Thread: What is your advice

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Thanks all for you helpful advice. I have chosen to do business with a local shop that I have done business with before, sort of a comfort level. I am going with a black Dovo as Isaac recommends I do. Going to leave the strop and hone for a while until I shave once or twice with the straight. Again thanks all for your help.

Yep as it was said before me - the only thing that matters is that the edge is honed properly and relying on the factory honing is pretty much a gamble. Hopefully your local shop would know how to hone it for you, but that may cost you a tad more (seems like start up cost is an issue for you).
Skip the hones, but get a strop - you won't get a decent shave without one, unless your face skin is actually leather, in which case save your money and proceed to shaving with your favorite kitchen knife

I can run out and get a strop first thing before the first shave, that's not a problem. I was hoping to leave the strop until I got a shave or two under my belt.

Pick up a good vintage shave ready here on the forum. It is a great way to get a good blade 'ready to go'.

Martin

The only real reason to buy a shavette is if your a barber . I have to use one for work since the shop I work at does not allow us to use a regular straight . As for using it on myself I wouldn't know up until a few days ago I had only thought about using one on my face . I can try the shavette out tomorrow when I go to work and get back to everyone on how its like if there is an interest in that.

A shave-ready Genco would be tough to beat. I have one and mine shaves extremely well. It's one of my top 3 favorites.

You all have been very helpful to me. I have managed to add a strop to the order. I am going to pick up a book to show me how to use the hardware.

I have a 3 1/2 year old son who will eventually want my hardware and he is welcome to it as long as he allows dad to teach him how to use it. I intend to get him on a progression: fusion, mach 3, sensor, super speed, tech then finally winding up on the straight. I intend to start a family tradition here.

How similar are the skills needed to shave with a striaght to the skills needed to shave with a double edge?

The lathering-up skills and other pre-shave prep can be identical. Actually shaving with a straight is a fairly different skill set from the DE. You constantly control the angle with the straight. I enjoy the "straight process" more.

For me, I get more irritation and more nicks from a DE than a straight.