Looking for advice: start with straight and equipment

[binder]

I want to switch from cartridge. I have been thinking of using a de razor, but I am also thinking of trying a straight razor. Is learning to use a straight hard; would it be better to learn to shave with a DE razor first or is this necessary?

Price for me is also an issue. How much will this cost for equipment to start shaving and to maintain a razor, and any advice on places where I could get some good products used would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[joshmpdx]

Welcome to the B&B!

Good questions, and since it looks like you've got the bug, i hope you stick with it.

Keep you're eyes posted on the BST for a "shave ready" straight razor. you can expect to spend 30 - 50 for your first razor.

also, you'll need a strop. we have a few strop makers around who will most certainly take care of you.

 

[sanfranciscian]

welcome to the world of straights, let me be the first to recommend larry over at whipped dog. really has to be the best value for your starter set and not anyone i can think of that will have more interest in making it a successful go for you.

Ian

 

[gull]

Here's another vote for whippeddog.com

I got a razor for $23 and a strop for $13 and that was all I needed...at least for a few months till I need a hone.

 

[dakotaev]

+1 more for whippeddog.com Larry will get you on your way to straight shaving for a great price! He includes a really nice write up with diagrams on technique to get you started as well!

To answer the other question, I went straight in (no pun) to straights from 12+ years of using a Mach3. A few months later I then had the itch to try Safety razors, I used my safety for a month or so but the Straight kept luring me back. I'm now at the point where I get exited in the morning to wake up and straight shave. Every day.

I found the DE easier to learn, partly because I've picked up all of the face preparation techniques from Straight shaving.

Coming from my own experience, straight shaving will take more time to get good results, but once you hit that moment it is simply an amazing feeling.

 

[RF1963]

1 Is learning to use a straight hard;

2 would it be better to learn to shave with a DE razor first or

3 is this necessary?


Thanks

1 Yes, like all skills it takes time to master

2 Not necessarily. The learning curve with a DE isn't as steep so fairly quickly you'll be getting good shaves far greater than with a cartridge. If you then start to learn a straight your first shaves won't be as good as you'll be accustomed to which can be dispiriting

3 No. Jump in with with both feet, read the advice available, proceed slowly and before long you'll be achieving great shaves.

Good Luck!

 

[Luc]

You should pick what seems better to you, what you have a preference for.

DE or straight, there's a learning curve. Keep in mind that you can get a good shave on the first shave but that's rare. I'm not saying to discourage you, just so you have the right expectations. I've seen many members saying that their first shave was not close at all, they got razor burn, etc. It does happen that you cut yourself but I don't think it happens that often...

What you need:
1x Shave ready straight razor
1x strop

If you want to complete the experience:
1x Shaving brush
1x shaving soap or shaving cream
1x aftershave

That's all. This page should be a good read regardless of your pick (DE or straight): http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Getting_started_wetshaving

 

[binder]

Thanks for replies

I read the manual: StraightRazorShaving form whippeddog.com

Do I need to use more than one strop:
From what I understand from this book I need to keep the razor sharpened
with a leather strop and then occassionally use a strop with balsa wood & abbrasives

It also mentions continual honing using a barber's hone or finishing stone
How often does this have to be done; I wasn't quite sure about this.?

 

[Luc]

Thanks for replies

I read the manual: StraightRazorShaving form whippeddog.com

Do I need to use more than one strop:
From what I understand from this book I need to keep the razor sharpened
with a leather strop and then occassionally use a strop with balsa wood & abbrasives

It also mentions continual honing using a barber's hone or finishing stone
How often does this have to be done; I wasn't quite sure about this.?

All right, strops. You really need 1 strop. A leather strop will keep the edge smooth. I like a strop with a linen and leather side so it maintains the edge longer. One or the other, leather is minimum.

Hones - How often? Depends on the straight and your technique. Your stropping technique will maintain the edge for X time. After a few shaves (could be 10-30-more), you will need to touch up the edge. It could be with a paste on the strop, lapping films or a hone such as barber hone. A finishing stone can be more expensive, it all depends which stone you buy.

 

[mdunn]

go for it mate - chec out the straight razor newbies link in my sig - it helps explain what you need and why!

 

[Shangas]

Hi Binder,

How long it takes you to learn how to straight-shave is variable. For me, it was about a week and a bit before I was getting decent shaves, others can take a couple of weeks, a month or two...it depends on how fast you can pick it up.

To get a good shave, you will need...

- Shaving-soap or cream (nothing that comes out of a can and which can put out a forest-fire, please).
- Badger-hair shaving-brush.
- Straight-razor (duh!)
- Strop (If you're on a real budget, a smooth, old leather belt will suffice).
- Honing-stone. Dual-grit, waterstone.
- Mug, bowl or scuttle for mixing up soap.

Brand-new straight-razors can be scarily expensive. You can buy them second-hand from antiques-shops, flea-markets or online from places like eBay. My straight was $35 at the local flea-market. Two days of dedicated honing and I was shaving wonderfully. Of course, it isn't always that easy, but it can be.

 

[pelicano]

I started with DEs and it took my something like to weeks to understand them.
Straights will take longer. Even though I am a straight shaver now, I do think that DEs made the angle+no pressure concept easier to master. I think it would have taken me longer and would have been more painful if I had gone to straights first. DEs are much cheaper as well, and easier to sell at BST once you decide to make the change.

If and when you decide to go into to straights, I cannot recommend Larry enough. His prices are below reasonable, his blades and strops are good (you may decide that straights are not for you....It happens, so start with a small investment), and you can call him when in doubt.

Good luck!

 

[Ru4scuba?]

Hi Binder,

How long it takes you to learn how to straight-shave is variable. For me, it was about a week and a bit before I was getting decent shaves, others can take a couple of weeks, a month or two...it depends on how fast you can pick it up.

To get a good shave, you will need...

- Shaving-soap or cream (nothing that comes out of a can and which can put out a forest-fire, please).
- Badger-hair shaving-brush.
- Straight-razor (duh!)
- Strop (If you're on a real budget, a smooth, old leather belt will suffice).
- Honing-stone. Dual-grit, waterstone.
- Mug, bowl or scuttle for mixing up soap.

Brand-new straight-razors can be scarily expensive. You can buy them second-hand from antiques-shops, flea-markets or online from places like eBay. My straight was $35 at the local flea-market. Two days of dedicated honing and I was shaving wonderfully. Of course, it isn't always that easy, but it can be.

Shangas,

No offense brother...but you're the outlier I think...most guys take a little longer than you to get it right

Seriously, to the OP if you're on a budget and looking for which is quicker AND cheaper...then its a DE. Plus you will likely get better shaves faster.

If however, you want to experience nostalgia, and something that few men today experience (and something that takes time to master...like golf) then by all means, jump in with a str8. But you'll need:

1) a str8 honed by a reptuable member
2) a quality strop

So..with the cost you'll sink into those two items you could probably get a decent DE and a blade sampler pack for cheaper.

Now, dont get me wrong...not trying to turn you away from str8s...but if cost is a factor, then you might want to consider DEs first.

Just my 2 cents. Either will provide fantastic shaves!

If you dont have a brush and quality soap/cream/aftershave....then that is more expense on top of the process. Everyone on here will agree that quality prep (prior to the shave) is key...and that requires a good brush, good soap/cream and good prep technique.

Best of luck and post more Qs!

 

[Leche]

If you're in the states you can get a straight and strop from Ruprazor for I think 60 bucks. That set up should last you awhile since the back of the strop has CrOx paste for touchups. I started with a DE and now almost exclusively use a straight, I keep a DE for rush jobs, but the shave from them is mundane now. To be perfectly proficient will take some time but decent shaves won't take all that long.

 

[Shangas]

Shangas,

No offense brother...but you're the outlier I think...most guys take a little longer than you to get it right

My blushes, dear Christopher.

I've been shaving with a straight for two weeks now and I'm really beginning to get the hang of it.

One thing that turns people off Straight Shaving (apart, possibly, from cost) is the 'danger' element. This is understandable. From everything I've read, heard and experienced with my own blade, if you're getting cut while shaving, it's more likely to be because of a blunt blade than anything else, so always make sure your razor is good and sharp.

I started out with a safety-razor when I started regular shaving this year and yes, it is safer and more cost-effective, but I reckon it lacks an element of fun.

Price for a straight-razor brand-new - At least 100 dollars.

Price for a straight-razor second-hand - Starting at $20 and going up. But at 20 dollars, you're really buying junk. A decent second-hand straight can be got for about 30-60 dollars, I reckon, but you still need to get it honed. You can be stupid like I was, and try and hone it yourself (although I reckon I did a darn good job of it) or you can get it professionally sharpened. That will cost more money.

Cost of a safety-razor brand new - About $30-$50.
Cost of razor-blades - About $10-$20 per pack of ten.
Length of useful blade-life - About a week.

If you can buy a double-edged blade-resharpener, then you can extend the life of a blade for months (I have one such sharpener. My record is nearly five months).

So if you're starting entirely new in "wet shaving", safety is probably the best way to go if you're on a budget. When you have a bit more money, then try Straight. Or, save up your money until you can start with a straight.

 

[ImaWestie]

I tested my technique with a shavette then got myself a straight. Some of the technique is similar, but with a shavette you don't have to worry about blade maintenance.

It's the blade maintenance that's getting in the way of me getting good shaves right now. But then I haven't put a lot of time into it. I probably need to. As Shangas said, if you watch the you-tube videos, apply them, and think about why your shave isn't as good as you want it to be, you'll learn in no time.

 

[gull]

As a newbie myself, I would recommend using a DE for a while. Experiment with soaps and creams, and find out how to make good lather. Experiment with other prep stuff as well. Will pre-shave oil work for you? Try it out! Will a hot towel make a world of difference? Try it out! What soap or cream works best for you? Try a good portion of them out!

If you're not in a hurry to get off the cartridges, then stay on them and experiment with all these prep items so you can find what works best before you start a new system. My only regret now that I started shaving with a straight is that my experience would have been a little smoother had I known beforehand what prep items work well.

If you really hate the cartridges--and I can sympathize--then go for the Gillette Tech DE and some sample packs. It'll at least save you money while you experiment with new prep items.

As for whether straight shaving is hard, I'm getting good result around the 10th shave. Up to that point, it was a painful experience. I watched videos I read tutorials, and I still got massive cuts and razor burn. Looking back though, it was worth it.

Good luck for whatever you decide to do! I'm still a newbie, but I'm glad I experimented with straights.

 

[Gustav]

As a newbie myself, I would recommend using a DE for a while. Experiment with soaps and creams, and find out how to make good lather. Experiment with other prep stuff as well. Will pre-shave oil work for you? Try it out! Will a hot towel make a world of difference? Try it out! What soap or cream works best for you? Try a good portion of them out!

If you're not in a hurry to get off the cartridges, then stay on them and experiment with all these prep items so you can find what works best before you start a new system. My only regret now that I started shaving with a straight is that my experience would have been a little smoother had I known beforehand what prep items work well.

If you really hate the cartridges--and I can sympathize--then go for the Gillette Tech DE and some sample packs. It'll at least save you money while you experiment with new prep items.

As for whether straight shaving is hard, I'm getting good result around the 10th shave. Up to that point, it was a painful experience. I watched videos I read tutorials, and I still got massive cuts and razor burn. Looking back though, it was worth it.

Good luck for whatever you decide to do! I'm still a newbie, but I'm glad I experimented with straights.

+1 I shaved about 9 months with a DE before getting into straights and I am grateful for the time spent getting the "software" together and learning how to use it properly. With other types of razors you can get away with sub-prime lather but with straights, the shave itself is so challenging, at first, that you want to be able to concentrate on the shave without trying to figure out if poor lather is the issue. However, if you really want to get into straights right from the start, I would suggest you stick with one soap or cream you really like and can lather well. Once you have figured out how to do a full straight shave confidently, there will be plenty of time later on to try a selection of different soaps and creams.

 

[Chimensch]

All good advice with just one comment:

A razor and strop are enough to decide whether or not you like straight shaving but, as soon as you're committed, you should get a touch-up hone as soon as possible, whether it is paste on balsa, a barbers hone, Chinese stone, or something more expensive. I can't go more than a couple of weeks without touching up my razors.

 

[Shangas]

I agree with what Gull says. Straight-razor shaving is cool and badass (as well as being mindbogglingly effective!), but it's a lot more intensive than other forms of shaving. Start with a DE razor first so that you can learn the finer points of preparing your face and preparing your lather. Whipping up good lather can be tricky. When I was doing it with a bowl, I was hopeless. When I got a scuttle, I got excellent lather every time. It's different for different people.

Shaving a DE razor is obviously easier and safer, but it also gives you good shaves while you learn about the other aspects of shaving. Once you have done that, then you can start with straight-razors. I DE shaved for seven and a half months before I started straight-shaving a couple of weeks ago.

Don't discount facial-preparation. It might seem stupid and a waste of time, but believe me, it's important, especially when shaving with a blade which you can also kill your dinner with. Wetting the face with lots of hot or warm water is essential. If you don't do that, your straight-blade will DRAG across your skin. Not only will it not cut the hair, but it will be damnedably uncomfortable and you risk cutting yourself. Moistening the skin means that the razor slides across your face and cuts off the hair - not your cheek. The difference is very noticeable, as are the results.