starting straight

[BornToLate]

Hello to all,
I have been shaving with a double edge and not really satisfied with it. I found this forum and have been reading post and watching vids. I have come to the conclusion that I want to get a straight and either learn to shave with it or just keep it for display. I was just curious as to what razor I should start with. Any help with this would be appreciated.

[ace]

The Classifieds here are the best way to start with a sharp razor and one that is not too expensive. Good luck!

[gllh17]

Welcome. I'm just starting too. Besides the forum, the wiki has a ton of useful information. The classifieds are good. You want a shave ready razor. However, there doesn't seem to be a universal notion of shave ready. Buying from reputable members in the classifieds reduces the uncertainty as to what you're getting. The classifieds were thin when I was in the market so I bought from Larry at whippeddog.com. I am very pleased with my razor and strop.

Good luck on your new adventure.

[skyguy]

I'd have to second gllh17's suggestion for whippeddog.com. Larry caters to newbies with serviceable razors that are truly ready for your first shave. His blades aren't necessarily shiny, mirror-like pieces, but they're very good and for the prices, you couldn’t go wrong. He has what he calls "the poor man's strop" and includes a sheet of balsa impregnated with two very fine abrasives. Plus, he tells you how to use them! The education alone is worth whatever you pay. He's a very honest, up-front kind of guy and he's highly thought of on this forum. He even encourages you to e-mail with questions. While you're there, splurge a bit and get his $4 chunk of Mitchell's Wool Fat soap. You'll thank me later!

Good luck. You'll find there's a significant learning curve with a straight, but it's perfectly all right to use it in small areas to start, then finish up with your DE. As you gain experience, use the straight a little more each time and before too many decades, you'll be a pro! You might also get Lynn Abarms' DVD, "The World of Shaving." It will explain a lot, and has segments on shaving, honing and stropping.

Bruce

[AxelH]

Hello to all, I have been shaving with a double edge and not really satisfied with it.

Alright, I'll ask: what's dissatisfying about your DE shaves? How long have you been shaving with a DE?

[BornToLate]

Thanks for all the great advice! I have been looking at the classifieds and have found a few I'm interested in. As for my DE, the hinge is bent a little and my blades dull far to quick. It's hard for me to find a good blade that I can get more than 3 shaves out of. The best ones that I have found are wilkinson classics. I have tried the shick, gillette, darby's and a few off brands with the same result. I have been shaving with it for the last 5 or 6 years with the same results.

[cpcohen1945]

Try a Feather blade. It starts out sharper, and gets dull at the same rate as the others. So you might get 4 or 5 shaves out of it -- 10 cents per shave isn't too bad.

Say you buy a new Dovo Best Quality ($80) and an inexpensive strop ($20), and a barber hone ($20). If the Feather blades last 5 shaves each, at $0.10 per shave, let's see what the crossover point is:

Cost of 1200 shaves with Feather blades: $ 120

cost of straight razor kit: $ 120 (shaves are free, once you have the kit)

So after 1200 shaves (3 years or so), the straight razor starts to pay off.

That's if you don't get "razor acquisition disorder" (RAD), or "hone acquisition disorder" (HAD), and if you don't send the razor out for professional honing.

Many of us started in the straight-razor game to "save money". Few of us succeeded.<g>

Charles

[PhatMan]

BornToLate,

You could try shaving with one of the GEM/Ever-Ready SE safety razors ? The 1912s are particularly sweet shavers, and for me the SE blades (GEM PTFE Coated Stainless) last much longer than my DE blades. For me, these razors have given the best safety razor shaves I have ever had.

+1 on looking in the classifieds

For a work-horse shaving razor, you could consider the Dovo Best; this razor is ca 70 USD from Straight Razor Designs, and shaves well above it's price point

Good luck !

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ