Thread: Ralf Aust Razor Club

I'm still new to this SR shaving thing and had the classic Dovo round point like everyone suggested. It was fine on all the flat areas of my face but I had a lot of trouble in the nooks and crannies like near my mouth chin and ears and I nearly gave up. Fortunately I saw some stuff on this forum about the Ralf Austs and how you get so much for your money so I decided to give a different blade style a try and bought that 6/8 Spanish point. It made a world of difference. With the point I'm able to shave my entire face not just my cheeks/neck and it added just a little more heft to get through the courser hairs. The Ralf Aust definitely saved me as a SR shaver. The only problem is they make a 7/8 and if a 6/8 was better than a 5/8 it would stand to reason...

Originally Posted by 130Nav

I'm still new to this SR shaving thing and had the classic Dovo round point like everyone suggested. It was fine on all the flat areas of my face but I had a lot of trouble in the nooks and crannies like near my mouth chin and ears and I nearly gave up. Fortunately I saw some stuff on this forum about the Ralf Austs and how you get so much for your money so I decided to give a different blade style a try and bought that 6/8 Spanish point. It made a world of difference. With the point I'm able to shave my entire face not just my cheeks/neck and it added just a little more heft to get through the courser hairs. The Ralf Aust definitely saved me as a SR shaver. The only problem is they make a 7/8 and if a 6/8 was better than a 5/8 it would stand to reason...

I have yet to get a 7/8 razor but may have to one day to see if the added weight does indeed plow through the hair. The 6/8 so far is my favorite size overall.

I would love to pick up another RA for sure. My best shaver is the RA 5/8 with black acrylic scales! That razor keeps a insane edge!

Hello all,

I am new to straight razor shaving. I've known for quite a while, over a year, that I wanted to go the straight razor route but kept putting it off, continuing to use my Merkur DE. A little over a week ago I joined SRP and started lurking. A short time after that I started asking questions. I fairly quickly decided that I needed to start at Straight Razor Designs (SRD). I posed a couple of questions to Don at SRD and he steered me to the Ralf Aust 5/8" for a little over $100. I kept suggesting more expensive razors and he kept coming back with the Ralf Aust 5/8". Well, long story short, I ordered the Ralf Aust 5/8", with bridle leather strop, Monday evening and it arrived today.

I excitedly opened the box and have to say that I was a little shocked, not disappointed, but shocked. I don't know why but I was expecting the razor to be larger/longer/heavier. After shaving with it within the last hour I am very glad that it is exactly as is.

I am a knucklehead but learn pretty quickly from my mistakes. I jumped right in this evening. No shower before shaving. No facial prep before shaving. I just jumped....right....in! Mistake. Not the worse thing in the world but I have no doubt that had I completed the pre-shave prep not only would my beard have come off easier but the entire experience would have been better. I was eager to try my new razor out. I put soap on a small portion of the right side of my face, favoring the fact that I am right handed. I touched the razor to my face and gently pulled it through the soap. Dang! I was removing whiskers! Excitedly, I soaped the rest of my face and repeated the procedure. I WAS SHAVING WITH A STRAIGHT RAZOR!!! And...I was doing a pretty good job! Taking my time, I moved around my face, applying more soap when/where necessary. When all was said and done it turned out pretty darn good. A couple of nicks under the nose and one place that I had to touch up with my Merkur but, overall, very happy not only with my new Ralf Aust but also with my ability to use it appropriately. I don't know why I waited so long to do this.

Here are a couple of photos:

Welcome Rosborn to SRP and the lovers of Ralf Aust. I have that razor, and mine too is a great shaver. I now have about 10 others of various makes and sizes, but I still keep that one in my rotation. You can pay a lot more for a modern straight razor, but essentially, you'll be paying for decoration (prettiness), not better quality. Shave on!

Originally Posted by Haroldg48

Welcome Rosborn to SRP and the lovers of Ralf Aust. I have that razor, and mine too is a great shaver. I now have about 10 others of various makes and sizes, but I still keep that one in my rotation. You can pay a lot more for a modern straight razor, but essentially, you'll be paying for decoration (prettiness), not better quality. Shave on!

Thanks Harold!

Please share some of your other razors with me and what your shave routine is.

Thanks again.

You are hooked! No, these razors are not heavy. But they are balanced well and very very sharp! Glad you had a great first shave. The touch ups with a DE or otherwise will lessen with skin stretching techniques you can employee. As far as the nose area.....look up the fools pass technique. Great one to learn but must do it right. Enjoy!

Originally Posted by Michael70

You are hooked! No, these razors are not heavy. But they are balanced well and very very sharp! Glad you had a great first shave. The touch ups with a DE or otherwise will lessen with skin stretching techniques you can employee. As far as the nose area.....look up the fools pass technique. Great one to learn but must do it right. Enjoy!

To be honest, I am fairly certain that the nicks were the results of not properly preparing my face. I had to do too many passes over my entire face with the grain. Next time I will do it right.

Yeah, I am hooked. I mean, how cool is it that we take a sharpened piece of steel, a real razor sharp piece of metal, and cut the growth off our faces? Way cool!

Glad to share. My prep is a little unorthodox, depending on your point of view. I have abandoned the hot towel, hot lather in a scuttle approach to a lukewarm or cool water wash with a good soap (I use Dove), followed by loading the brush with the same temp water, and either building some lather in a mug, or face lathering. Whichever I choose I get my face really wet first by splashing a LOT of water on it and then lather really well. As you commented in another post, I believe the lather and water combo on the face is the key IF you have a sharp shave-ready razor. When I get a sub par shave, I know it's my lather, and each soap or cream is a little different. While you're fairly new, I'd stick with one to eliminate that variable.
As to my razors, for new, modern ones I have the R. Aust like yours, a R. Aust 6/8 stainless, a Dovo Prima Klang 5/8, a Hoffritz 5/8 that was my first 30 years ago, a Boker 6/8 "Silver Steel", and a 7/8 Robert Williams custom. In the vintage category, I have a Wade and Butcher 6/8 in ivory scales (my favorite), a George Butler Art 6/8, a Taylor Eyewitness (6/8,I think), A Burrell Top Flight 5/8, and a Henckel 5/8 shorty that was a gift from a member. I've attached some pictures in no special order.

Originally Posted by rosborn

Thanks Harold!

Please share some of your other razors with me and what your shave routine is.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Haroldg48

Glad to share. My prep is a little unorthodox, depending on your point of view. I have abandoned the hot towel, hot lather in a scuttle approach to a lukewarm or cool water wash with a good soap (I use Dove), followed by loading the brush with the same temp water, and either building some lather in a mug, or face lathering. Whichever I choose I get my face really wet first by splashing a LOT of water on it and then lather really well. As you commented in another post, I believe the lather and water combo on the face is the key IF you have a sharp shave-ready razor. When I get a sub par shave, I know it's my lather, and each soap or cream is a little different. While you're fairly new, I'd stick with one to eliminate that variable.
As to my razors, for new, modern ones I have the R. Aust like yours, a R. Aust 6/8 stainless, a Dovo Prima Klang 5/8, a Hoffritz 5/8 that was my first 30 years ago, a Boker 6/8 "Silver Steel", and a 7/8 Robert Williams custom. In the vintage category, I have a Wade and Butcher 6/8 in ivory scales (my favorite), a George Butler Art 6/8, a Taylor Eyewitness (6/8,I think), A Burrell Top Flight 5/8, and a Henckel 5/8 shorty that was a gift from a member. I've attached some pictures in no special order.

Very nice collection!

I am so new to straight razor shaving that I don't even know what soaps/creams I do like. On the other hand, I am experienced enough at DE shaving that I can tell you that I don't really care for Van der Hagen shaving soap. I have been using it exclusively for over a year now and have dealt with its short lather lifesoan. That was "okay" while DE shaving but it was a no go during my first attempt at SR shaving. Not only was it not "slickery" enough but it's short lather lifespan meant that I had to keep reapplying it during the shave process. I did get a sampler of AOS sandalwood scented "stuff" (pre shave, cream and balm) today, as well as Black Jack shaving cream, today that I am going to give a whirl.

My first shave went remarkably well with the Van der Hagen with only three small nicks. The SR blade was freshly honed from SRD and is VERY sharp. However, it did not travel smoothly across my face resulting in multiple passes over the same areas contributing to a fair amount of razor burn. Some Nivea Smooth Sensation lotion took care of that and my face recovered nicely. I am not willing to place all of the blame on Van der Hagen. Obviously, a large portion of the discomfort can be placed on less than stellar newbie SR shaving techniques but the soap could have been more helpful.

At any rate, I am hooked and I love being a SR shaving devotee. My technique will improve and I am committed to making this the only method of removing stubble from my face.

Originally Posted by Haroldg48

Glad to share. My prep is a little unorthodox, depending on your point of view. I have abandoned the hot towel, hot lather in a scuttle approach to a lukewarm or cool water wash with a good soap (I use Dove), followed by loading the brush with the same temp water, and either building some lather in a mug, or face lathering. Whichever I choose I get my face really wet first by splashing a LOT of water on it and then lather really well. As you commented in another post, I believe the lather and water combo on the face is the key IF you have a sharp shave-ready razor. When I get a sub par shave, I know it's my lather, and each soap or cream is a little different. While you're fairly new, I'd stick with one to eliminate that variable.
As to my razors, for new, modern ones I have the R. Aust like yours, a R. Aust 6/8 stainless, a Dovo Prima Klang 5/8, a Hoffritz 5/8 that was my first 30 years ago, a Boker 6/8 "Silver Steel", and a 7/8 Robert Williams custom. In the vintage category, I have a Wade and Butcher 6/8 in ivory scales (my favorite), a George Butler Art 6/8, a Taylor Eyewitness (6/8,I think), A Burrell Top Flight 5/8, and a Henckel 5/8 shorty that was a gift from a member. I've attached some pictures in no special order.

A very nice collection Harold.