Careful with that yellow paste, though; it can be difficult to apply. Only use it when the leather seems to be drying out. To apply, place a tiny, tiny dab in the palm of your hand and smear it evenly across the palm. Then, lightly and quickly pass the palm of your hand over the leather's surface as though you were rubbing it prior to stropping. Repeat as needed, until the strop is lightly and evenly coated (it will darken a tad). White paste on linen is a bit easier and can be applied with your fingertip. I always put a sheet of waxed paper between the surfaces when adding paste. You might check in with Jarrod about this, but I don't believe any paste should be needed at first.

 

[Ssccience]

Thanks Potash.
Now is wait the products rrrive read and learn all about Straight's....
I was in doubt between The "Flowing" #1186810 Razor and Dovo #1055865 5/8" 'Micarta' and Dovo #1176815 6/8" 'master's'.
Hope that my choice for Flowing is not wrong. Which one do you prefer?

 

[Doc226]

I would suggest getting a cheap strop. You will nick your first.

Nuce razor.

 

[Ssccience]

I'm thinking about that. Thank you Alfredo.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Following Doc's advice, and since you will have the linen side with the Dovo strop, you could use the following strop from the start to practice on, before risking to cut the Russian leather: http://shop.starshaving.com/2-Burgundy-1-English-Bridle-Leather-Strop-0074.htm. Use it with a light touch and be careful as the red dye has a tendency to transfer to other surfaces.

 

[Ssccience]

And what do you think about the Straight? The "Flowing" #1186810 Razor and Dovo #1055865 5/8" 'Micarta' and Dovo #1176815 6/8" 'master's???
In my place you would choice Flowing?

 

[Doc226]

And what do you think about the Straight? The "Flowing" #1186810 Razor and Dovo #1055865 5/8" 'Micarta' and Dovo #1176815 6/8" 'master's???
In my place you would choice Flowing?

Can't go wrong with any one of those. I love the lines of the "Flowing" razor.

Começar o que lhe agrada mais

 

[tomjr]

welcome brother, the guys above give great advice. mine is visit whipped dog and get the sight unseen until u decide if its 4 u.

 

[smalltank]

ruprazor has a filly beginner..addd a D ring..works very well and was my first strop

 

[goatee]

I would suggest getting a cheap strop. You will nick your first.

Nuce razor.

+1

 

[Ssccience]

Thanks everyone. Everyone helped me a lot. My products will arrive in 2 weeks and i will comment here my first impression. I'm just sad because my Fitjar cream and soap (bee my honey) will arrive in september. Would be a nice first shave with a Straight.
I went to the wrong way (I pick-up the dovo Flowing) as Alum The Potash have suggested (was Doc226 suggestion) because if I love the shave with a straight my second straight will be a TI 5/8 (I love that one that has bears in the handle).or maybe will try one with half hallow or 1/4 hallow. Hugs from Brazil.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Thanks everyone. Everyone helped me a lot. My products will arrive in 2 weeks and i will comment here my first impression. I'm just sad because my Fitjar cream and soap (bee my honey) will arrive in september. Would be a nice first shave with a Straight.
I went to the wrong way (I pick-up the dovo Flowing) as Alum The Potash have suggested (was Doc226 suggestion) because if I love the shave with a straight my second straight will be a TI 5/8 (I love that one that has bears in the handle).or maybe will try one with half hallow or 1/4 hallow. Hugs from Brazil.

Just for the record, I never suggested the Flowing. I suggested the Dovo "Best Quality" for starters and, to a lesser extent, a cheap strop from Star Shaving (see post #3 above). Sorry to say it, but what you claim to buy afterwards (posts #8 and #10 above) is your own affair. Not to say that your decision was necessarily wrong or right, but to again clarify that neither the Flowing nor the Dovo Russian leather strop were my suggestions from the start. Such a choice apparently being made, one then tries to work with it as best as one can.