About to purchase first razor - thoughts...

Hello,
Names Jacob - new to your site
Short story is I have been a bearded man for many years. I am in the process of becoming a chef and beards require beard-nets in my trade - so i'm going to go with a new chapter in my life and shave daily.

I have always had sensitive skin and appreciated the barbers shave when I was younger as it left little to no agitation on my skin.
I am now looking to build a shaving kit from scratch - my focus is to get a good close shave with little harm to my skin.

Some questions:

The Razor:
The Devo Special 5/8 seems to get great reviews from many people. I have found a Dovo "Best Quality" 6/8" Carbon Steel Straight being sold for a bit under 100$ - would this be a good alternative choice?
If not where would be a good place to by a Devo Special - I live in Canada.

Honing / Stropping:
I am learning to keep all sorts of knives sharp in my trade using stones and steal to keep the blade true.
For shaving I need is to keep a new factory blade in good condition (not looking to do restoration work) So I am looking for some suggestions
- I was surprised to see how expensive strops and stones are - So I would like a good idea of a set of items which would let me keep my blade in good condition without killing the wallet.

Lathers / Soaps:
I see lots of nice products but am unsure which is beast for sensitive skin. Is there a winner out there with as little perfume/artificial color, etc...

Finally, any additional tips / suggestions I should be aware of?
Thanks for any input!

Welcome to SRP, eraser 82. Cooking ad shaving are very similar. Attention to details to achieve a stand out product. The Devo is a good choice. Check Fendrihan.com for razors. Honing razors and knives are like comparing apples and oranges. The skills don't translate equally. Get a good razor, have it honed by a professional and get a barber's hone or an 8k Naninwa, a decent linen/leather strop to learn how to keep and refresh the razor for at least a years worth on maintenance before needing re honing. Soaps/creams, many to choose from. My personal choice for my sensitive skin is Mitchells Wool Fat, Kiss My Face, Aveeno Therapeutic Shaving Cream (in a can no less), many glycerin based soaps and most can be gotten unscented. If you know what your face is sensitive too, that helps. If you can avoid the different addictions we fall prey to in this shaving madness you will not be spending a great deal.

Ask lots of questions, we are all here to help.

Adjust your bio so where in Canada you are. Lots of members probably near you that will offer local help.

Welcome to SRP. Ex-chef here. I have a Dovo Special. Not sure what size. I haven't shaved with it in a Looong time. I have too many vintage razors that I prefer over it. It isn't a bad razor, just ordinary, and the feel is just, off. Just my personal experience with it though. I am intending to give it another shot. I do like it more than a new Thiers Issard which I also bought around the same time.
AFA a strop, I recently bought my brother a nice leather/felt combo from Star shaving Supplies on eBay which was less than $40.
Can't help with the sensitive skin issue, as it has never been an issue for me.
For touchups on a hone get a vintage Barbers hone. They come up frequently on eBay. Swaty is one you can't go wrong with.
Being a Chef, do you have a set of Spyderco triangle stick hones? You could actually touch your razor up on the white ceramic stick, though less than Ideal it works. My first vintage razor I bought on eBay and honed it on a set of Spydercos. Still one of my best shavers!
Have fun.

Jacob!

Welcome to the most friendly, helpful and informative site on the web!!

You will find members here of all different backgrounds, ages and occupations from all corners of the world and all with a quest for more knowledge about using and maintaining a straight razor!

You will find that 99.9% of everything about buying, using and maintaining a straight razor is ’Personal Preference’!

First and foremost, please don’t spend a lot of money on your first razor! Checkout the Classified here at SRP! I highly recommend a roundpoint and in at least a 9/16 but a 5/8 would be better!

I will guarantee you that any New Razor with a factory ‘honed’ edge will disappoint you!!!

The only site that I know of that sells new razors that are professionally honed seems to be out of stock on what I consider affordable beginner’s razors!

You will need a strop to maintain your razor! Here is where I believe you can find one in the Great White North!

Illinois Razor Strop Co. 827 Imperial Russia Leather Strop | Fendrihan Shaving Store

As far as any hones, please wait!

There are so many Learning Steps that learning to hone/even on a barber hone is just one more thing in the way!

Once you’ve semi mastered Stropping, Shaving and Lathering then you can get into honing!!

I do believe that you can trust Razorfeld and his recommendations about soaps as I’ve honed many razors for him and know that he has a skin condition that warrants the gentlest of care!

I hope this has been of some help! If you have more questions that you’d like answered in detail, contact me/either via the PM or my email!

Sanfte Rasur, mein Klingenbruder!

(Smooth Shaving My Brother In Blades)

Hey and welcome to the forum. Here are a few places, that I know of, you can get shaving supplies from in Canada The Classic Edge Shaving Store Your Straight Razor & Knife Specialists., Fendrihan - Classic Wet-Shaving, Leather Wallets and Straight Razors and Italian Barber Online Shaving Supplies . There is another place in/near Toronto that I am sure Phrank will tell you about, I have forgotten the name. Keep in mind that new razors are in short supply and a particular model may be difficult to find.

The Dovo you are looking in either size would do just fine as a first razor but make sure the wherever you buy the razor from hones them to shave ready because factory edges generally are not entirely satisfactory for shaving.

Personally, I like a 3 inch strop so I don't have to learn to use an X pattern while stropping. Be prepared to dull your razor through poor stropping when you start out, it is part of the learning curve. Also be prepared to have your strop nicked/cut up at the start for the same reason. When you add poor initial shaving technique to the mix it all adds up to having to have your razor honed more frequently as a newbie and that is a job for a pro at the start too.

Once your stropping and shaving technique improves to the point where you are not dulling your razor frequently you could consider a finishing hone, like the Naniwa 12K, for maintaining your edge. That should keep your edge going for quite awhile but eventually you will need other hones to bring back the edge when you cannot do that anymore with a finisher. The honing technique for a razor is not the same as for sharpening a knife and is another learning curve.

Can't help with a soap recommendation as I do not have sensitive skin.

You did not mention a brush in your OP. The different knot materials vary quite a bit in stiffness/scratchiness so that may make a difference to sensitive skin.

Bob

Welcome, you'll find good friends and good advice here, I have. You may want to explore this site for a razor in the "just under hunnert bucks" range: Home. Mr. Tony Miller at: The Well Shaved Gentleman The Heirloom Razor Strop Company will sell you a $40 strop that you'll cherish. He calls it his "Plain Vanilla". Learn stropping and learn it well. Go slow and get it down pat. Rub it briskly with your palm before use and you are in. It is an activity you'll come to love. Tweezerman's badger is a good brush to start off with or an Omega boar if you like boar bristle. Both are cheap. After some use the boar will split its ends and become very soft and more useful. They all smell like wet animal when new. A little vinegar washing, then some mild detergent and a couple shave soap washings will get rid of the animal smell. Making shave lather with a brush can be an art in itself. Do your reading on honing and purchasing hones. I'm a natural stone, plain, clean strop guy so my advice there may or may not suit. Is this a great hobby or what!

Oh yes, these guys: Men's Wet Shaving, Grooming, Skin and Hair Care - West Coast Shaving are a fine bunch to deal with as well.

When you have questions or concerns, ask.

Regards

Chasmo

Razor: My first was a Dovo "Best." Unlike some - though I have bought other great razors since then (its a sickness), I still love and use my Dovo regularly. The Dovo should do you fine for a lifetime.

Honing: "Stones" - synthetic stones anyway - might be a problem for you. Me thinks that you'll probably want to run your chiefs knives over them. You really shouldn't as A. the finer grits really would see them little good, and B. knives really have a tendency to take away from the flatness that you so need for a razor. At least for me. I would think the Norton's would be better than the Naniwa's if you can't fight off the urge to use your knives on them... but I prefer the Naniwa's better for my straights.

Lather: As for sensitive skin - allow me to project a bit. No one can tell you which is better than others for YOU. The reason for that is, what irritates you isn't uniform throughout the population. You know? But what I will say is uniform is the lack of men who don't map their face. This pays HUGE dividends. Cutting with the grain on the fist pass will spare you irritation like nothing else me thinks and is a huge face saver. Especially when learning a straight. But I liked "The Gentleman's Refinery" products with their all natural products. The liquid aftershave is awesome... for me :).

All said and done, shaving with a straight I find provides the least irritating experience of all the methods I have tried... if you don't take into account the first two or three months learning. It takes a while but oh... oh how pleasant a shave once you become a little proficient.

Well that's my two cents - Best of luck and welcome to SRP.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by earcutter

All said and done, shaving with a straight I find provides the least irritating experience of all the methods I have tried... if you don't take into account the first two or three months learning. It takes a while but oh... oh how pleasant a shave once you become a little proficient.

Well that's my two cents - Best of luck and welcome to SRP.

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:tu :bow: :tu

Welcome to the site, hello from Toronto.

I started with the Dovo 5/8 Best Quality, 1/2 hollow, great razor to learn on, it's right down the middle of the specs!

As mentioned, there's lots of help on this forum, so welcome!

You might want to look into the Poor Man's Strop from Whipped Dog. Basically just a piece of leather, but you won't feel guilty if you cut it to shreds while you're learning. That, at least, is what I'm starting on.

Here's another site that offers beginner's strops! He makes them to order and he does a fine job! I know as I had him make one for my son's first strop and it was a Birthday Present!

He's also a highly regarded member here at SRP. He goes by HNSB and he's a great guy!

Straight Razors for Sale | Straight Razors for Sale

Wow - thanks for all the reply's!

I am going to read through all of your comments in detail tonight - much appreciated!