Thread: Parker

I shave with a Parker shavette. Is it easy to use a straight razor????

It's easy once you get the hang of it but there is a learning curve as you progress, (WTG, XTG, AGT, proper stropping technique, etc). I think it took me about a week to feel comfortable using a straight razor and a tad longer to feel at ease with all the aspects involved. There is a lot of usefull information in the WIKI here you should check out if you have not done so already. If you are thinking about switching to a straight razor just make sure you buy one that is "shave ready." You should be able to find something in your price range here in the classifieds if you opt for a used razor. Best of luck and keep us posted on your progress and gear.

Originally Posted by ReardenSteel

It's easy once you get the hang of it but there is a learning curve as you progress, (WTG, XTG, AGT, proper stropping technique, etc). I think it took me about a week to feel comfortable using a straight razor and a tad longer to feel at ease with all the aspects involved. There is a lot of usefull information in the WIKI here you should check out if you have not done so already. If you are thinking about switching to a straight razor just make sure you buy one that is "shave ready." You should be able to find something in your price range here in the classifieds if you opt for a used razor. Best of luck and keep us posted on your progress and gear.

My grandpa gave me a Straight razor for my birthday. He said it's from the 30s given to him by a soldier after the war....is it fragile because its old?

All straight razor edges are fragile. Any mishandling of the razor can case I jury or damage to the edge causing a need for rehoning or even restoration if the blade is severly damaged.

Well, easy or difficult will depend on so many individual characteristics, but I am comfortable in saying that it is a learnable skill. If you look through the posts here, you'll see instances where people have quite a bit of difficulty in figuring out the SR. On the other hand, you'll see examples of people that overcome their hang-ups and get it down pretty easily.

Reading the wiki and other info here will ease your learning curve, and I don't think you have anything to lose in giving it a try. Chances are that if you have been doing ok with shavettes, you'll have an idea of what to do.

BTW, can you put up a picture of the straight you have please?

Hello Pietje. I'll let you into a little secret: the idea of using a shavette scares the hell out of me! If you can shave with one of those, then you'll probably get on fine with a conventional straight razor.

What bothers me is the radical difference in edge geometry between a straight (typically an 18-19 degree included cutting angle) and a DE blade, almost always 9.5 degrees or thereabouts. This means that the DE blade encounters less resistance when cutting, so if you nick yourself, it'll go deeper. On top of that there's the difference between a nicely stropped edge and a factory finished honed but unstropped edge: the former has a smoothness which you won't find in any currently made DE blade I know of.

The new skills which you may find harder to pick up are all to do with the maintenance of the razor: first stropping, and later on honing. As other people have said, the wiki is your best resource for information on everything to do with straights.

I also look forward to seeing a picture of your razor, or at least hearing what the maker's mark is. A pre-war date of manufacture is often good news.

I've been shaving with a Parker SRW for 2 weeks now. Came with Shark, used them for a week. Last week with a Feather blade, switched over to a Derby for this week's so we'll find out which one likes my face better. I'll stock up on whichever works best (given that I'll have to give Shark another shot now that I have more experience, I'll know in 2 weeks).

I've only given myself 1 good cut, I've had a number of minor nicks, and it took a couple shaves to figure out the difference between 1 more pass and a little pressure on the 2nd pass. I only had 1 minor nick on sunday's shave, and it was only shave #7.

Take your time, enjoy it. You're going to be doing it for a while, so if it takes you a month to learn there's no big loss.

I have 3 straights off getting repaired and honed, and 1 more coming in from ebay still. I'm seriously considering a DE razor to entirely dump the cartridge razor (I've had the same blade in the schick for 3 weeks, just to clean up the tough spots).

Originally Posted by Arrowhead

Hello Pietje. I'll let you into a little secret: the idea of using a shavette scares the hell out of me! If you can shave with one of those, then you'll probably get on fine with a conventional straight razor.

What bothers me is the radical difference in edge geometry between a straight (typically an 18-19 degree included cutting angle) and a DE blade, almost always 9.5 degrees or thereabouts. This means that the DE blade encounters less resistance when cutting, so if you nick yourself, it'll go deeper. On top of that there's the difference between a nicely stropped edge and a factory finished honed but unstropped edge: the former has a smoothness which you won't find in any currently made DE blade I know of.

If a sharp edge scares you, stay away from high end knives I wouldn't even think of shaving with my latest edge, because I know it'd take skin with it (fillet's letters off of a phonebook page without any issues). I've done touchups at work with my spyderco dragonfly a few times, and a 2" blade sharpened at 12degrees inclusive does quite well.

As long as you watch your angle you can shave with just about anything, size and bevel angle should have no bearing on it.

I had my grandpa's straight razor for years, ( Morley and Sons, Clover Brand)and tried to shave with it when I was nineteen, but a serious cut on my cheek stopped me for almost 26 years. I let it sharpen and after I read this and other blogs I started to shave with it and miracle happened, no cuts,no nicks and I have the closest shave I ever had ! Due to my lifestyle ( lots of travel) I started to use the Dovo shavette with the green blade holder ( holds stainless steel teflon blades) and it works pretty well. Keep shaving with it day by day w/ out cuts, nicks.
Altough when I used the Dovo with the Black or Red blade holder ( holds regular Gilette blades of different length) I trashed my face daily ,it was a horrible experience !
If you are a beginner you gotta practice ! Take your time, focus on what you do, and relax. It will be a great experience !

I am curious about your razor too. Please show us some pics.