Newb Questions about straight and safety razor and accesories

Hi I'm a total newb to straight razor shaving and safety razor shaving.

I have my great grandfathers shaving mug its an old spice one and that got me interested, and the more I read about it the more I want to quit using the razor cartridges because I can't shave everyday with those w/o irritating my skin. I have to wait until the hair gets a certain length or else I get too much iritation. Typically I use the gillette mach turbo orange cartridges and after I use taht I have to touch up with a norelco electric razor. I touch up under on the sides of the nose, and my chin which is a butt chin and the gillette cartridges doesn't get that butt crack chin area.

Anyways I'm debating wether I should jump right into using a straight razor or start off with a safety razor and then move up after I get the hang of it. I've read some threads and I understand the basic newb mistakes such as applying to much pressure etc. Still gotta look at youtube videos tho.


Here are my questions. If you choose to answer them can u please put a 1) , 2) etc next to each answer to its easier for me to read? thanks.

1) When you travel do you bring your straight razor and accessories w/ you? strop and everything? Or do you just take a safety razor?

2) the abreviation DE is that for safety razor?

3) With razor blades for safety razors are they all the same size?

4) I've read that its worth investing in a good brush. Should i just buy a silver tip badger hair brush? Any recomendations?

5) If you don't get a good brush does the lather not apply as well? or does it cause iritation?

6) my friends father shaves with a safety razor, and he has a mechanical device that you can put the used razor into turn the crank and it sharpens the used razor against what look like a piece of a strap. any idea of the name of these devices? he said they where rare and collector items now, but did not know their names.

7) How many shaves b4 u need to resharpen ure straight razor?

8) Is it necessary to buy one of those devices/stands for the brush or can u just sit the brush on its base.

9) Is aftershave necessary? what are the pros/cons of using it

10) with a straight razor will i be able to shave the butt chin crack or is that too risky?

11) Is there anyone on the forum who sells kits regularly or do i have to wait until one comes along?

12) also u should shave after u shower correct?

Welcome aboard. I'll try to answer your questions as well as I can.
1) I usually bring my straight and the rest of the gear if I'm planning on staying somewhere for 2 nights or 1 night and I need a clean shave in the morning. I do have a DE, but it's not as much fun, so I might use it once a month just for the hell of it.
2) Yes, it stands for a Double-Edged safety razor. There are SE (single edge) safety razors and who knows what else).
3) If they're DE, then they are. A guy at SMF offers a sampler pack that has several brands that you could try. I just held 10 blades from an order of Derbys I made for someone and they've been just fine. At $13US shipped anywhere in North America for 120 pieces, you can't go wrong.
4) I'd go with Best or Silvertip. Best is generally better for soaps as it's a bit stiffer. Silvertip's a bit floppy so it's better with creams.
5) Or both. I could never get a good lather from a small boar hair brush and I found it too hard. A synthetic brush gave me a great lather but it irritated my face. Badger hair also retains water and heat very well.
6) I believe you're talking about a Rolls razor. I didn't think anyone still shaved with that contraption lol. In any case wither straight or a de will be guaranteed to give you a better shave.
7) It depends on the grind, hardness and your facial hair. Generally 5-15 shaves. In any case a touchup takes like 2 minutes per razor once you get the hang of it.
8) At $8-10 they're a good insurance policy. I use one.
9) Aftershaves are supposed to tone your skin, close the pores and stop minor bleeding. Alcohol based ones feel and smell great. Balms are gentler on your skin. I get the best of both worlds by first splashing on some Old Spice and then going with Neutrogena Razor Defense aftershave cream over it. My skin is left perfect and the combination of scents rocks.
10) You will be, just be extra gentle/careful and make sure you stretch the skin.
11) Tony Miller sells kits at www.thewellshavedgentleman.com but the brush is boar-bristled and I'm not a big fan of Williams soap.
12) It helps load the hair with water, which makes it easier to cut. It helps but not a lot if you use proper prep.

Rokuez,

SMF is ShaveMyFace.com

Alan

1) When I travel I bring a strop, soap, brush, straight razor (depending on how long I might bring 2) and aftershave etc.

2) like Firestart said DE stands for double edge and it's A type of safety razor. Cartridge razors are another kind.

3) Yes they are for DE's.

4) A good brush doesn't really make any difference in the shave for me but it DOES feel nicer.

5) Like I said it's mostly about the brush feeling better on the face for me. I'll still get a good shave with a cheap brush.

6) I think Firestart is misstaken and you might be talking about a Valet Autostrop. Which is supposed to prolong the lifetime of DE blades. The Rolls razor he talked about is like a cross between a safety and a straight razor. Personally I like them (tried to shave with one once) and will buy one in the near future as a travel razor. I've not tried the valet autostrop however. The rolls is fairly cheap on e-bay and I think the valet should not be very expensive either.

7) With the 3 razors I use I only have to sharpen about once every 4-5 months. So that's an average of 1,5-2 months a piece.

8) The brush can sit on it's base just fine. Just shake it out well and let it dry.

9) Aftershave might not be needed per sé but it certainly is a lot better for the skin. An aftershave balm can soothe and desinfect the little wounds that you've created while shaving (they are always there even when you can't see them, afterall you're pulling a sharp knife across your skin) A normal alcohol aftershave simply desinfects while a balm also soothes and sometimes tones the skin.

10) The "cleft" (I think that's the correct term) in your chin can be just as babybut dmooth as the rest of your face. I think that's also possible with a DE but I have no experience with those so I can't really say.

11) Tony Miller at www.thewellshavedgentleman.com sells kits. They're excellent quality from what I hear.

12) Shaving after a shower makes the hair just a touch wetter and softer. Another option is to put a wet, hot towel on the face just before shaving. That pretty much does the same thing. Offcourse some people prefer to do both.

mmm, I had to reply on number 6. In the old days, in the 30's (repression) the DE blades were for some also too expensive to buy, so some manufacturers came up with contraptions to re-sharpen your DE-blades.

There were two kinds, one described above with a crank. You simply put your blade in en turn the crank. The blade was stropped by either a small stone or some leather. The other type worked worked by pulling a string.

The Valet autostrop (I have two, and I showed you one Alex while we were having the honing-masterclass) works different. You can pull a leather strop through the head of the razor and by pulling the strop, the blade is automatically stropped with the right amount of pressure.
The Rolls works effectively the same way, but this one hones and strops by pulling the razor in its case with two lids. One lid with a hone and the other lid with a stropping surface.

Alex, I would love to trade my Rolls against whatever you would like to trade it for. Unfortunately the stone is broken, but Tilly sells replacements (I found them on Ebay too). PM me if you are interested.

Thinking about what it is that I have to trade....not much at the moment. But I would like to have one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rokuez

Anyways I'm debating wether I should jump right into using a straight razor or start off with a safety razor and then move up after I get the hang of it. I've read some threads and I understand the basic newb mistakes such as applying to much pressure etc. Still gotta look at youtube videos tho.

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I am relative newb at this, especially the straight. I would start using wet shaving technique, even with your cartridge. Follow the brush advice above, get used to using alot of water on the face, creating a good lather and even using lighter strokes with your cartridge. In terms of DE as a learning step, well that is what I did. Originally never thought I would go to a straight which is much more difficult (stropping, shaving and honing are skills requiring practice). Personally, I love the shave I get with the DE (merkur slant bar just rocks), but I love shaving with a straight (more practice required here). The straight is more money given that you must have a shave ready razor and strops, start fee is 2x that of DE which is more like $30 for an HD and a bunch of Derby blades

Bill

It is a terrific hobby, a skill and an art, a lost art, and daily activity that used to be a bore is now fun, even a challenge.

i appreciate everyones input.

twilliger do you love shaving with a straight because u can very the angle and get a perfect shave as compared to a great shave with a DE razor?

As far as brushes I think I will go with Fine Badger Shaving Brush. $50 http://www.leesrazors.com/brushes.htm . I think I will also use soap instead of cream.

1) I was wondering however if I should get a less expensive badger brush because I wouldn't be using cream?

As far as a safety razor I have a few questions. I'm considering to jsut go with the Merkur slant bar model , but from the picture it appears taht the razor has teeth which I thought was for ppl w/ thicker hair/ beards?

2) If it is for ppl with beards then I will most likely go for the Merkur safety razor with bar.

as far as razors I think I will just go with some derby razors.

3) Any recomendations for soaps, aftershave, and balm?

If you want to try a DE razor, get the Gilette Tech. It's extremely forgiving but it shaves close and the design is bullet-proof. An added bonus is that you can get one for $5.
Contact Colleen at thegentlemensquarter@verizon.net and she'll send you her price list. I have 5 of her soaps and they're all excellent for shaving.
If you don't want to go with Old Spice and generic pharmacy stuff, get Dominica Bay Rum from www.classicshaving.com.

Rokuez,

Starting out with a DE is a good idea. It lets you get down some important aspects of wet shaving -- prep, lathering, understanding the direction of your beard growth.

Merkurs have a good reputation, but I thought I'd put in a word for vintage Gillettes. The Superspeed DE is a great razor, and you could get one in nice shape for under $10 on eBay.

I haven't used the slant bar myself, but it seems like it takes experienced DE users some time to get the hang of. I'd suggest starting with something a little easier to handle, like the Merkur HD or a Gillette.

Creams and soaps are both good, but there are differences. The only cream I've used is Proraso, which is available at Target in the spa section. It's great stuff. My favorite soap is Colleen's soap, which is sold over in the vendors forum. Wonderful scents and a really nice lather.

Good luck,
Josh

1. Yes. I bring a straight razor, brush, strop, soap in wood bowl w/ lid and a cord to hang strop from door knob.

4. All shaving brushes do the same thing regardless of price. I've been using one best badger brush for about 15 years and I think it cost around $40.00. I wouldn't go crazy on your first brush. Try a pure badger or best badger for around $30 - $60.00. An economy boars bristle brush such as a Burma Shave brush for around $5 or $6 would be a good comparison brush so you can feel the difference. Later, if you really want to spend more, go for a silver tip badger.

5. As mentioned above, a $5 brush will do the same thing as a $500 brush. A less expensive boars bristle brush may be more irritating for some skin types, but even a silver tip badger can cause irritation for some, especially when new.

7. I'm assuming you mean honing. I get quite a few shaves between honings, but YMMV. A lot of variables apply here, such as experience and skill. The more experience and skill you develop, the more shaves you'll get before re-honing.

9. To me a shave without aftershave is like toast without butter. Pros - mild disinfecting newly exfoliated skin, astringent effect closing pores, various scents. Cons - additional cost (cold water can have a slight astringent effect).

10. Yes. With experience and skill you will be able to shave any part of your face safely.

12. Personal preference. With propper beard prep you can shave anytime you want.

Good luck,

Scott

I'm also a newb and haven't shaved with the straight yet.
As far as the Rolls Razors and Valet Autostrops, I've got a few of each of them. I have 3 Valets,one completewith strop, razor and blade, and two Rolls, which aren't as nice, broken stone(s? been awhile since I've seen them, they're in storage) and or missing strop. Both Valet and Rolls are quite collectible. I've never tried shaving with either of them though, so I couldn't give any idea as to how they would behave. When you find out what your friend shaves with let us know, you've got my curiosity up lol.
Tony

COMPLETE REPLY

1) Yup. Paddle strop for such occassions
2) Double Edge
3) search me :shrug:
4) You don't have to have the nicest brush, but your face might love you. I got mine custom made by Matt AKA member shavethebadger and can't sing his praises highly enough.
5) I find me best badger brush actually works a better lather from soaps slightly easier than my silver tip which is awesome for creams.
6) Auto Strop
7) 20 or so seems to be the norm more or less depending primarily on stropping technique.
8) I don't think so, but I use one.
9) It's a skin astringent which closes the pores and conditions the skin after the shave. you could get by without one just using a cold water splash as I did for years while shaving with disposables, but I find the straight razor a littler more aggressive on my skin so even a gentle aftershave is a good thing, my face loves me and it's just more fun that way.
10) Unless that dimple is very deep you'll probably work it out eventually. Stretching goes a long way.
11) Tony
12) It's a good time to as the beard is moist and prepped. if you don't, you'll need to give yourself the hot towel treatment (which is no hardship let me tell you) to get the whiskers ready.

X

freebird I remember him saying one of the mechanical devices was a rolls, and i know he also used the word autostrop. Next time i see him I will get the exact names and model numbers as well.

I just ordered some stuff from http://www.leesrazors.com/ . Lee was really great and informative. i think i may have went overboard with the stand and the musgo soap and shampoo but oh well time will tell.


33.00 merkur razor HD #334
9.00 Merkur double edge stainless steel blades, 20 in all
23.50 badger brush (didn't really plan on using creams mostly figured i would use soaps)
17.50 stand
3.50 col conk amber shave soap
6.00 musgo soap bar
17.50 musgo shampoo

total
$110 plus s/h and tax

Already got an Old Spice shaving mug which was my great grandfathers, and that thing is really thick much more so then a coffee mug.

I also emailed thegentlemensquarter@ verizon.net and will probably pick up 4 cakes of soap, and recomendations for the types to pick up?

Later on after I get thru with the Merkur razor blades who could I buy a variety pack from? Firestart u said " A guy at SMF offers a sampler pack that has several brands that you could try" what does SMF stand for?

Are there any links for tips/guides for shaving w/ a safety razor I'd like to avoid as many newb errors as possible and also try to learn nuances b4 i attempt the 1st shave.

thanks again for all the input.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rokuez

I also emailed thegentlemensquarter@ verizon.net and will probably pick up 4 cakes of soap, and recomendations for the types to pick up?

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Leatherneck and Gentlemen's Oak and Moss are my favorites by a long shot. Warm and gently musky smells. Read this for more info.

X

SMF stands for ShaveMyFace, another shaving forum. I would also recommend www.badgerandblade.com. Spend a month or two over at those sites learning to shave with your DE. Then you can come back here and learn the stuff that's unique to straight razors. :D

Good luck,
Josh

Here's my list of top soaps from Colleen in the order of preference:
1) Cavendish Black
2) Leatherneck (a CLOSE second)
3) Orange Patchouli
4) Bay Rum + Orange
5) Desert Ironwood
Many people seem to like Highlander, but I'm not a big fan of it.
By the way, Merkur blades don't seem to have much of a following with the DE crowd. Once you try out the variety pack, you'll have a better idea of what you like and don't like.

Josh is right about the website www.badgerandblade.com . That site is an excellent source or information regarding wet shaving in general. They review products including razors and razor blades and describe in pretty good detail the differences you might encounter. I bought products based on their recommendations. As far as straight shaving goes you definitely need to pick up Lynn Abrams DVD " The World of Straight Razor Shaving". That's obtainable at classicshaving.com and is a must for all new comers to straight shaving. You'll get to see the best in the business hone and answer a lot of newbie questions.