Thread: Greetings everyone!

Hello Everybody,
I've been reading on this website more and more lately and decided to join; I also, belong to BadgerandBlade.

I am not new to wet shaving especially safety razors and single blade (i.e. Cobra Classic and Schick Injector) but I would love to venture into using a straight razor. I am starting with a 6/8" size but don't know what grind? I have a few 6/8" half-hollow grinds, are these sufficient enough? I have read a few places that a newbie should start with a full-hollow, I guess start with what you are striving to reach.

Furthermore, I also have replaceable blade straight razors (shavettes). Should I start with these? I almost forgot, I have a Wapienica ("Wapi") too, again, I've read this is a good razor to start with and some end up loving them!...any thoughts?

I would appreciate any info., help, input, advice, etc. anyone has to offer.

Thank you in advance for your help.

groomingguru

Welcome to SRP.
What you start with is immaterial as long as it is optimally honed. What you may prefer down the line will come from trying a variety of razors.
You could skip the shavette as you already have some straights.

Thank you.
This is why I mentioned the straights first, I think I will start with them...the question now is, Wapi, half-hollow or get a full-hollow?

Welcome, the first straight I used was a wapi and it is still one of my favorite razors, I'd start with which ever one feels most comfortable in your hands, but make sure it is properly honed up first

Thank you.
I am thinking Wapi or a Dovo Special Tortoise scales, 6/8", full-hollow ground. What about a singing blade?...too thin to start?

I love a thin full hollow blade, and it's what I started with; I love the audio and tactile feedback. However, it's pretty unforgiving.

It's pretty conventional to recommend half-hollows to new straight users. They are a little more forgiving. More important is the tip--start with a rounded one rather than a spike. That spike'll BITE YA.

As others have said, the most important property of the blade you start with is that it be shave-ready. That means better than the factory edge.

Good luck and best wishes.

Thanks for all the advice fellas. The razors I have, have been honed already from where I purchased them so I'm assuming they are ready to go; for some reason, I have misplaced my strop, so I can't strop before the first time. When I decide and have my first shave, I will definitely let you all know.

Please, keep the advice and first time experiences coming!

In a way, NOT stropping before the first shave is a good, then, IF the razor is shave ready, as it means you have no chance of damaging the edge by poor stropping before your first shave. When you do start to strop (which generally is before each shave) you'll be able to tell if your stropping DOES damage the edge at any time. By 'damage' I just mean dulling the edge sightly, nothing major :-)

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

In a way, NOT stropping before the first shave is a good, then, IF the razor is shave ready, as it means you have no chance of damaging the edge by poor stropping before your first shave. When you do start to strop (which generally is before each shave) you'll be able to tell if your stropping DOES damage the edge at any time. By 'damage' I just mean dulling the edge sightly, nothing major :-)

COOL...Great to know, thanks.

By the way, I just ordered a Dovo Best Quality full hollow w/black scales for $86 bucks instead of the Dovo Special Tortoise, so this way when I do strop the next shave, I'm not out a fortune.