I have been a wet shaver for 33 years and have never tried shaving with a straight razor, although I have had in the past been shaved with a straight razor from a Barber. I think it is time for me to give it a try. Can anybody recommend to me a a razor that is not going to cost an arm and leg for a beginner, and any other advice of what size blade, style of blade or brand and other items that I need to keep it sharp and in shape. I am looking at Straight razor designs website which looks to have a good price on razors with free shipping with orders over $100 and free honing for as long as you own the razor. I figured as a beginner it might be worth me buying from them since they offer the free honing and maybe get something else later until I can learn how to keep my own razor in shape. It looks like they sell only Boker and Dovo razors. I am looking at the Boker King Cutter 5/8 in Black Handle and the Dovo Imitation Tortoise Shell 6/8" Would a 6/8 be good for a beginner ?. Are the Boker and Dovo razors any good ?. Thanks in advance for your advice.
Need advice on straight razor for beginner
- Thread starter TNshaver
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5/8 -6/8 is good for beginner.
Usually people move to larger blades after the standard 5/8 start.
I find 6/8 to be the min size I like, but I too started with 5/8.
Usually people move to larger blades after the standard 5/8 start.
I find 6/8 to be the min size I like, but I too started with 5/8.
I wouldn't buy a razor just to get free honing -- that's a nice benefit, but you can get honing from many, many different people for about $15 - $20 per razor, and you might only need honing once or twice a year.
If you want to spend less than $100 and get an excellent razor, I would seriously look at www.bobsrazors.com. Bob Keyes is not my cousin or anything, but I've bought a few blades from him, and his work is excellent. Frankly, you can get a better blade from Bob for $90 than most of the $200 razors available at SRD. And Bob would probably throw in a good price for honing too.
Good luck
If you want to spend less than $100 and get an excellent razor, I would seriously look at www.bobsrazors.com. Bob Keyes is not my cousin or anything, but I've bought a few blades from him, and his work is excellent. Frankly, you can get a better blade from Bob for $90 than most of the $200 razors available at SRD. And Bob would probably throw in a good price for honing too.
Good luck
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks Mainaman and JeffE for the advice and information. I checked out Bob Keyes website and he does have some nice razors. A big plus is that Mr.Keyes place of business is only one hour drive from me and I can go look at what he is selling. When I am at flea markets and yard sales is there any particular vintage manufacturer I should be looking out for. Most all of my vintage Gillette DE razors I have found are from yard sales or flea markets. I notice a lot of blades are made of carbon steel and stainless steel which one is better at keeping a sharp edge ?.
Another good option.
Ken is highly regarded and even though these razors are hit and miss, you will get a good one from him. Also a great little handmade strop that has CrOx on the backside for the freshen ups.
Ken is highly regarded and even though these razors are hit and miss, you will get a good one from him. Also a great little handmade strop that has CrOx on the backside for the freshen ups.
I would say all other things being equal, stainless and carbon steel edges will last about the same let me explain
Carbon steel is hard and so will hold a sharp edge after many shaves. However it will quickly tarnish at the edge and become dull if you do not carefully dry it after use.
On the other hand, stainless will not tarnish easily and so will not become dull from tarnish, however it is not as hard as carbon steel but will still keep a perfectly acceptable edge for some time.
Brands to look out for check this page for some of the more popular brands.
http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=28470
Stay away from razors without a manufactures stamp on the tang, though there are some good brands that are etched on the tang.
Stay away from NEW razors that are exactly alike and available in different colored scales they are also very cheap.
I wouldn't buy a razor just to get free honing -- that's a nice benefit, but you can get honing from many, many different people for about $15 - $20 per razor, and you might only need honing once or twice a year.
If you want to spend less than $100 and get an excellent razor, I would seriously look at www.bobsrazors.com. Bob Keyes is not my cousin or anything, but I've bought a few blades from him, and his work is excellent. Frankly, you can get a better blade from Bob for $90 than most of the $200 razors available at SRD. And Bob would probably throw in a good price for honing too.
Good luck
Wow, Bob has some great stuff there, at very reasonable prices!
Just something to think about; if you were to start with a Feather AC RX. The razor is 95.00 at WCS, the blades are about 11.00 for 20.
You don't need to strop or hone, you can just concentrate on learning the straight razor technique. Many times newcomers to straight razor shaving are befuddled and worried about their razor being sharp enough. This is not a concern with the Feathers, they are most definitely sharp enough.
Also you can see if straight razor shaving is for you with a minimum outlay of cash.
Have fun!
Mike
You don't need to strop or hone, you can just concentrate on learning the straight razor technique. Many times newcomers to straight razor shaving are befuddled and worried about their razor being sharp enough. This is not a concern with the Feathers, they are most definitely sharp enough.
Also you can see if straight razor shaving is for you with a minimum outlay of cash.
Have fun!
Mike
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- Thread starter
- #9
Thanks everybody for your suggestions. I like history and old things and really prefer something vintage and not new in most cases so one day I decided to check out some junk stores and so called antique stores to see if I could find any straight razors. Most everything I seen was pretty much worn out. But I did find one place that just got some razors in and I bought 6 straight razors from them, for $75.00 And they are ; Genco "Master Barber", Yankee Cutlery "lion Brand", 2 dubl duck "Dwarf" & "Satinedge" and one very old Jonathan Hunt 1829-1837 and also a Dorchester Co. razor which I cannot find any information on. All the razors need to be cleaned up and 1 restored and I am in the process of doing work on them right now. There's just something about holding something in your hand from the 1800s or anything old and using it. You think of the people that had used it before and you think about how life was back then. I shave with vintage DE razors and vintage brushes and I enjoy a lot. I am sure this is going to be a fun journey learning how to shave with a straight razor. I am one of those people that when I start something I do it until I get good at it and I learn as much as I can. If you have any information on the Dorchester Co. razor please let me know.
William
William
I wouldn't buy a razor just to get free honing -- that's a nice benefit, but you can get honing from many, many different people for about $15 - $20 per razor, and you might only need honing once or twice a year.
If you want to spend less than $100 and get an excellent razor, I would seriously look at www.bobsrazors.com. Bob Keyes is not my cousin or anything, but I've bought a few blades from him, and his work is excellent. Frankly, you can get a better blade from Bob for $90 than most of the $200 razors available at SRD. And Bob would probably throw in a good price for honing too.
Good luck
Wow! Bob has some pretty nicely priced razors, doesn't he?
Yowza. That was a good price for those razors. Genco is a decent razor and the Dubl Ducks are well regarded.
B
bluefoxicy
I'd like a smaller razor, my 5/8 is iffy and I'm contemplating honing up a 3/8 or 4/8 I have (not sure the size but it's little).
Most people here seem to prefer a giant 9/8 razor, so maybe you should go steal a meat cleaver from Yan and put a razor's edge on it instead.
As for advice, I'll give you my two biggest mistakes:
- Don't dull your razor immediately by taking too steep an angle on your face or messing up with the strop.
- Don't cut your ear off by shaving the edge of your cheek with the back of the razor.
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