Thread: Learnin me trade

From Dublin meself, if you want advice on anything go into Liam in the Waldorf Barbers on Westmoreland St. A wealth of knowledge on this stuff and will sharpen/sell some nice razors and gear too..

G'day & welcome.

I'm with xman - get the real thing. You don't have to spend a lot for a good workhorse.

I think they are both valid options...but you will want a real straight after a while anyway. I now have six real straights, three are shaveready, two on their way and one needs a lot of work. And I have the Shavette.
I dont agree that buying a shavette is throwing money away in the end... I still use it quite a lot and plan to do so for a long time..In my shave world both the Shavette and the "Real Straight" have a place.

Maybe a list of pros and cons will clarify my view and help others make their decisions.

Shavette

Pros
++Not expensive
++Always sharp or easy to get sharp (just replace blade)
+no need to strop
+no need to hone
++Easy to take along while traveling (shavette in cary on lugage, the blades in the suitcase) worst case you need to find some blades on your destination. no need to take a strop along.

cons
---very unforgiving
--less comfortable at first
-Not the same feel as a real straight

"Real" straight
pros
++Available from cheap to very expensive (I've got my razors from $7 up to $90)
++++can give a very comfortable shave
++I love to hone a razor and shave with it.. it gives me an idea of accomplishment.
+I love to cleanup razors that were given up.
+Most are well balanced and heavier.
+They look great

cons.
--you need to strop so you need something to do that with..
-you need to hone your razor every now and then.. so you need a hone or you can send it out to get honed..
-traveling with a straight brings some risks (cannot take it on cary on lugage on an airplane) and you have to take along a strop

Of course this is just MHO and most of these things are very subjective.
If I were new to straight razor shaving, had to start from scratch and I was on a budget...tough call but I would buy a shavette again take the time to learn how to use it and in the mean while save up some money to buy a nice strop and a razor from the classifieds.. then you will have best of both worlds..

But as I said getting a real straight to start out with is a good option as well.

JUST DONT BUY A ZEEPK or such!!! that would be throwing away money..

Maarten