Thread: New with questions

Welcome

I have some Dovo and Boker razors and when I first started I was asking the same thing. Well I've used both for awhile now and I can tell you that I still don't know which is better. Just make sure you maintain them properly and keep them sharp. Just pick the one that looks coolest and also go to the library section here on this site and read and read. If you don't care about scales then go for a Dovo best quality, it's not fancy but it will work just fine. You should add an after shave and some Chromium Oxide (for touch ups) to your shopping list. Good luck

Those are both quality razors, hands down. You actually need to address the shave prep, the way the razor was honed (yes, they can be made to be crisp or more smooth, talk to your honer), shave soap, and post facial care. Lastly, as your experience grows, you will learn to properly shave and that too will help you a heap. By time the warmer months arrive, you will be a veteran...

I have bump problems in the summer time and two things took care of me for the most part. Proraso in the green tub, alum block, and Pinaud Clubman aftershaves.

Find a mentor & meet up with them. Since you didn't put in your location, we can't offer our assistance. Put in your town/city or even somewhere nearby so we can help you. If you are in my neck of the woods, please PM me and we will get you off on the right foot.

I would also add a shaving cream to your list as well. Its nice to have variety and I have found that I like the creams better. Just a personal preference thang.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

Those are both quality razors, hands down. You actually need to address the shave prep, the way the razor was honed (yes, they can be made to be crisp or more smooth, talk to your honer), shave soap, and post facial care. Lastly, as your experience grows, you will learn to properly shave and that too will help you a heap. By time the warmer months arrive, you will be a veteran...

I have bump problems in the summer time and two things took care of me for the most part. Proraso in the green tub, alum block, and Pinaud Clubman aftershaves.

Find a mentor & meet up with them. Since you didn't put in your location, we can't offer our assistance. Put in your town/city or even somewhere nearby so we can help you. If you are in my neck of the woods, please PM me and we will get you off on the right foot.

Proraso is a shave cream...a very good one that I personally base all others off of. Works in every type of water I have encountered, not all shave creams/soaps can do that.

Welcome, the first razor i shaved was a dovo Best 5/8 and i used that for quite awhile then i went down to my local antique shop and picked up my first King cutter, after i restored it, and honed it its become my daily shaver, so i recommend a Boker to start. also if your looking at the 3 inch Roo strop off of straightrazordisign.com i'd go a different route with that as well, if your new to stroping your going to nick it a few times and that roo strop is pretty thin, i'd go for horse hide to start its durable and has a pretty nice draw. and ccase39 brings up a vary good point as well there are some vary nice creams out there, if you have the money grab some Castle forbes, and i'v heard good things about Xpec as well, also taylor of old bond street is pretty good as well, it ranks up there with art of shaving in my opinion. if your holiday budget has got you a little straped for cash RazorRock soaps are nice (even if i cant get my hands on XXX for the life of me) and are quite inexpensive, they'll run you about $10 off of italianbarber.com.

Best of luck
Jake

Did a lot more reading/research in the hours since first posting. I ordered a complete line of castle forbes pre, during, and post shave. right now use khiel stuff with the mach3, but don't love it.
also, decided based on reviews and looks to go with the Dovo Bergischer Lowe 5/8". Just ordered through SRD. Plan on using that honing service! (Will need to resist urge to sharpen and hone myself as I do with all of my woodworking tools)

Excellent choice with the Castle Forbes i just made a thread afew days ago about how much i love the lime and lavender i alomost picked up a Bergischer Lowe myself, love that Spanish tip, in the end though im glad i got a rounded nose on my first though

Usually what sets one razor apart from another (speaking new ones now) are name recognition, size of razor, ornamentation on razor, hand machining on razor and scale material. Whether it's stainless or carbon or different types of carbon as long as it's quality they will all give a great shave and last longer than you.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Usually what sets one razor apart from another (speaking new ones now) are name recognition, size of razor, ornamentation on razor, hand machining on razor and scale material. Whether it's stainless or carbon or different types of carbon as long as it's quality they will all give a great shave and last longer than you.

cool, thanks. with woodworking tools like planes a lot of the $ goes into precision such as flatness, etc and the rest into the quality of the steel. Based on what you said, it seems that there is a baseline of quality on straight razor blades (from reputable current manufacturers), with some variation I am sure, and then the extra $ goes into non-cutting stuff.

One thing I don't think you've mentioned is a styptic pencil. Sadly, you'll probably need one at some point, and they're good to have on hand when you do.

Also, an astringent of some kind perhaps? Most guys go for either an alum block or some variety of witch hazel.

Good luck!