After about six months of DE shaving (I started here on BB!) I want to try straight razors. I got a cheap KeenCutter from Josh on SRP to start with. At first I found the edge wobbly (as in, not firm) and couldn't shave with it. It pulled, and seemed bendable, and basically scared the bejeesus out of me.
A week later (yesterday) I read Moses' thread and the comment by Joel therein cool: Many thanks Joel!! ) on using a confident stroke, so I tried it again. Voila! Very hassle free shave of the jawline and neck, with just a frisson of mind-buggering fear. Now I'm sold! I especially like that it's somewhat less messy than a DE shave, once you get started (I rinsed the razor once per side).
I have a nice rehoned Solingen razor coming from Alex (LX_Emergency here) and I want to get one more rehoned razor (under 40$ since I need to get a strop too), with these characteristics:
1. preferably Sheffield.
2. preferably a wedge -- I don't really know if a wedge is stiffer than say a full hollow, but I would expect so. Also it might be easier to strop? I like the stiffness of straight razors, esp while shaving the neck.
What helpful advice would you have for a newbie to choose a good straight? I really don't know what I want in a razor other than the above two points. For now the razor needn't be a 'looker' -- just a solid shaver. I believe Genco's are great at this but dunno.
I really want to experience that feeling of just swiping the whiskers off that Lynn Abrams mentions. Any suggestions on what kind of razor should I be looking for? Is a sheffield very different? Is a wedge better? Which is easier to strop, sheffield or solingen? Stainless or carbon?
Hopefully once I get these questions sorted out I can begin to face my nascent SRAD!
Thanks for any responses! And many thanks for getting me started with quality creams (Scotto!), good blades, and colognes (decant club!).
Dan
A week later (yesterday) I read Moses' thread and the comment by Joel therein cool: Many thanks Joel!! ) on using a confident stroke, so I tried it again. Voila! Very hassle free shave of the jawline and neck, with just a frisson of mind-buggering fear. Now I'm sold! I especially like that it's somewhat less messy than a DE shave, once you get started (I rinsed the razor once per side).
I have a nice rehoned Solingen razor coming from Alex (LX_Emergency here) and I want to get one more rehoned razor (under 40$ since I need to get a strop too), with these characteristics:
1. preferably Sheffield.
2. preferably a wedge -- I don't really know if a wedge is stiffer than say a full hollow, but I would expect so. Also it might be easier to strop? I like the stiffness of straight razors, esp while shaving the neck.
What helpful advice would you have for a newbie to choose a good straight? I really don't know what I want in a razor other than the above two points. For now the razor needn't be a 'looker' -- just a solid shaver. I believe Genco's are great at this but dunno.
I really want to experience that feeling of just swiping the whiskers off that Lynn Abrams mentions. Any suggestions on what kind of razor should I be looking for? Is a sheffield very different? Is a wedge better? Which is easier to strop, sheffield or solingen? Stainless or carbon?
Hopefully once I get these questions sorted out I can begin to face my nascent SRAD!
Thanks for any responses! And many thanks for getting me started with quality creams (Scotto!), good blades, and colognes (decant club!).
Dan