Thread: When buying your first razor........

..........Ok, well first of all thanks to everyone for their advice so far, so here are a few more questions. I am going to buy a new razor by June if it kills me so here it is I need advice, I will probably buy one new razor and one from one of these B/S/T forums so I can have a really good benchmark for me to whip the new razor into shape. I have a few criteria that I am hoping that I can meet, I am very much a fan of small knives with heavier feels in all sorts ranging from cutlery to throwing knives. I like the shave that I am getting with the dovo shavette but it just doesnt have the meat to it. I need somthing that does have maybe a little bit of a heavier feel but with some good grip for good manuverability b/c I have a slightly strange face mapping. I have been suggested to go with a 6/8 but I am wondering about the some specific brands to take a look at. I have heard that 6/8 might be a little heavy for a first straight so I would like to start looking for a good mobile straight, this way I can start to narrow things down.

and sorry for the long posts

Best of luck to you!

I enjoy trying all kinds of razors

[Edit: except for the dull ones]

It's not only the blade size difference. The grind (wedge vs. and extra-hollow) will impact the weight of the razor. Having said that, yes, of course, a 6/8 will have more heft than a 5/8 of the same grind.

It looks like you have been doing some reading. That's a good idea. You should also investing in Lynn's CD. It contains over 3 hours of great information, especially for the novice. I found it to be a great starting point.

If you plan to "whip" you new razor into a shave ready state I highly recommend getting an inexpensive razor from ebay, an antique fair/shop, or other such place, to develop your honing skills prior to subjecting your expensive new one to that treatment. When you get that skill set down pat, then you will be in a better position to work on your baby...

i have a dovo 6/8 full hollow and it has a nice feel to it but i gues thats a matter of preference if you know of a shop that sells straights you could compare how the different size blades and grinds feel in your hand that would give you a good starting point

Someone who has his technique under control can shave with anything that has a sharp edge, whether it is 3/8 or 12/8. But specially smaller razor are trickier to shave with. Something slightly bigger makes it easier to learn.

Personally, I think 11/16 to 6/8 is the ideal width to learn to shave with.
The is large enough to learn get basic techniques down fairly easy, and not too large.

In the end, razor width is a personal preference. Once you are doing this for sometime, you'll find yourself drawn to whatever you are most comfortable with.