Thread: Question about 1st straight

Hi,
I have been a member at B&B, SMF for a while now, but I've been thinking about buying a straight razor lately. But first, I have a couple questions...
Are there benefits to using a straight ie better for the skin, etc?
After the initial hone, what kind of maintenance does one have to do to keep a straight tip-top? How often should the razor be honed, when stropped before each use?
Any recommendations for a first straight?

Thanks alot guys,
Spencer

A straight wants to have 30-60 strops on a decent leather strop immediately before each shave, and optionally after as well. It will need a touch up on a fine hone, or pasted strop, no more than once every 5 shaves; that's maybe 10 strokes. A full rehone may be needed every 6-24 months. That's what the old timers, say, I'm still a newbie myself.

However, this assumes that your razor is immaculately sharp already. If it is "factory fresh", it will be blunt, and if it is home honed, unless you are very skilled already, it will not be in the best possible condition. If so, you may find yourself doing heavier hone work every couple of shaves.

The best first razor is one that has already been sharpened for you by an expert. Either buy one already sharpened from classicshaving, or send one of almost anything to an expert here for a small fee.

The rest is a matter of taste: personally, I'd go for a 5/8 blade in high carbon steel (ie, not stainless), with a rounded tip. If you want cheap, the Wapienica razors from open_razor on ebay (shipped from Poland) shave as good as you can get - but will need honing by an expert before use. Dovo and Thiers-Issard are well reputed new brands (also need honing), and there are some delightful specialist razors made by Mastro Livi that you should take a look at.

A straight will give you a closer shave more easily than a DE or multi; it may also be better for your skin - but there was a long thread recently in General about that, you should look it up. I'll just say thaat my son's acne has improved a lot since he started using a straight.

Originally Posted by spencergray

Hi,
I have been a member at B&B, SMF for a while now, but I've been thinking about buying a straight razor lately. But first, I have a couple questions...
Are there benefits to using a straight ie better for the skin, etc?
After the initial hone, what kind of maintenance does one have to do to keep a straight tip-top? How often should the razor be honed, when stropped before each use?
Any recommendations for a first straight?

Thanks alot guys,
Spencer

I've certainly noticed that a straight is gentler on my skin than a DE and it provides a closer shave.
For maintenance, some people (myself included) prefer using a barber hone or pasted strops to refresh the edge on a razor when it starts to pull.
Like Paul said, 30-60 round trips on a strop should do it.
For a first straight, I'd recommend buying a used one from one of the members here in the Buy/Sell/Trade forum that's already been honed. I'm pretty sure you'd be hard pressed to find a better deal. As far as a new razor goes, Dovos, Thiers-Issards are pretty standard fare that do well.

After shaving with a straght I don't anticipate going back anytime soon. My face is softer and smoother. I am also new to this but I would recomend one of Tony Millers kits or at minimum one of his strops his cheep ones are as good as the better of other brands I have looked at. I would also have to recomend Vintage Blades with a "shave ready" hone job. Get the best you can afford and you will not regret it.
Don

As a new user of straights myself I offer the following.

Benefits, not at first. Takes time and some work, and I can't say that a straight has any advantage over a DE. But it is a rush to shave with one.

Maintenance of the edge depends upon your beard, angle of shave, quality of steel and so many other variables and is is impossable to predict your results. It flat-out varies, and that's the truth. All in all, a barbers hone with 5 to 10 passes every time you start to think the razor is becoming dull, plus a few passes on linen and stropping, should land you in the groove. All variable.

Recommendations for a first straight? Why me!! Good Lord, there are so many.

Take a look at the Dovo Special honed by Lynn that is mentioned in some posts and for sale at Classic Shaving. (not an endorsement). A 5/8th carbon decent all-round razor.