Thread: First shaver recommendation

I never tried a straight razor. Is there a reason to pick something more adventurous than Dovo (which seems to be the most mass produced with OK reviews)? Like a Kamissori or something vintage?

5/8 or 6/8 round. Learn the craft then get into more adventurous things. However, if starting on a budget is your ideal search for DFS that means damn fine shaver and is a properly restored and honed vintage piece. No matter what get something shave ready. But, more than anything get a lot a patience stored up and work in slow. I personally shaved with a 6/8 ralf aust round point for months before going further.

Basics before you jump. Decent vintage blade honed by an expert. Decent soap/cream and brush. Mid-priced strop. Read the Library and find a mentor or member near you for one-on-one guidance. Many, many shaves before you even think you should hone your own. A well-honed vintage and proper stropping technique will give you at least a year, sometimes even two, before starting down that other bottomless path of honing. And most important, ask questions here on the forum. We are all eager to share our varied knowledge to help you find your specific path in this world of shaving.

I also agree with the gentlemen posting above.

A vintage blade in good condition eclipses any recent production, entry-level Dovo in terms of price and quality. The worse razor I've honed to date was for a beginner this past spring who bought a brand-new Dovo "Best Quality." Laughable model name to be honest!

A little advice for on down the road; if you are only going to shave with a straight razor don't get caught up in the 'got to have several hones' syndrome, hones can get expensive, a simple barber hone is all you will need for touch ups. On the other hand if you decide to start collecting/restoring then you can think about getting several hones, you'll need them.

Take your time, concentrate and avoid distractions. Straight razor shaving has a very large learning curve and once you get the hang of it can be very pleasurable. Enjoy the journey and have fun....Happy Shaving!

A lot of people recommend a moderately priced "starter" razor like the Dovo Best Quality or Boker Classic. However, these are 5/8" blade width. I think you are better off starting with a 6/8" width razor since it is easier determining the proper shave angle with a slightly larger blade. I have a couple of vintage 5/8" razors in my rotation, but far prefer using 6/8" and 7/8" razors. Many experienced shavers would agree.

There are some 6/8 razors like the Dovo Bismark and Boker Elite that have thumb notches. Some people love them; but for me, thumb notches make it harder to hold when shaving, stropping and honing.

Most people believe the best point style for the beginner is the round point. That is good advice when you start, but once you develop some skills, you might prefer other point types.

Many people on the forum recommend Ralf Aust razors for beginners. I concur with that recommendation. I have both a 6/8" and 7/8" RA razors. They are well made, competitively priced and give good shaves.

Dovo claims their razor are "shave ready" from the factory. I purchased a Dovo Bismark, but it was not even close to being able to shave my tough beard. If your beard is not so tough, it might be OK. Once properly honed, the razor gives a good shave, but I do not like it well enough to purchase another Dovo.

I also find the 6/8 to be a better starter size razor since that width sits pretty squarely in the middle of the typical size range. Given a minority of shavers hold a preference for smaller razors, starting out with a medium-sized one makes the most sense to me.

Any specific vintage blade recommendations? Brands and how to pick the right quality?

If you are starting new then I suggest the B-S-T on this site for a vintage razor. A lot cheaper and sellers can be trusted.

I recommend a full hollow ground, round point, 5/8 to 6/8 vintage razor that you find here on the B/S/T thread. If you buy it from here you can trust it is shave ready. Honed by hand and not some machine. The difference is beyond explaining when your new to this art of shaving. Your first razor doesnt need to be a piece of art and cost you hundreds of dollars. You are going to be trying to learn something new, and its not for everyone. Some folks dont have the pacience to learn this way of shaving as it take months to learn. So dont spend a lot of money on your first razor. Vintage is 99% quality. Name brands of vintage is not important when your starting as long as its not made in China or Pakistan. (Junk).

So buy a used vintage razor that has been hand honed by one of the fine folks here. Save your money and learn to shave. BTW, i recommend buying 2. One to use and one to keep until you need to send one in for honing. So you dont have to wait to shave while waiting for one to come back. Being new you will not get months of shaves out of a razor. You will damage it much faster than a experianced shaver. Its just how it is. It takes time and that great shave will come to you so dont give up.