Thread: I am a 16 teen trying to get started with straight razors.

Good to see others starting young, Im 18 and I have been at it a few months. As with the others if you have any questions feel free to ask. My best advice is not to do what I did, I started with a From hair shaper (like a cheap shavet), a $3 boar bristle brush, and the only cake of soap they had at CVS. Go with the Van Der Hagen brush, or order one of the other ones mentioned above your face will thank you.

I see that many friends here suggest that you should read and study and research a lot.
However, someone used to say "What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing”

Have fun.

Originally Posted by chris0194

Just don't do what I did... I was 16/17 when I started about 18 months ago. I was low on money and saw all these things saying "not for sale to under 18s" and so I started out with a shavette and yes every now and again there'd be a good shave in it but I could guarantee there'd be little nicks here and there and they are very unforgiving. Might be a different story for people with experience of a DE before going to a straight. But to learn how to shave with a straight there's no substitute for a straight.

Once you get set up though I'd advise to practice stropping with the likes of a butter knife first so that you don't dull the razor and use youtube, I learned a lot from watching various videos and from reading on here. Once you get started you won't go back

Now that's something I've never thought about before! When I was that age, they didn't have any of those sorts of regulations, but here these days, there are laws preventing the sale of knives to people under 16 (maybe 18, I need to double check!). Now, not that I know too many people under the age of 16 who are wanting to kick off their shaving life with a cut-throat, but I think I'm going to find out from the retailers if they would sell to someone under the set age limit, if indeed razors do fall under the classification assigned to knives. Thanks for mentioning the issue.


Mick

Originally Posted by MickR

Now that's something I've never thought about before! When I was that age, they didn't have any of those sorts of regulations, but here these days, there are laws preventing the sale of knives to people under 16 (maybe 18, I need to double check!). Now, not that I know too many people under the age of 16 who are wanting to kick off their shaving life with a cut-throat, but I think I'm going to find out from the retailers if they would sell to someone under the set age limit, if indeed razors do fall under the classification assigned to knives. Thanks for mentioning the issue.


Mick

here in the UK its an offence to sell/buy even a double edge razor blade to an under 18. there is no restriction on cartridges or disposibles and while i dont think there is a direct law concerning straights, it is a crime to carry any folding knife with a cutting edge over three inces unless on private property with the owners permission. so most straights should be ok, however it is at the officer's disgression whether you intend to commit a crime with the bladed 'weapon' as even the legal 3 inches of blade can and will get you arrsted if used inappropriately. so with the reason for carrying it being to shave and having an account here to help strengthen your arguement there should be no problems as i assume nobody here brandishes their razors as weapons!

and a bit of extra info regarding the knife law (UK) you cannot carry a fixed blade or locking blade in public here, unless you have a hell of a good reason, then you have the job of explaining you are not a criminal in court and trying to convince the magistrates! the reasons are things like religion, traditional outfit like a scott could wear a dagger or Skein Dubh in his sock as part of his highland gear, you can also carry them for work but they have to be hard to access so they cannot be easily used as a weapon.

sorry that was so long and im not sure if anyone cares but i just thought id share how different our laws are to the US... are the laws surrounding knives similar down under?

Yes, we have similar knife laws as the UK with regards to carriage. We don't have blade length restrictions. We do have strange definitions of what constitutes a 'flick' knife. Apparently any knife that can be opened with a flick of the wrist (even if that flick of the wrist has to happen many times) is a 'flick' knife. Essentially if it can be opened with one hand, it's out. However I know that nobody (well, me anyway) seems to pay much heed to this.
I did a bit of looking into it with regards razors, after you mentioned it, and we don't have restrictions as far as I can find, when it comes to razors and the sale of same. I daresay if a kid of 10 or so came in and waved a wad of money around and wanted to buy a razor at a shop, they might ask to speak with his parents first, but they wouldn't have to if they were just after a sale.


Mick

Well I never tried to buy a straight when I was under 18 even though buying online you can't really tell the age of the buyer, I just know when I used the shavette I was refused sale of DE blades in a few different shops because I was under 18. Got around this buy getting my parents to pick them up when they went shopping. Then again though I don't see the use of age restrictions, if someone wanted the item such as a DE blade or other people can buy it for them. At the end of the day it ends up in the hands of the person wanting it in the first place. At the end of the day just about every 16 - 18 year old male shaves what does it matter what type of blade they shave with as to what type of blade they can purchase. I know cartridge razors are considered the norm these days and as far as I know I'm the only one at uni who uses a straight/ DE, and if someone wants to use the blade for other reasons, you can take the head of a cartridge razor apart and expose the blades... But back to the age restrictions different countries have different laws I'm just speaking from a UK perspective

And I agree with you for one. In my search for what the laws are with regards to shaving essentials here, I also contacted a couple of retailers, who said that as far as they knew, there were no restrictions on sale of razors/blades to under 16's, but if there was an issue with it, they would just ask the under age person to have their parents buy it for them. Any restriction on shaving items (razors/blades) would be next to useless I would think. It won't stop someone with the intent to use one as a weapon, but their are other laws for that cover that sort of thing anyway.


Mick

Hey Brandyn,

May i suggest you add where you are from. nothing to specific but State/Province and City. There might be a SRP member near by who could give you some practical pointers. Should you want some hands on advice. I know of a few members here in Ontario that have met up with new members such as yourself and showed them every thing they needed to know as well as helping them get the R.A.D. started with a loaner.

Cheers!

Welcome. I started around your age and havnt looked back. Remember the wiki and beginners sections are your best friend, invest in quality not it the now, quality stropping and lathering are critical and MOST importantly there are no stupid questions. Odds are if you're wondering it someone on this forum has asked the same thing at some point.