Thread: Disposable vs Straight: edge geometries?

Hello,

I'm new to SR shaving. I've been shaving with a shavette for nearly two months with decent results. Keeping things simple: WTG all around and XTG on cheeks. My first straight and strop kit is in the mail from Whipped Dog and I'm excited to make the transition. Like all newbies I'm trying to cover all my bases in terms of what I can, and cannot, expect from shaving with a traditional straight. I routinely come across the topic of shave angles regularly, with the basic consensus that a shavette is generally more forgiving than a straight. That said, I am interested to know more about the differences between a disposable razor-blade's edge vs a hand-honed straight edge? What makes one more "forgiving" than the other (if there is any truth to that)? What can I expect when I make the transition to the traditional straight? Aside from the obvious (mass production/machine-finish vs hand-finished), when it comes down to the edge properties themselves, what sets the two apart?

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to this post.

Cheers!

Honestly I don't use DEs or shavettes enough to say anything more than what I know from trying them a few times. From what I have read you can look forward to IMHO a small amount of maintenance. As far as edges go you will find a straight more consistent from what I have read. Some say their DE blades for example are harsh the first 2 shave and then great for the last 3. My straights are the same every shave. I just keep the same edge maintained.The angle of the straight seems to be less from what I hear shavette users claim. A straight should be no more than 30 degrees and mostly less. It will be a small learning curve for you but you'll get it quick enough. The other thing is by hand honing you can get the desired edge on the desired steel of your choice. It will take awhile for you to be able to tell the subtle differences. This of course also means you try a lot of different things.

I started much the same way - Shavette with a DE, then Whipped Dog for a few and the next thing you know its RAD etc.

The regular straight is longer, the blade is more robust and you end up with a much more forgiving shave and a faster learning curve - IMO.
Larry's razors are ready to go when you get them, so make sure you just clean it gently and give it a try it the first time.
Take your time when stropping, watch the videos since this is key to maintaining your edge while you learn.
If you have 50+ shaves with a shavette you should have a smooth transition to the straight (I could not hang in there for two months...I would have bled out)

And it's hard to explain, but its a different kind of sharp...
The shavette DE is very sharp, but harder to control/use.
The straight does not have the "clinical edge" of a DE, but has so many other things going for it that I wager after a few conventional shaves you will not be going back unless you don't have a back up razor.

This is a ride you will enjoy....

Smooth Shaving...

My friend gave me a shavette last week (one he had in a draw for years and never used) when i told him i had started straight razor shaving.

I gave it a go but hated it, IMO the difference is night and day. Fair enough i did get a decent close shave but i found it really fiddly with the small blade. I also had areas with some fairly significant razor burn, I know that is down to my technique but its not something I get now with a straight.

Needless to say I see no reason to pick up that shavette again. The straight razor shave I found to be more enjoyable, gives the same if not better results and of cause you don’t need to change the blade

IME a true straight razor is the more forgiving of the two. I've only tried a shavette a few times and a limited number of the cheaper variety, but they were more prone to nick, too light in weight, and not as sharp or smooth as a good pro honed straight razor. As far as blade angle relative to the face/neck when shaving ..... IIRC it was similar if not identical. Been a long while since I went that route.

Gentlemen, thank you for the great feedback. Taking into consideration my less-than-perfect technique, I have to agree with you that the shavette feels difficult to control, especially when it comes to getting those angles right beneath the jaw towards the ears, and navigating the contours of the neck muscles and adams apple. I am particularly prone to nicks and skin irritation in this area, and if I make a mistake with the shavette I pay for it! That said I'm routinely getting close shaves, but at this point in my burgeoning relationship with straight shaving I have to admit that my first impressions with the shavette are of a tool that is "finicky" and anything but forgiving. I'll have to put a few months under my belt with the traditional straight before I can come to a concrete consensus.

Thanks again fellas. I really appreciate your input.

I've recently gone through the same transition. I personally found that the shavette was a very efficient cutter. Because of its sharpness and as long as I used absolutely NO pressure, it didn't seem to matter much on how well I stretched my skin or if I started WTG or XTG. I also found the shavette was certainly more forgiving in terms of being able to get away with fudging the angle a little. Having to learn how to stretch my skin well, what grain I start with and holding the SR at the right angle were personally challenging for me- YMMV. I also had to re-learn my strokes because I had some extra steel to contend with as far as the longer blade goes- I just wasn't able to get the longer blade in tight areas of my face like I used to with out some trial and error. I would say that I'm very happy in transitioning to SR, but you certainly can't be as lax with the technique. I DO have a nice 1.5" scar on my chin from a brand new shavette blade.... THAT SUCKER HUUURT!!!

I have an angular face: pronounced cheekbones, sharp jawline and chin. I find navigating these areas while incorporating skin-stretching and shave angles with the shavette a real challenge. Its been trial and error. Slowly but surely I am finding what works and what doesn't (the latter more so than the former!) I find I think a lot about these things knowing I'll be making the transition to the steel straight soon. A mix of apprehension and excitement, with a dash of masochistic daredevilry!

"Masochistic daredevilry"... I like it! Who knows? Maybe you'll have a flawless transition between the two... I hope you do. I just personally found there were some things that I had to really work on in my transition to start getting decent results; things I had maybe taken for granted. I'm still going to keep the shavette around for back up (until I acquire a second SR) and travel.

Originally Posted by mbg1081

I DO have a nice 1.5" scar on my chin from a brand new shavette blade.... THAT SUCKER HUUURT!!!

Egad....