I will eventually buy a dovo straight ut wondering if it would be worth it to pick up a shavette locally to pratice with till I can get a real straight.
Shavette worth a try?
- Thread starter tarheel1
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I think it's worth it. Just be careful, go slowly, start with just the sides of the face, keeping the angle of the blade low and applying no pressure. Don't worry about how good a shave you get, just concentrate on technique, and learn to use both hands.
Once you jump to a straight razor, you'll need a strop and some hones to keep them sharp.
Good luck
Once you jump to a straight razor, you'll need a strop and some hones to keep them sharp.
Good luck
I would not try a shavette if you are planning on moving to a real str8. Both experiences are completely different and the technique you use is different. The real str8 is a much better experience IMO.
If I were you I would save my money.
If I were you I would save my money.
It depended on the shavette for me. Never tried the Dovo but I hear great things. My experiences were with an $8 (shipping included) from Derby, a Durham Duplex, and a Feather AC.
The derby loosely held (if you could even call it that) 1/2 a DE in a metal sleeve and chewed up my face. I would not use one of these cheap shavettes.
The DD was cool and the carpet blades couldn't really cut me (because of the guard) but the shaves are marginal even with good technique so this method wouldn't last you long.
The Feather is an amazing tool and I am still blown away by the consistently irritation free and BBS shaves. It is always Feather sharp and therefore less technique is needed than a traditional straight for closeness. But it does nick far easier than a more forgiving Dovo Straight and is actually more expensive than the low end Dovos (but it would be easy to offload on the BST for almost full price). The trade off is you never have to hone or strop it so it would be great for someone who wanted to ease into straight shaving without the initial maintenance but it isn't cost effective for everyone.
On the Dovo Shavette note (I assume this is what you wanted in the first place.) Joel has given these good reviews and I have heard good things from other people as well. Good luck with your choice, and have fun.
The derby loosely held (if you could even call it that) 1/2 a DE in a metal sleeve and chewed up my face. I would not use one of these cheap shavettes.
The DD was cool and the carpet blades couldn't really cut me (because of the guard) but the shaves are marginal even with good technique so this method wouldn't last you long.
The Feather is an amazing tool and I am still blown away by the consistently irritation free and BBS shaves. It is always Feather sharp and therefore less technique is needed than a traditional straight for closeness. But it does nick far easier than a more forgiving Dovo Straight and is actually more expensive than the low end Dovos (but it would be easy to offload on the BST for almost full price). The trade off is you never have to hone or strop it so it would be great for someone who wanted to ease into straight shaving without the initial maintenance but it isn't cost effective for everyone.
On the Dovo Shavette note (I assume this is what you wanted in the first place.) Joel has given these good reviews and I have heard good things from other people as well. Good luck with your choice, and have fun.
IMO, no. Because a shavette shaves differently than a straight. Nothing can replicate a straight other than a straight. A shavette comes close though. But why spend the money, when your just going to buy a straight anyway? Just seems like a waste of resources to me.
(you mean like 98% of this site)
I agree with leighton completely if you are on a budget.
(Let it be said though that once you have that straight you'll want some more. Eventually you will want a shavette too and when you are in that B&M store you will buy one.)
(you mean like 98% of this site)
I agree with leighton completely if you are on a budget.
(Let it be said though that once you have that straight you'll want some more. Eventually you will want a shavette too and when you are in that B&M store you will buy one.)
Straights are worth every penny and minute of time
. Shavettes are not. I'm just going to remain silent as to DEs because I simply refuse to give it another shot. I'm much too content with my straight(s). 
I tried this "derby" its actually just derby blades, and I too cut up my face a little with it. Have a nice 1/4 inch cut right under my nose. It did give me an acceptable shave on the sides of my face, and I didn't try it anywhere else for fear of larger cuts.
Dovo shavette is about $30-40... You can get a pretty good straight for as much or a little bit more (shaving wise, not necessarily looks or rarity). I got my first straight for $35, and my second for $50, both from the B/S/T here on B&B. They're not going to win any beauty contests, but they both shave great.
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If you are 100% sure that you want to go with a straight, why not going for a straight directly? I tried both, I enjoyed the shavette but a straight is much better!
Well If i could play the double edge devils advocate.....
I first tried wetshaving because I wanted to get a straight. So in lieu of finding a real straight in the neighbourhood I bought a cheap quality Wahl shavette type razor. It ripped my face to shreds, yet ironically gave me better shaves than a mach 3 (bar the huuge slices on my face). After persisting like a madman with it for a month, I decided to buy a shavette because it would be my gateway razor into a real straight. Teh shavette works really well but I found myself also turning to a DE razor that performed consistently better. I have yet to make the full leap into a straight and probably wont until I can amass the money and time for strops hones and razors (I am not too fond of the idea of sending it to someone to be honed for me).
Sooo to sum up my experience (but probably not everyones) don't get a shavette if you want to shave with a straight. Just buy a straight and use the money on something like a strop/hone. And whatever you do don't buy a cheap shavette (the Dovo one is actually really good and I occasionally whip it out, the protective plastic blade sleeves are very very good at stopping you from filleting yourself, but they teach you how to hold a guard between you face and the blade, like in a DE razor).
or maybe consider a DE
I first tried wetshaving because I wanted to get a straight. So in lieu of finding a real straight in the neighbourhood I bought a cheap quality Wahl shavette type razor. It ripped my face to shreds, yet ironically gave me better shaves than a mach 3 (bar the huuge slices on my face). After persisting like a madman with it for a month, I decided to buy a shavette because it would be my gateway razor into a real straight. Teh shavette works really well but I found myself also turning to a DE razor that performed consistently better. I have yet to make the full leap into a straight and probably wont until I can amass the money and time for strops hones and razors (I am not too fond of the idea of sending it to someone to be honed for me).
Sooo to sum up my experience (but probably not everyones) don't get a shavette if you want to shave with a straight. Just buy a straight and use the money on something like a strop/hone. And whatever you do don't buy a cheap shavette (the Dovo one is actually really good and I occasionally whip it out, the protective plastic blade sleeves are very very good at stopping you from filleting yourself, but they teach you how to hold a guard between you face and the blade, like in a DE razor).
or maybe consider a DE
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