Thread: Newbie's first shave and question about disposable blades...

Ok, so I did it. I completed my first straight shave!And I did it with an old Weck! The whole face and neck too! (except upper lip and chin, retaining the 6 inch goatee...)
Mixed up some Palmolive slightly thicker than for the DE and it worked well.
Even doing only a single pass, yeah, I think I'm game for this!
I figured the Weck for the disposability, full length blade (compaired to a Shavette) and the older (army version) for the weight.
Since I don't have hones or a strop and although I have a couple Ebay blades, as I have read here I learned how much work each of them will need to be useable...(Waiting with baited breath for the next contest)

Anyway, here's what I am wondering. I used a brand new Fromm blade and felt some dragging and pulling (only 2 minor scrapes too!!) which I am attributing to my technique. Here's the question- how sharp is a new Fromm shaper blade compaired to a well honed regular straight and to a DE blade like a Shavette uses? I'm trying to figure out if I should expect my tecnique is totally to blame or will I see a marked improvement by getting better gear.

Well done sir. Keep at it. It keeps getting better and the learning curve is steep.

That edge could likely use a little touching up to give you a prime shave.

X

Shaper blades are generally a bit duller but more robust than blades designed for shaving. I don't know what to advise you, other than giving a real straight a shot. That's what's familiar and very enjoyable to me.

I just realized that I posted what is essentially a duplicate question. I was asking about people's thoughts on the Shavette. Sorry to have done so. Mods: I'll understand if you erase my thread or move it here.

Thanks for the answers and encouragement.
I have no strop or hones as yet (my better half has limited my budget), but it sounds as tho the shaper blade could benifit from a pasted strop or finish honing. Someone had posted somewhere about a Shavette blade insert being modified to fit a Weck, that might work better then.
It'll be a fun experiment at some point to finish hone one.

Shaper blades are very dull by razor standards, even the extra-long DE-style snappable blades by Merkur are much duller than their normal DE blades.

Try either an injector blade or a snapped DE blade, depending on your available blade holder.

feather makes a disposable blade that's basically the same size as the fromm blades. the only real difference is that the spine is a little wider, thus making it unsuitable for dovo shavette holders. if you can, try to locate a box and see if they'll fit the weck. the blades come in a green and white box and are different than the ones sold at classicshaving. however, you might see if any beauty supply or barber supply shops carry the blades. feather blades have a reputation as being killer-sharp.

cheers,
jake pollock