Thread: Do you remember what your first straight razor was?

I still have and regularly use my first straight. It is of supreme sentimental value. It is a Piedmont 6/8 brand with a round point. It was given to me by my grandfather in 1977 when I first started to use a straight at the age of 12. What is more interesting is that it was given to him by his father...my great grandfather many years before in 1938. It is actually the best shaver of any of my other blades. Perhaps the quality workmanship is the reason it has stood the test of time.

A 5/8 Dovo Bismark with red scales. Had a great shave with it just last night!

Yes, a TI Spartacus 6/8 as a gift from my wife circa 1975

Yup - first razor I bought was a NOS Wapi from Stamps222 - first razor I shaved with was a Genco Fluid Steel I bought from HeavyDutysg135 (I wonder whatever happened to him???).

While I still have and use the Genco, I rescaled the Wapi as a father's day gift for my dad and got him into straight razor shaving.

Mark

Originally Posted by Milton Man

first razor I shaved with was a Genco Fluid Steel I bought from HeavyDutysg135 (I wonder whatever happened to him???).

He's on-line on occasion but doesn't seem to post much. I miss him too. Although he may not realize it, I consider him a bit as my spiritual honing father. (and he's probably younger than me)

My mother's uncle's Heljestrands One unfortunatel broke when I dropped it. He bought them in Sweden when he was there on business.

Mine was a 5/8 Torrey full hollow from Izlat. That was a workhorse, but then I fell for larger blades and thicker grinds.

My first was an old guilded Western 5/8 pearl handled silver bolsters beauty. I bought it NOS from a dealer at a cuustom knife show. A year later when my bro was visiting and helping me do repairs at the home, I caught him using it to scrape the kitchen tiles..... the blade split and it was ruined. It still gives me pain to think of it.

Originally Posted by thewap

My first was an old guilded Western 5/8 pearl handled silver bolsters beauty. I bought it NOS from a dealer at a cuustom knife show. A year later when my bro was visiting and helping me do repairs at the home, I caught him using it to scrape the kitchen tiles..... the blade split and it was ruined. It still gives me pain to think of it.

SS Dovo with olive wood scales.


Don't you love what brothers do for you sometimes?

Sean

I think it was 1982. Gotta 5/8 round point. $90 at the time.
Taught myself almost every mistake you can make honing & stropping. It was quite an eye opener when I discovered the razor had to lay flat on the hone or strop.
Yeah, I could hone knives. Razors couldn't be much different, right ?

It gradually became 4/8 & I haven't used it in a long time. but I kept it as a lesson in humility.

Keeps me mindful that when you think you know what you're doing, it's just as likely you have a lot more to learn.