Should I make the jump

I am considering trying out shaving with a straight razor. I used to use electric but it didn't get close enough (especially on my neck where the hair grows in a few directions). I recently switched to a Gillette Fusion which gets relatively close but it is irritating the crap out of my neck. I have a few questions for the experts here:

- I still have a bit of acne occasionally. What are your experiences with this? Will the razor cut them off? Will the razor help/hurt the condition?

- I am thinking of buying the DOVO 5/8 Complete SUPER Straight Razor set w/ 2 Strops from thewellshavedgentleman.com. Is this a decent set? Is this a good razor?

- Assuming I bought that set, should I have it pasted when I buy it? With what?

- I'm not afraid to pay for quality if I'm really going to like it. Is this a good price or should I buy a razor separate and maybe get one of the sets without the razor?

- I saw in a few posts talking about honing, pyramids, etc. How often does this need to be done? I read on a different site that most people hone 2-3 times a year but it seems that people here are doing it a lot more often.

Thanks for your help.

You won't go wrong buying that set, or dealing with the seller, Tony Miller. His stuff is top-notch, and he provides everything you need to get started the right way. You can always buy another razor later if you like it, but I think his starter set is the way to go. You know you're getting quality that'll be ready to use when you get it.

As far as the honing happening more often, what you're probably hearing is from guys with lots of razors, not just one. Lots of factors play in to how often you have to hone.

And get the pasted strop pasted by Tony the first time. It'll be done right, and if you ever have to re-paste (not often) you'll have a better idea of how to do it, than just slathering on some honing paste. Lynn Abrams (the founder of this site) has an outstanding video, as well, that covers 99% of the questions any new guy has, including honing, strop pasting, and the proper way to actually shave without curlicuing sections of your face. :D His is the honing standard around here, and he's been doing this quite a while so his advice is sound. If (or when, rather :D) you decide to rescue an aging beauty from the abominable clutches of ebay, Bill Ellis has a great video for restoration, and presents an alternate method of honing that works very well....as well. lol

That's a lot of questions :-)

The wellshavedgentleman kit is a well thought out beginner's set. Tony's a straight shaver and a highly respected member of this forum. I'd get the paddle pasted with 3, 1, and .5 paste.

Can't help with the acne question, I've never had it.

Whether you buy the razor or get one on your own is up to you. There aren't a whole lot of options when it comes to new razors, it's pretty much Dovo and Thiers-Issard and a few $$$$ specialty makers, and though TI has a better reputation for shaving quality they also have well-known quality control problems, they tend to look like they're made by shop class students. You can get some really good vintage razors off of ebay but that's a real risky gamble when you're just starting out, if you really want a vintage blade your best bet is the buy/sell/trade forum here, and Bill Ellis and Joe Chandler also have web stores where they sell refurbished vintage blades.

There is a lot of talk of honing here, but many of the guys here (a) are still learning how to hone, so they're doing a *lot* of honing or (b) have a really bad case of Straight Razor Acquisition Disorder (SRAD), which involves rescuing lots of razors off of ebay and restoring them to shaving condition, which means they're doing a *lot* of honing, or (c) both, in which case they're doing little else *but* honing.

I personally give my blades a refresh on the pasted paddle every 4-7 shaves, but that's just a half dozen licks on the paddle and not a real honing with pyramids and stuff, all my norton really gets used for is honing exciting new ebay acquisitions not keeping my shavers going. If you just get a couple of razors and do regular refreshes on the paddle then you may well only need to hone them once or twice a year.

I can't speak from personal experience, but a lot of guys report that straight razor shaving has helped their acne. There are several reasons for this.

1. The shaving cream or soap you use will probably be better for your skin. Real shaving stuff has fewer chemicals in it than the canned junk.

2. The razor exfoliates your skin as you shave. Dirt, oil, and dead skin get scraped off.

3. Once your skin adjusts to the straight razor, it's actually gentler than the Fusion. One of the main purposes of shaving cream is to protect your skin against the blade. With the Fusion, the rubber fins and first blade pretty much remove all of the lather. That leaves four blades to scrape your unprotected skin. Per pass. If you did three strokes in each area with the Fusion, that would the the equivalent of running your straight razor over your face 15 times, and 12 of those without lather. Mega ouch.

My Mock 3 used to torture me every morning. Now I enjoy getting up and actually look forward to shaving.

Good luck, and don't be shy about asking questions.

Josh

Just noticed you're using the Fusion, that thing is really bad about scraping the h*ck out of your face. The Fusion is what finally convinced me that multi-bladed cartridge razors were never going to solve my shaving problem, and got me to jump ship to straights.

You are asking a bunch of straight-razor shavers whether going straight would be a good option for you? :roflmao On a good note, the gentlemen have been absolutely correct with all of their advice.
As I still get the occasional zit, if the razor damages it, I just wait until I am done with the shave, clean the blade with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball and then use the cotton ball to put an end to the zit. A splash of aftershave after that and voila :cool:

Generally a straight will improve your problems with acne. It depends on how the blade is honed. An amaturish honing can actually cause acne. Overall, the experience with a straight will be an improvement but takes practice compared to your Fusion.

I would say, go for it. It's obvious that you
are interested in trying a straight or you
wouldn't have progressed this far. Go
ahead and give it a try, you won't be
satisfied until you do. I perdict that you
will be glad that you did.


Terry

With me, acne started at the age of 12. I didn't have to shave then, for I had no facial hair growth.

I started shaving at the age of 16. Started out with a DE, soon to be replaced by some 2-blade Gilette. I noticed the acne in my face became less by the time I had to shave daily.
I had a reference point, because I had acne on my back as well. I had it until I was about 21, by then the acne in my face had disapeared.

I'm not an medic, but wet shaving opens up your pores. The lather cleans them out (for it's just soap) and the blade cleans your skin by scraping off a tiny bit of the outer layer. Therefore causing the skin to renew itself time over time.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. But I keep saying that wet shaving really improved my skin those days.:y

For what it's worth: I hardly ever cut a pimple, because the blade just glide over it.

I don't have acne, but I have the wimpiest sensative skin you've ever seen. Maybe not EVER, but pretty close. If I shave with anything with more than 1 blade (I can't remember the precursor to the Mach 3, but I tried the Mach 3, the 4 bladed contraption, and the fusion), the skin between my chin and neck literally opens up and bleeds. It's bad enough that if I shave and then show my face to a corpsman, I can get a no-shave chit, and just let the hair there grow. It has to be pretty bad if the military will grant you mercy for it :P

So until recently I've just been using the electric mini-lawnmower to keep the whiskers down, but my facial hair grows quick, which means I have to mow twice a day, and while I don't bleed afterwards my face has always been sore.

I've shaved with a straight 4 times now. Today I was down to two nicks with the point of the razor, and the only place that is irritated is under my chin. I'm using aerosol lather, to boot, though I finally broke down and ordered one of Tony's kits minus the razor. :) I'll just have to mail it to myself a few times, heh.

I agree that once you start figuring out the technique, the blade glides right across your skin.

my acne almost totally dissappeared when I started using a good soap and brush and a straight (now for about a month) I saw a real improvement after a week already.

Electrics and multiblades obviously do real horrors to your skin. :s

My acne has been much improved by the Xtreme grooming of the straight.

As you've already been told, Tony's sets are the best stuff available and te best price as well.

I think most guys paste with 9µ, 3µ & 1µ on tan leather, leaving the last side clean for daily stropping on the red latigo.

If you want to get another razor,. that'd be fin, but just make sure you get a shave ready razor from one of our other members here so that you can start shaving right away and not have to have it honed. There are some AWESOME refurbished razors which get sold around here.

A properly used pasted strop will extend the time between trips to the hone. Some of us like honing and only use pastes as a final step in the honing process.

Hope this helps,

X

PS Is it too early for a "from on blow hard 2 another" joke? :shrug: JK :o

Alright, you guys talked me into it. Is there anything I need besides the kit and the video that is sticky in the Buy/Sell section? Where do you guys find razors to practice on? I'm assuming EBay. What should I look for when buying a practice razor? One last question, have any of you guys ever cut yourself bad enough to leave a scar? I'm goofy enough looking already without a scar running forehead to chin...:nj

Thanks

I had a couple of small ones, like 5mm or so from the pre-SRP days. Used a blade that could not be made shave ready and I didn't even know what shave-ready was. Since I started using good English/Spanish/German/Swedish blades and got a honing lesson from X, I've been scar-free. If you want to practice honing, you need a hone. Norton 4000/8000 combination stone's the best to get it shave-ready and you finish it off by giving it a fine polish on the paddle.

I actually gave myself this, my worst facial cut ever just this morning from trying to shave without cream. By the time I got to this side my face had even dried completely. Stupid me. It looks much worse than it is. When it happened I hardly felt it and it barely bled. I'm expecting it'll heal without a mark. A straight razor cuts very cleanly.

X

Yikes, X! That one's a capital catch :eek: Next time do it by halves (water on one side of the face, shave, water on the other side of the face, shave). That's how I do pass #3 (when applicable).

Geez,
That's not a good picture to show someone like me who is just starting. I'm not afraid of blood but being a cop in the military has given me enough scars. I've heard that most people nick themselves less than with a safety razor. Is this true? I already ordered the set I mentioned previously and Lynn's video. Good thing too, that picture may have made me think twice...

Actually this is a very rare ocurrence even if you're a beginner, not to mention when you're at X's level (he gave me my first honing lesson). The reason it happened was that he didn't use a soap or a cream but water and it dried in the middle of the pass. That is why if you are doing a pass with water alone, you have to reapply the water at least once (if you're fast) and more often if not. By the way, Nenad has been using the Arko shaving stick and that stuff's made in Turkey and must be dirt-cheap down there, so you're in luck until you get started on something more exotic.

Well blhoward, if you follow instructions: soften the hair, make a good lather etc. It is most likely you get yourself only small nicks and cuts. The cut X has, is only possible by doing something st**id like dry shaving with a razor designed for WET shaving.

(Sorry X...)

It reminds me of my very first shave with the str8. I was well lathered up, the right cheek was OK. But when I tried to shave the left cheek I had my blade in an upright position and I managed to dig the whole blade into the skin. It left no scar, but I haven't touched a str8 for 10 years, until about 6 months ago. I now shave without any major bleeding...:tu

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pinda

The cut X has, is only possible by doing something st**id like dry shaving with a razor designed for WET shaving.

(Sorry X...)

---

No apology necessary, you're absolutely right. With even a little prep this would never have happened.

blhoward2, like I said, it looks much worse than it is, and it just happened today. It's not even 1mm deep. I'll post another picture in a few days and again shortly after that so you can see the progress and how easily it heals.

X

I'll have to look into the Arko shaving stick. What is it exactly? I'll have one of the Turks who works for me look for it downtown. Its hard to find stuff with my limited Turkish. Do I need the Norton honing stones right away or will the 4-sided pasted strop be enough? I noticed the set comes with a boar hair brush, everything I have been reading says to use Badger hair. Should I buy one awhile or is there not that big of a difference between it and boar hair? I can see that this could get expensive fast. Before I spend too much I want to make sure that SR shaving is for me.

A boar bristle brush will do the job, especially with hard soaps. However, a badger bristle brush will feel a lot better and retain much more water/heat. Even if you decide that going straight isn't for you, it will still improve your shave quality by leaps and bounds. The paddle will be good for maintaining the edge for a while. Norton would be good in case you bang the edge on the faucet or buy razors that aren't shave ready.

I have matching ones like x's one on each side. Mainly because children and wives don't think to knock before barging into the bathroom. Not a big deal though. You will get small nicks but it's not a big deal trust me. :y

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blhoward2

I'll have to look into the Arko shaving stick. What is it exactly? I'll have one of the Turks who works for me look for it downtown. Its hard to find stuff with my limited Turkish. Do I need the Norton honing stones right away or will the 4-sided pasted strop be enough? I noticed the set comes with a boar hair brush, everything I have been reading says to use Badger hair. Should I buy one awhile or is there not that big of a difference between it and boar hair? I can see that this could get expensive fast. Before I spend too much I want to make sure that SR shaving is for me.

---

Long before I discovered straight shaving and indeed the culture of wet shaving in general, I acquired a boar brush just like the one in Tony's kit and the kit soap as well. Not because they were better than the stuff I had been using but because the brush and a soap together were the same price as a can of the gel I had been using before it. Wonder of wonders this old fashioned cheaper system took my shaves to a much more pleasurable place than the new fangled gunk I had been using. I do dream of trying a badger hair brush and costly creams but no (sigh) I don't need them. Even if you find the straight razor isn't for you, keep the brush it will make a marked improvement even with a disposable, and investing in a badger brush is a luxury look forward to while using a brush period is the most important step in getting a good shave at all.

Do most people have a second brush that they rotate with or a travel brush? I am in the Air Force so I travel a decent bit. Thankfully, as I am single with no kids, I can afford to buy the little luxuries in life.

I am about to get my second brush as soon as Matt lets me know that it's ready. The one I'm using atm is the Edwin Jagger Best Badger. A good brush but I thought I needed one that would be MY design. The EJ will become the traveller.

Yep, the boar brush is a compromise. I wanted something easy to use with had cake soaps as they are easy and inexpensive too. The point of the extras in the kit was to get a guy started at minimal cost and the $$ go into razor and strop. I wanted to include a Tweezerman Badger instead but that is well over twice the cost of the Burma shave and it does better with cremes, so add a few more $$ over the cake soap. Nest thing you know it's a beginners set at not beginner prices <g>.

My personal brush collection is a high end Badger, a C&E Badger, a Burma Shave, a Fancy Omega Profesional badger and an old C&E boar/badger combination. That 20 year old brush is my most used one.

The set brush is to get you started, but unlikely what you will stick with way down the road.

Tony

Makes sense on the compromise. It is nice to have a beginners set already set up. I placed an order from your site today. I had it shipped to my parents house in PA as I will be home on leave starting the 13th and mail to an APO address takes forever. At least I can learn while I am on leave so I don't have to go to work with a bunch of nicks...

Just a little bit of free advice from a relative novice (for what it's worth). Cut yourself plenty of slack, be patient and go slowly. There are two steep learning curves: 1. how to keep the razor sharp (which is critical) and 2. learning how to shave with a straight razor. I thought I knew the topography of my face until I started using a straight. You will eventually become intimately familiar with the growth patterns of your whiskers while using a straight. But it will be well worth it. Your face will feel better than using any other razor. And it's fun. Be careful...there is an endless array of shaving accessories, soaps, creams, preshaves, aftershaves, colognes, strops, hones, etc., etc. to gobble up your money. Above all...enjoy.
By the way, thanks for your service. :tu :tu :tu

Tom

Blowhard2...

I am a novice when it comes to straight razor shaving (I have had mine for less than 2 months) but have learned quite a bit about what NOT to do. First off, do yourself a favor and get your razor honed BEFORE using it. I got a TI and thought that it came "shave ready". BOY, was I wrong!!! I got a nice cut (not quite as bad as the example we just saw, but fairly close. I felt like I was shaving with broken glass. I tried to hone it myself (a little better, but still VERY uncomfortable), then finally sent it off to Lynn. When I got it back...MAN, now I know what a shave ready feel like on my face. That knowledge is invaluable. I have since bought an eBay special to learn honing, and have been able to bring it up to a nice edge (not to the level of Lynn's, but shaveable).

I bought Lynn's video and it is WELL worth the money!!! So much information packed into one DVD!!! Not only will you learn about how to hone and shave, but he gives tips on what to look for on eBay.

As far as brushes, I have been using one for most of my shaving life. For the longest time I have a williams and used williams soap. I learned about this from my Grandpa when I was about 16 so I have generally enjoyed wet shaves (except for that BRIEF insane period when I actually put a mini-lawnmower to my face!!!). The boar bristle brush will be mush better than the williams which is just "bristle", and that worked nicely for me for many years.

When the folks talk about SRAD, they are SERIOUS!!! Since my initial investment of the TI and nice strop I have purchased norton combo stones, 3 eBay razors (and looking for more!!!), a lapping stone, a silvertip badger brush, various soaps/preshaves/aftershaves and polishing creams. It is thoroughly addicting. As far as the total cost, I figure that I used to spent at least $250 on mock3 blades a year (I can't STAND them dull and wnet through at least 2 per week). That being said, I still haven't spend that much on all the stuff that I have bought thus far.

Another thing I might suggest is to watch the National Geographic Channel special about shaving. It gives you a great deal of insight into the science behind what makes for a great shave. It is under either the "Shaving" forum I believe (someone please correct me if I am mistaken).

Have fun and take your time.

- Mike

p.s. - as a red-blooded American, I would like to thank you for ensuring and protecting our freedoms.

Thanks for all of the suggestions/help. I apologize for all of the questions, I can't wait to start now. Thanks for all of the help you guys provide new people. This site is a great resource. It seems that you guys really care about SR and about helping people in general. I also appreciate all the support you provide the military. I noticed a thread where you guys are sending packages over to troops in Afghanistan. From someone who has been to Iraq twice, all the outside support you get makes it worthwhile.

Thanks,
Brian

Never ever apologize for asking too many questions. It''s the only way to learn properly. Stay curious all of your life and you'll learn every day!

This is one the many life's lessons I've learned over the years.

As promised here's a progress report on how the sting has healed. Each of the following pics were taken about two days apart and as you can see the mark has almost disappeared completely. Another day or two and there won't even be a scar. Like I said, much better than it looked.

X

Hehe, some of you guys are funny. He's not Blowhard, he's blhoward, like Brian L. Howard. :)

I'll just say (like everyone else) that the nicks are small, infrequent, and they heal so quickly you won't even have time to get used to them.

And the nicks are well worth switching to a straight. I guess those of us who use straights are a little odd, but I can probably vouch for every single member when I say we all look forward to shaving with our straights.

Shaving went from a chore to a looked foward to daily (or semi-daily for those of us with lighter hair) ritual replete with cool knick-knacks to use.

And, I always get that "job well done" feeling after splashing and drying my face and checking my shave out in the mirror. Oh, and just wait until you start "faceturbating" :tu

Enjoy!

I agree. The brush isn't really all that important as long as you have one. Although I'll be making my own luxury silvertop with stone handle in the near future. (If it all works out)

And faceturbating is amazing. I had an amazing shave 3 hours ago and am still doing it without feeling a single bit of stubble.