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Well, I worked up enough courage to try my Parker shavette with the Shark blade last night. It is going to take some practice. I only tried WTG, and only managed to nick myself once. I finished my normal three pass shave with my FatBoy.
I plan to start each shave with the Parker shavette for a week or two to get the hang of things before switching to a "real" SR.
Does this sound like a good plan? Practice with the shavette until comfortable, then switch to a real SR?
Mitch
NO. Please get yourself a properly honed straight razor.
My experience with shavette's is that they are more grabby as I have a feeling they may be a bit sharper, but not "finished" properly. I mean that the edge more than likely has more micro-teeth than a properly honed straight (I have not observed the edge of a shavette under magnification) . I have yet to get a smooth shave from a Shavette, but my straight shaves are stellar.
Your first few shaves should be with the grain (wtg), you are on the right track there. Keep at it and you will be more than pleased. If I can be of assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Scott
To be fair, many a newbie has taken this route and come out (more or less) unscathed :). It's not the direction I went, but some guys have good luck with shavettes and others have cut themselves to pieces.
Normally I wouldn't recommend a shavette to start, but since you already have the Parker try shaving a couple more times to see if you like it. Keep in mind that a disposable straight does not equal the same experience as the real deal. If it's something you enjoy by all means go ahead and order a real straight and strop.
Scott, you are exactly right, it felt like my beard was being pulled out instead of cut. I put that down to my lack of experience. Since I already have the Parker, I am going to give it a fair try so long as I don't start nicking myself too badly.
I have bought a couple of straights to try, but they are not shave ready. I bought a Henry Sears and a Filarmonica Pou solely because I have been doing genealogical research on my family and found an ancestor Sears married a Pou. :>) No relation to the razor makers, I am sure.
The Sears, which was really cheap, less than $15, met an untimely accident, I dropped it on the hardwood floor, broke one scale and shattered the blade into several pieces. It went into the trash. I need to find another. The Pou, I will send out to be honed and made shave ready. It is a #14, quite a large blade.
Mitch
Sounds like you are on the right track Mitch. Contact a few of the honers in the classified's via PM and go with the one you feel most comfortable with. Once you get your Filly back, you will understand what all the rave is about...just don't butter-finger this one :cry:
Well, had my second try with the Parker tonight. Went much better than the first, I'm getting an idea of the correct angle to hold the Parker. I again only made one pass WTG, and DIDN'T NICK MYSELF! Finished with the FatBoy.
Its was interesting trying to shave the left side of my face, I'm right handed. But somehow I managed. I have to learn to get the right blade angle for each part of my face.
I think a couple of weeks of practice with the Parker and I will be ready for a real straight!
It's not often at my age (I'm on Sociable Security (sic) :>)) that I learn a new physical skill! I'm working on it and having fun!!!
Mitch
I wonder if anyone has tried to pass a shavette over a coti to soften those rough edges? Or maybe a strop? I have been using a coti lately on my straights, amd man do they give a buttery edge to a razor.
I soften a Shavette blade by passing it over my face. It works every time.
Strop a shavette blade? I had not thought about that. I bought a cheap strop to experiment with. Once I change the blade in the Parker, I will try stropping. Should be a good way to practice stropping without ruining a shave ready edge on a real SR!Quote:
Originally Posted by Wintchase
Mitch
Let's see, I have a horse butt strop, are you saying that your face is LIKE a strop or LOOKS like a strop? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by ace
Mitch
If you want to soften a shavette blade it is the same as a de blade. Cork it
Cork it? Is that a new shaving term? Can you be more specific?
Mitch
Quote:
Originally Posted by Castel33
Corking is the practice of running a blade over a piece of cork (a wine cork works well :)) once or twice, the idea being that it will dull an extremely sharp edge down to a more comfortable level. Usually when guys talk about "corking" they are talking about Feather blades, which I daresay are the sharpest blades on the planet.
Thanks for the enlightenment! I had never heard the term. I have some Feathers that I got in a sampler, but have only used one so far. I have been using a FatBoy and a Slim but set on 3, medium mild with various sampler blades. So far, I have not noticed any remarkable difference in blades, except the Wilkinsons from Wally World, which are good for about one half of a shave. Do you have an opinion on the relative sharpness of the Sharks that come with the Parker and Feathers?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan82
Tnx for any input.
Mitch
Mitch,Quote:
Originally Posted by sempra
I've only used Shark DE blades, not the shavette variety - whether or not there's a difference would be a question for someone else. I can say that I'm not a fan of the Shark brand though. I've used them in all my DE's and have had the same experience: lack of smoothness, lack of sharpness and a shave that is not nearly as close as other blades can provide. I'll work my way through my last couple packs, but will not be replacing them once they are gone. Yet others seem to love them. As we say, YMMV.
I'm going to make one more pass WTG, making 3 total with the Shavette Shark. Then I think will switch to a BIC and try it. Since this is only my third time with the Shavette, and my technique is being developed, I don't want to blame the blade for anything. But I like the BICs in my FatBoy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan82
Thanks for the feedback.
Mitch
Made my second practice SR shave last night, took Lynn's advice and switched to my left hand to shave the left side. Only nicked myself very slightly once, which really surprised me. After all, wrong hand, reversed in mirror, this will take some getting used to. I'll see how it goes tonight!Quote:
Originally Posted by sempra
I'm having fun and learning a new physical skill!
Mitch
I started out with the Parker and Sharks...those blades ( for my face ), were a bit harsh. Might be different for you though.
Anyway, after about 2 shaves with that, I ordered a Dovo best and found that MUCH nicer of a shave. Not saying get a Dovo Best, just know the shaves are much smoother with a standard straight.
You're on the right track though :)
I've obtained a Filly Pou that I intend to use once I get comfortable and am sure it is shave ready. I decided to start with the Parker Shavette because 1.) It was cheap, 2.) I knew the blades would be "shave ready", and 3.) it was cheap. Did I mention that I am cheap? Once I am comfortable with my technique I will switch to a REAL SR!
Mitch
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroCool
Made my third attempt at SR shaving with the Parker Shavette last night. I'm doing ok on my right side with my right hand. Not so well on my left side using my left hand - I am right handed. I did much worse this shave left handed than the first.Quote:
Originally Posted by sempra
I got a couple of nicks and some weepers on my left side. I thinking that I need to SLOOOOOWWWWW down, especially using my left hand. After all, the joy is in the journey, not reaching the destination.
Mitch