Thread: Newbie here looking for advice on best first straight razor or razor kit!

People do it both ways.
For now do whatever is most comfortable for getting the angles right with the blade.

If you start with just one hand, I recommend learning to switch hands later on.

Originally Posted by Vemma

Does everyone use both hands to shave or use one for both rides of face?

It's not mandatory that you use both hands, but a preferred method. (some experienced SR users do only use one hand)
Since your learning new skills, why not learn to use your non dominant hand from the start?
Always take it slow, remember, you don't need to complete your initial shaves with a SR, just finish off with what you normally use. As your confidence grows, so will your skills.

~Paul

Congrats on the new venture. I'm new too and I bought the same razor and a strop from SRD. Great customer service. My advice would be to watch all the videos that you can find about SR shaving, buy an alum block, styptic pencil, a practice strop, and Thayers alcohol-free witch hazel. Larry from Whipped Dog (I love that name) is absolutely great and has a SR shaving tutorial guide on his web site that helped me a lot. There's also a video somewhere here of a guy's 30th anniversery shave that is very helpful. Best of luck with everything.

Originally Posted by Vemma

Does everyone use both hands to shave or use one for both rides of face?

I believe it was Lynn that recommended that someone new to SR shaving start by JUST doing sideburns to jawline initially. It is excellent advice. I followed that recommendation and I can say that it really helped getting myself comfortable with using the razor. If you plan on taking that advice, I would recommend that you also attempt to use both hands. If you are finding it SO awkward that you simply can't do it, switch to one hand. But I would attempt to get both hands moving before you venture from sideburns simply because you don't want to teach yourself habits that will need to be reversed if you can avoid it. I've heard of some guys doing their entire shave with one hand. If you're lucky enough to be able to manage that, fantastic. But most of us can't. There are certain blade angles and directions that I need to perform that I can only do with one hand or the other. Try to get in the habit of using both from the start if you can. Its going to be awkward no matter what hand you start with so you might as well give it an early shot. If you stick to doing just sideburns, you'll probably be fine. Path, follow path.

Hi, have you seen this kit:

Ultimate Shaving Boker Shaving Kit Straight Razor Strop and Real Badger Brush | eBay

It's not cheap but the quality of each product is oustanding. I use Boker straight razors and prefer them over Dovo. Especially my limited Boker Damast is an excellent shaver.

Good luck.

That is a 4/8 blade...not what I personally recommend to a new shaver. A nice razor, but small. Typically I recommend a 5/8 or 6/8 blade to a new shaver.

What's a 4/8th?

A whole half inch of blade is a 4/8th

My dovo is 5/8

I personnally would use both hands from the beginning...why try to change an already develop neuromuscular pathway down the road. I would also seriously pay attention to the advise not to shave beyond the sideburn to jawline until you can do WTG, XTG, ATG passes with no irritation (or some combo of)...I didn't heed this advise and my face suffered. My theory that going for the whole face right off the bat and learning angle and pressure using my whole face as a test bed would get me to the end state of being able to shave my whole face very well with no razor burn didn't work for me. Angle and pressure mean everything...beard reduction...beard reduction...beard reduction.