Thread: First Straight Razor

Hey Gents (and Ladies, no need to be exclusive),

I'm planning on giving the straight razor a honest try. I usually shave with a sharp disposable and Shaving Company Shaving Oil or American Crew Shaving Oil and it's pretty decent, but I can't resist the allure of a good straight shave.

I'm thinking of ordering this as my starter kit;
Dovo 5/8 Straight Razor Red (from classicedge.ca)
2" English Bridle Beginner Strop- Chestnut (from classicedge.ca)
and I'll stick with shaving oil I think (might try the .

What I'm not sure on is what type of stone I should be using for this, or if I should even bother getting a stone at first? Any tips or insights would be appreciated. I'm hoping to order tonight so I can have a few days to tinker with it before I leave on vacation next week!

Thanks much,

You won't need a hone right away, and indeed, the recommendation is to first learn thae art of the shave, before you try to learn the art of the hone. I did it the other way around myself, but I seem to be an exception to the rule. And it wasn't the least painful way to go about learning about "shave ready" either. ANother thing to think on is what sort of soaps or creams you might want to start off with. And what style of lathering you might use i.e. face, scuttle/mug etc. I'm not sure what soaps and creams are available to you where you are, but each seem to have there own little quirks for getting the best lather.

Have you thought of buying a second hand or vintage razor to reduce your costs? A new Dovo won't be the cheapest way to start out, and not to discourage you, but that might be a thought if you find that cut-throat shaving isn't the way for you to go. It is a learning curve afterall,and some find that they just don't have the patience or desire to spend the time and intial bad shaves on seeing it through to perfection.

Good luck and welcome, no matter what anyway.


Mick

You might consider the Dovo 6/8 half hollow. They are very forgiving for a newbie and the wider blade gives you more control on your face and on the strop. Get a 3" strop, you'll be glad you did. On stropping, go really slow across the leather and concentrate on keeping the edge flat; and, no pressure! Most newbies dull their razor while learning to strop.

Sacrilege I know! But what I alway recommend for someone first trying straight razors is the Feather Artist Club razor with ProGuard Blades. You learn the technique without having to worry about honing or stropping. And if you find straight razors not to your liking they're easy to resell.

Japanese style handle.

I'd agree on the Feather, but would recommend the Feather SS as easier to use initially. I've been getting great shaves with mine, and the blade is on its 25th shave with no problems at all.

Welcome to SRP

I would start with either the 5/8 or 6/8 Dovo that has been honed & shave tested. A lot more of us have used straight razors then have used a Feather so we can help you easier if questions arise.
Yes, stropping is a critical skill but it is not rocket science. There are several videos on proper stropping. I just watched one from Lynn Abrams on Youtube that was very good. Also look for the video by AFDavis.

Just my $.02

Welcome, and sounds like a good choice. I started with a dovo shavette, which uses a double edge razor blade, and within 2 weeks I purchased a real straight. There was no need to start with a shavette. Check out the videos from this site and you will learn as you go. As stated before, it's not rocket science. I wish you well and have fun.

Thanks for the tips everyone. After a bit more digging I went with the following;

Dovo Pearlex 6/8 Straight Razor
3" English Bridal Leather Strop-Chestnut
eShave Pre-Shave Oil - Orange Sandalwood
eShave Aftershave Soother, Orange Sandalwood
eShave Shaving Cream, Orange Sandalwood
Edwin Jagger Pure Bristle Shaving Brush
Col. Conk Styptic Pencil
Straight Razor Oil Pen

Maybe a little overboard for the first buy, but I figure the oils and styptic will come in handy even if I decide straight razor isn't for me (which I don't think will be the case), and I've heard good things about the eshave stuff, so why not give it a try.

I'll make sure to let you know how it all goes when I have my first go at it!

I got my kit just before I ran off to Europe for a couple months so I didn't add an update earlier.

I was pretty busy for most of my trip so I was only able to use it a few times while I was there, but I definitely liked the closeness of the shave. Unfortunately it definitely got a little waterlogged in my kit while I was traveling so it ended up with a couple rust spots. I had dried it after every use, but didn't take into account the water in my bag from the shampoo, soap, etc and the case wasn't waterproof.

Now that I'm back I'm still getting used to it. I'm having a hard time around my chin, Adam's apple and just below my nose though. I might have to get a stone soon too as it seems a little duller now. Might be just my stropping isn't up to snuff, but I'll keep practicing and hopefully I'll soon be a whiz with the razor.

Thanks again for the forum, was definitely a big help (I can only imagine how much worse I'd have done unguided).

Sounds more like you are just having trouble with the angles.. That comes with time