Thread: Choosing first razor

You've been given great advice. I had just looked at the classifieds and when I saw your post I had to tell to give them a good look. Good stuff and well priced. Make sure it is shave ready. I started into straight razors because of the same reason when I calculated the yearly cost of the fancy multiblade gizmos plus the plastic trash that's not biodegradable they generate, it's not worth it. Along with my first straight, a Dovo Round point, half hollow 5/8, I also bought a double edge safety razor, as I wanted to quit plastic, and I needed to look clean shaven at work. while I learned the straight. Compared to the plastics a DE is also a great savings, and you are using the same techniques of lathering, skin stretching and multiple passes as in a straight. Also as you learn you shave part of the face with a straight and the rest with the DE. And eventually you will be doing less and less with the DE until you only use the straight. Also don't get an expensive strop the first time because they usually get nicked. Stropping is very important. And since a learned skill, a bit like riding a bike, where instead of falling you will cut or nick yourself while learning, so get the patch kit which consists of a styptic pencil to close the cut rapidly, and a tube of triple antibiotic to help heal it faster. It eventually becomes very comfortable and you will get the best shaves ever.

A few things, 1. You will definitely need a quality strop to use before (and some people like myself after). I would suggest one with a linen/canvas side (plenty of info on the forum about such) as well as a chromium oxide paste to treat one side of the cloth strop to help maintain the razor a bit. I own only one razor and along with the aforementioned strop/CrOx combo and a barber hone maintain it just fine. **WARNING**RAD IS A REAL THING! All my self-control is taxed not to buy all razors, hones, soaps, and brushes I come in contact with.
2. 5/8 round points are a great utility player of sorts, they may not be the fanciest, biggest, or most interesting player but they do the job well. They also tend to be a happy medium for beginners to handle. That is what I use and am content with. However, you can still cut youself with the end of the blade, I can attest to that.

Thanks for your detailed comments. I have ordered my first SR. Will report after the first shave

Today i have bought a strope and some other stuff as well as a classical safety razor (i'm planning to use it aside SR until i can do the whole straight shave).
How to properly desinfect razors? I have washed my new safety razor with 99,7% isopropyl alcohol. Is it enough?

Originally Posted by lionrouge

Today i have bought a strope and some other stuff as well as a classical safety razor (i'm planning to use it aside SR until i can do the whole straight shave).
How to properly desinfect razors? I have washed my new safety razor with 99,7% isopropyl alcohol. Is it enough?

Barbicide for me, but that alcohol you used sounds good, too.

Originally Posted by lionrouge

Today i have bought a strope and some other stuff as well as a classical safety razor (i'm planning to use it aside SR until i can do the whole straight shave).
How to properly desinfect razors? I have washed my new safety razor with 99,7% isopropyl alcohol. Is it enough?

If new the saftey shouldn't need disinfecting as it hasn't been used. The straight should have been disinfected by the person who honed and test shaved with it. The isopropyl should kill any basic germs.

Ok, i have shaved 2 times by now with a beautiful Erik Anton Berg 5/8 razor, Pithor sold me.
And I want to share 2 tricks i use that let me shave with ZERO IRRITATION if properly used.
1) Keep zero shaving angle as if stroping the razor with your skin.
2) Scythe-like movements that makes your razor even more effective in cutting hair. I mean either adding side slight movement to direct movement of the razor or keeping the razor at slight angle to it's direction.

Of course you need to warm your skin well (i warm the lather cup by putting it into another cup with hot water, i warn the razor before each shaving movement and i warm my face with hot water before each lathering) and stretch your skin well. Even if you feel a bit underdone with warm skin it will be perfectly smooth after cooling down.

Originally Posted by lionrouge

Ok, i have shaved 2 times by now with a beautiful Erik Anton Berg 5/8 razor, Pithor sold me.
And I want to share 2 tricks i use that let me shave with ZERO IRRITATION if properly used.
1) Keep zero shaving angle as if stroping the razor with your skin.
2) Scythe-like movements that makes your razor even more effective in cutting hair. I mean either adding side slight movement to direct movement of the razor or keeping the razor at slight angle to it's direction.

Of course you need to warm your skin well (i warm the lather cup by putting it into another cup with hot water, i warn the razor before each shaving movement and i warm my face with hot water before each lathering) and stretch your skin well. Even if you feel a bit underdone with warm skin it will be perfectly smooth after cooling down.

With time you'll learn to appreciate a wider angle Especially if you decide to try a blade with a sharp, pointy nose... but also because 0-angle isn't the most optimal balance of cutting action and agressiveness. The concensus seems to lie around 25-30 deg, keeping the lightest touch possible and I mostly agree with that.

Everything else you say makes sense, specifically for a beginner. I wish more beginners took their time to take it really slow and safe. Instead, at least around me, I keep hearing stories like "tried this SR business, butchered myself, it isn't for me". While I agree it's not for everyone, I feel a lot would have liked and succeeded at it, if they'd just taken the time and precaution. So hat's off to you! [emoji482]

P.S. Using those 2 tricks too soon in my SR shaving journey, I managed to give myself a couple of pretty bad cuts. Still didn't stop me [emoji4]

Thanks for the warning. Maybe i tend to use such little angle to prevent myself from applying pressure to the blade.

Originally Posted by lionrouge

Thanks for the warning. Maybe i tend to use such little angle to prevent myself from applying pressure to the blade.

That makes sense. I still have to remind myself about pressure. It's easy to slip into bad habits and end up with some razor burn. Today I barely felt the alum, so I'm finally getting more remembering and less forgetting.