Thread: Questions I'd like to ask before getting my first straight razor

With the multi blade cartridges, they pull your whiskers up and then cut the hair at a point that would have normally been below the skin. This in turn can and usually does cause ingrown hairs and red bumps. Also, depending on the cartridge, they could have from 2 (if your old school) to 5 or 6 blades. So think about it like this. Every swipe with a 6 bladed cartridge is like 6 passes with a straight or safety. I only do three passes with my straight. With the Grain (WTG), Across the Grain (XTG), and Against the Grain (ATG). If I were to try to do all three directions with a 6 bladed razor that would be 18 passes equivalent. I don't care who you are, 18 passes is going to mess you face up unless your leather face but hey thats probably how he got his leather face.

A shavette and a safety razor use the same blades so your going to get the same shave its just a different technique used so that might affect the quality in shave as you get used to a new type. But as you get proficient in both you really shouldn't notice a difference unless your using two different types of blades. However they are both only single bladed systems so no they shouldn't inherently cause irritation like cartridges do. Meaning your only going to get irritation if your technique is bad and you choose blades your skin doesn't agree with.

As for getting a Dovo. Its really up to you. They all shave about the same. Some have some designs that make it easier to hone and strop like the shoulderless designs but usually more expensive. I would say get whatever strikes your fancy that you can afford. But don't just look at Dovo either. There are other manufacturers still in the straight razor game.

Lastly I would say the myth is true. Don't know why exactly but I would guess that because there isn't a huge demand for straight razors now like there used to be. So when you have low demand you have to adjust your profit margins to make the most money off of what you do sell yet still maintain some kind of quality. Therefore maybe they cut cost at the refinery and don't buy the best steel they can like they used to, or maybe they cut it at the forging steps and don't put as much effort into their work like they used to. Or maybe the cut it at the grinding stage and aren't as precise as they used to be to save time. Or maybe they do it at all three stages. I don't really know if this actually happens for a fact but its what I think. I mean they are a business not a bunch of razor nuts like we are. I will tell you though that I only own one modern made straight and its a dovo, the rest are all vintage. I haven't shaved with the dovo in at least a year. Not that it doesn't provide a great shave, it does. Its just that my vintage razors prove even better, and cheaper.