Beginners Questions.

Hello all,

I'd wanted to buy a straight razor for a while for a number of reasons, not least because I was bored of being a slave to the gillette corporation, but also I'm the sort of person who uses fountain pens and zippo lighters because I enjoy their intrinsic value and there is something about a straight razor that just seems so much more sophisticated then the latest David Beckham endorsed multi blade safety razor.

However, when I bought my straight, I didn't realise that a site like this existed, so I'm after advice after the event as it were.

The razor I opted for is a Dovo of Solingen Straight Razor - Red 'Bismarck' http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/s...-612680red.php it cost me £112. I'll admit I bought it because, once I had decided to buy a straight, I liked the look.

Is this a good razor? Is it a good razor for a beginner? Or have I wasted my money? :shrug:

Is there any significant difference between shaving soap applied with a brush and the shaving foam you get in cans? I plan to start to use a proper brush & soap in the future but in the mean time I've got a can of foam sitting doing nothing.

After reading about the need to hone a razor (something I was entirely ignorant of until stumbling across this excellent site) I'm tempted to buy a cheap straight to practice on - I've seen these http://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/page83.html - aside from a practice razor would this be a good razor to shave with?

Finally does anyone know of any decent brushes / strops that aren't animal based, I'm vegetarian and I'd be disappointed to have to go back to safety razors on this basis.

Thanks

Welcome

I'll try to answer some of your questions and I'm sure others will chip in as well.

1. Your razor should be fine

2. Yes there is a world of difference between either a good soap or cream and the canned :cen . The canned stuff has chemicals that tend to dry out your skin and don't provide anywhere near the lubrication. Bite the bullet and dump the can.

3. A lot of people use the WAPI's to practice with and they will provide a good shave as well. I would highly recommend that you purchase Lynn Abrahms DVD on straight razor sharpening to get an idea of how it should be done and what you need. In the meantime, get your new razor honed by someone experienced. Some of our members offer their services in the UK. This way you will know what a properly honed razor should feel like.

4. I don't know of a non-animal based brush but Tony Miller has begun offering vegan strops from his site. The Well Shaved Gentleman. You will see his pop up ads along the side of your screen from time to time.

Good luck, take your time and have fun.:tu

Welcome to SRP! You are in the right place for your questions. The Dovo and Wapi razors are excellent razors. We recommend that you get new out of the box razors honed by a professional first. This will give you a benchmark for what is shave ready. The Wapi is shave ready so that would be a good deal. There are honemeisiters in in the UK. They will probably jump in on this thread and let you know who they are.

Tony Miller at http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.c...?categoryId=18 sells Vegan friendly strops.

Em at http://www.emsplace.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=40 sells the Omega line of synthetic brushes. I believe she also sells Vegan friendly soaps and creams too.

So you're all set. Welcome to the world of straight razor shaving!:tu

First, Welcome to SRP!! Your Dovo Red Bismark is a very nice razor - it was one of the first new razors that I purchased and I shave with it regularly. The Wapienica's are indeed good shavers as well and you would do well to have something on the cheaper side (cost-wise) to practice your honing techniques. I have 3 Wapi's in my collection and many many other members here have them as well. On the shave cream....throw it out. Please. You'll thank yourself later. There are tons of different shave soaps and creams available at a range of prices that will perform above and beyond what the canned goo will. I know there are a couple of companies that produce synthetic brushes.....I believe that Omega is one of them. They are also fairly inexpensive brushes which helps when getting started.

I'm sure others will post advice for you here as well, but it sounds to me like you are already headed in the right direction! Have fun!

Thanks guys for the rapid and positive reponses!

Kenrup - that's great and very useful.

I'm glad to hear that (I lucked out) and bought a good razor.

I'm planning to dump the canned stuff (part of escaping from Gilllete) and buy some new stuff asap.

I think I will buy the Wapienica to practice on - I'm just hopeful I won't kill it and it will still be useful.

Cheers!

a) Dovo have a very good reputation - just bought one myself and was very tempted by the Bismark (although I was going to go for the black rather than the red) in the end I decided on Pearlex but it was close. So I definitely don't think you've wasted your money.

b) The big difference between soap and canned foam is the water content - canned stuff contains very little water (they can't put much in or it won't foam) so it won't hydrate the hairs very well. Chuck out the old can asap. Given the seller you bought the razor from I'm assuming you're in the UK in which case you can get palmolive shave sticks in Tesco's for pennies.

c) Just got my own razor honed for me by theinvisibleedge - very good but you're better off using one from him to shave with and practicing with the Bismark or buying a cheap razor (yes, like a Wapi) specially to practice honing with. In the short term I'd say, why bother learning to hone immediately; send your Bismark to theinvisibleedge for honing then it should just need a slight touch up once in a while.

d) Body Shop sell vegan brushes, I've not used one myself but reviews generally say they're not top class but still pretty good and perfectly usable.

e) You don't mention a strop - that you'll definitely need.

Best of luck and let us know how you get on.

Thanks - Thats useful - I've emailed the sites posted earlier to see if they'll deliver to the UK and I'll definately check out body shop on the weekend - cheers guys.

oh - and I think I will post the Dovo to the theinvisibleedge for a professional sharpening - to give me a benchmark against which to judge my own attempts.

Flay, just sent you a Private Message - check the link up at the top right.