Thread: How many straights to begin with?

I know that just about every veteran on the site has multiple straights. As a Noobie looking to make my very first purchases ever, does anybody think there is a downside to getting just one razor to begin with, as I am on a student's budget? Can I get by with just one blade or will this be a problem? I plan on getting one of Tony's beginner kits with the classic black 5/8 dovo - anybody else purchase this? How does it work?


I have been informed that if I am not planning on using pasted strops to fine tune a blade in between honings, I will be looking at honing the blade every 1.5-2 months...Is this time frame if I am using the blade every singel day?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys.

One is fine to start. Picking up a second is a good idea to have around for when the first fails. That can be an eBay special that you learn to hone on or a shave ready refurb from a member ... or both!

I've no doubt that kit you mention is da bomb!

You're more likely to have to hone about every 2-4 weeks if you're shaving every day depending on your beard type. Heavier whiskers will beat up the edge a little faster.

X

Keith,
Tony's merchandise is top-notch and reasonably priced. Have a chat with him and he'll help you out.
Getting another shave-ready razor would be a great idea so you have a backup and you don't have to touch them up quite as often. JoshEarl sells really affordable shave-ready pieces in the $30-40 range. If you want to step up to just below the price tags of new ones but with lovely custom scales go with Jason (Toxik). Joe Chandler sells an assortment of shave-ready pieces (look up his profile and his site is in there).
As my honing technique got better, I also acquired 0.5 micron Chromium Oxide to use on my bench hone (made it with Tony's leather but it would have been cheaper to order one from him lol) and my whole rotation got more refined, I got spoiled so I touch up my blades every 5-7 shaves on average. However, I don't remember when was the last time I took any of my old rotation members to the hones.

Keith,

Sticking with just one razor at the outset isn't a bad idea. There are a lot of variables in learning to shave with a straight razor--beard prep, stropping, lather, blade angle, skin stretching... It can be overwhelming at first.

By adding another razor, you're adding yet another variable. When I learned to shave with a DE, I was bouncing around among three different razors, and it probably made it a lot harder for me to learn the basics.

Every razor shaves a bit differently. Once you know how one feels, it'll be easier for you to adjust your approach to a different blade.

That said, it's nice to have a backup in case you somehow damage your main razor or it just stops working mysteriously. Even if you do get another razor (or six), it's wise to stick with using one for a while.

Just my two cents,
Josh

One razor is fine, two is better. That way if one goes dull you still have another to shave with in the meantime, especially if you nick one it may take a few days to get it back into shape.

Straights are like puppies, though, they just tend to follow you home, which is why so many of us have multiple straights, especially once you get to where you can restore old vintage razors. Especially if you've got a little bit of disposable income, picking up one or two razors a month is still pretty cheap and once you get a few razors they just seem to multiply like rabbits.

As for time between honings, that will depend on a *lot* of variables. Some guys can go seveal months to a year between honings, some only a few weeks. Especially when you're starting out, don't be surprised if it's very short, this will lengthen as your technique improves. A pasted paddle really helps with this - like Ilija (firestart) I very rarely have to take a razor back to the hone, as the refreshes on the paddle seem to keep them ticking along just fine.

I think the answer lies within, Grasshopper. Why did you decide to use a str8?

• to save money... then theoretically one is enough.
• to get the best shave possible... then theoretically one is enough.
• to become engrossed in the camaraderie of str8/wet-shavers... then theoretically one is enough, but more is better (gotta keep up with the Jones, yada, yada).
• to become engrossed in the collection/restoration of str8s... then MANY.

For me, at least, it's not how many razors as much as the priority in how you want to spend your time and money...

There's plenty of senior members here who are only shavers... they don't dabble in restoration, honing, etc. They just enjoy pampering themselves with the shave. When their razor needs to be sharpened they send it to someone who does that. This implies the need for at least two str8s, but we mostly all have a DE or M3 razor we use as a backup (or for travel)... so, if you only have one razor and it is out of commission for some reason you can still shave, lol.

Others take on the challenges of honing and maintenance... it's part of the fun for them. If this is your path, then you may want to consider allocating funds to hones and other sharpening paraphernalia before you start collecting a lot of additional razors. In the beginning, it is common wisdom that you should have a good razor for shaving and a trash razor for honing practice.

Still others take on the challenges of restoring razors, making scales, etc. These ancillary hobbies merge in everyone's mind with the real aspect of why we're here... shaving. But in reality they are separate. If this path is your destiny, then let your needs and impulses guide you, lol.

Regardless of which path you take, if time and money permit you will likely build a collection of str8s.

I'm a huge straight noob, but I can attest to the quality of Tony's set in that it's given me two good shaves so far.

I've just got one razor, so I'm actually just as interested in this topic as you are :P.

Ross,

Is the dovo from Tony's set the only razor you have so far? Have you purchased a hone as well? If so, are you finding it difficult? I am getting in to str8s in order to get a great shave and possibly save me from irritation that I am used to getting with Gilette razors I have used and continue to use (Fusion, Mach 3, etc.)...I am interested in getting a hone b/c I do not want to have to send out a razor everytime it gets dull - I would like to be able to do this for my self and be relatively self-sustaining.

To answer part of the question, I too also started out with Mr. Miller's basic set, the same Dovo black that you are talking about and the 4 sided pasted strop. Order the sharpening service, do not hesitate - get the razor "shave ready" - I think Mr. Miller sends these to Lynn Abrams (honemeister to the stars), does he not? Anyways, my experience was that the Dovo ended up getting a bit nicked after my second shave, and I had it honed again locally, and it just has never been as sharp (I am going to send it away for more loving) - Dovo recommends that their straight razors "rest" after use - from 24-48 hours, before reuse. The explanations made sense to me, and therefore I sought out another blade to swap out. Got it much cheaper, and right now it is a much better shaver..ok, well the other 2 straights I got at the same time were just a little by accident, the last two was a choice of aesthetics (pretty minty Wonderedge) and just plaing cool (nice little custom Sheffield to keep the Solingen boys company). Do you see where I am going with this? So I have, in just a little over a month, 5 straights in house and 1 on the way...very scary. I guess I am just shopping aroudn to see which I like best, that I can keep sharp the longest, and that feels god - the rest I will donate at some point.

Also in my opinion, skip the plastic mug from Mr. Miller Tony and the Williams soap, a big old coffee cup will do and the soap is so-so (spend the money on one of the custom soaps from Mama Bear, or just go to Target and get some cheap Proraso cream for now - you can also get a respectable Proraso Omega boar bristle brush that stinks like hell but is a decent and big starter brush there too). DO spring for the razor, and a strop (if you get the thing sharpened - go for the hanging tan 3", tell Tony your are a newb and he will throw in the practice strop for free). You will not regret the move, I have enjoyed my straight shaves more in the last month than every morning shave I have labored with for the last ten years, including the blood. For the first time in years, literally, I shave on the weekends!

Just my 2c, YMMV. Back to lurking...

K

One is fine to start and all you will really ever need.

That said, a second is a good idea. I nicked my only razor on the faucet and was forced to go without for two weeks while it was away for some TLC I was incapable of giving it at that time. If you keep your eyes open for a decent shaver on Ebay you can have the fun of learning to hone as well as a quality piece for future use. My second razor purchase neted my three old razors for $15 two of which now make up the rest of my collection of shavers The third I am still working on as it was in bad shape and really needs new scales too but theres no hurry I've got three nice shave ready razors in my bathroom drawer.