Thread: Shavette or the Real Thing?

I am curious to know how many of you started on a shavette and then moved over to a straight and how many started right off with a real straight razor. What are the pros and cons of starting on one or the other. Obviously you don't learn how to strop with a shavette. That could be a pro or a con depending on your point of view.

Anyway, curious to see if there are many votes to starting on the shavette.

Thanks.

I started on a shavette mainly because it was cheaper. No looking back I learned a lot of technique for the actual shave without messing up the blade with poor stropping. Kind of the same idea as not doing your own honing right away.

straight to the straight from a disposable cartridge for me. Welcome, eezee! You're in good company

I started with a traditional straight razor, but only really because i did, in some ways i woudnt have minded a shavette to start but didnt ever get one, and if i bought one now i doubt i would use it, though part of that might be because i have invested time and money into hones etc now. Also no matter how nice a shavette is it is still a razor blade holder, rather than the real thing.

Remember all of these are just personal opinions. Having said that I feel that the Shavette is much more forgiving than the SR. it is smaller lighter and easier to maneuver. Also if I don’t the angle just right with my SR I get cut or really bad razor burn. With the Shavette if my angle is off I just don’t get as close of a shave. You can still get cut with a shavette but for me it is never as bad and always heals faster.
One other thought, I don’t know how much you travel. But traveling with the shavette works much better for me. No need to bring a strop. Just the brush, soap, and shavette with a fresh blade and you should be good for at least a week.

I also started with the shavette but only used it for about five days decided to get a straight.

Roger

I went right to the straight to get the full experience. I also enjoy the collecting aspect as well as the shave.

I went straight to a straight from a DE. I bought a well-honed, shave ready vintage straight and strop off another straight shaver and was ready to go. I never even thought about going down the shavette road.

Straight to the straight. Why only go half way

One thing I have noticed is mentioned here before is the straight razor is a lot more forgiving than shavette.

Roger