Thread: Safety Razor to Straight Razor?

So I have been looking around the forum for a while now and have not seen this topic come up (if it has I apologize for the repet thread). I was wondering if there is benefit to moving from my current razor (a crapy Gillette M3) to a Safety Razor (both to save money and get a better shave) before moving to the Straight Razor?

What do you Gents think?

Also...

What was your process in to the art of Straight Razor Shaving?

I went with a straight before going with a DE (I'm getting an Edwin Jagger next week) and I will say that you will get a more comfortable and closer shave than you will with a cartridge. When I was honing my straight, it took me a while because I'm still learning, so I had to use a cartridge...now that my straight is back in working order, the difference is night and day.

I shaved for about 8 years with a DE before i went to the straight.
If You eventually want to go to a straight, i don't really see why you should go DE first.
My DE is now only used for the vacations in a tent...

Gr.
Dieter.

I went from cartridge to straight, then started playing with safety razors a year later. You might learn a few things starting with a safety razor, such as prep, lathering, and learning your grain patterns, but you certainly don't have to go to the safety razor first. I think either way has a learning curve, and you have to learn the same fundamentals regardless of the path you decide to take.

from one Nubie to another, rightly or wrongly I did exactly what you are contemplating.
I had purchased a kit which contained not only the straight razor products but a Merkur Progress Safety Razor and a Gillette travel razor with lots of blades.
I too used a Gillette 5 wet shaving and decided to learn with the safety razor first, after all it is called a "safety" razor!
Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
The DE took a few shaves practice before mastering WTG, CTG and ATG but feels great to master this step in the process.
it also gave me time to glean from the posts of this great site in preparation for the next stage in development.
I can only say a DE has worked well for me.

I'm not sure there is any benefit going to a DE and then on to a straight, why not just go directly for a straight?

If you do want to try a DE, I can vouch for the fact a good safety razor with the right blades will trash your Mach 3. I have recently been given my father's early 1950's Gillette Rocket and, with Feather blades that I bought just to try it, the shave was unbelievable - smooth and very close. I only wish I could get as good a result with my straight with so little effort.

I actually learned to shave with this very razor back in the '70's, I now can't understand why I used cartridge razors for over 30 years!

Good luck with whatever you go with.

Peter

The only advantage I can see is it gets you grounded in wet shaving meaning lather production and using good soaps and shave prep and all that.

I used a DE first and there is no skill set you need in DE shaving you can take over to straight shaving they are so different. Maybe using little pressure with the razor, that's about it.

I have never had a decent shave from a DE, granted I have never shaved with a DE.

Both paths will have their respective advantages and disadvantages, each will have a learning curve.

The decision of which road to follow is purely up to you.

Which ever path you choose we are all here to help in any way we can.

I strongly echo what thebigspender said, as I too went the DE to straight route. I now shave with both, but could've saved a ton of money if I had went to the straights and never touched the DEs. My advice is this: get an inexpensive Dovo or Boker that is professionally honed. Before it gets dull, buy another. Now you can send off the first to be sharpened. When you are new, you will dull the razor much faster than an experienced user. This is due to poorly refined technique both in shaving and stropping. Don't waste your money on a big dollar razor....the bottom of the line Boker or Dovo will shave just as well as their top dollar stuff. Happy shaves.

Originally Posted by Dim5Bck

So I have been looking around the forum for a while now and have not seen this topic come up (if it has I apologize for the repet thread). I was wondering if there is benefit to moving from my current razor (a crapy Gillette M3) to a Safety Razor (both to save money and get a better shave) before moving to the Straight Razor?

What do you Gents think?

Also...

What was your process in to the art of Straight Razor Shaving?

Here's my two cents: I've started shaving using carts, but the cost and quality of my shaves was piss poor. I, like some, chose to go the SE safety razor route rather than jumping straight into straights. The safety razor that I choose is a Parker SR2 Straight Razor Style Barber Razor:


I can safely say that I love this razor; it gives me the motions/technique of a straight, but I don't have to worry about stropping/honing...plus the blades are dirt cheap (I got a 100 pack of Sharks for about 7.50 USD on Amazon.com, and I can get a good weeks worth of shaves per blade if I shave every day with it)

~Advantages of using a SE/DE Safety: Less ingrown hairs, less time spent prepping for a shave (may be a minus to some), blades are always wicked sharp, and a closer shave than carts by a longshot

~Disadvantages over straight: Blades are less forgiving and you may be prone to cuts if you slip or use a bad angle. Still a cost involved: Buying DE/SE blades (still cheaper than carts though IMHO)


I may still go the straight route just because they look awesome and I want something more vintage than a SE Barber Razor, but I'm good for now.

Hope this was what the doctor ordered and good luck and smooth shaving,

Natz