Straight Razor recommendations

Hello everyone,

I am new to the world of straight razors and realize there are a lot of options. I have worked in the food industry so J A Henckels is a familiar name but what about the rest?
As with anything else, price usually indicates quality. I have done a few searches on Dovo, Filarmonica, Henckels, Dubl Duck and Wade & Butcher. I am seeing different widths, full hollow, extra hollow, half hollow... There are Many options to say the least.
Now, as for me I have shaved with a Mach 3 for years and have recently acquired a Merkur 34C DE razor, Feather blades, a Kent Badger brush and several soaps and AS's. The DE has given me the closest shave I have ever had but still, I want more!
My skin is very sensitive and is irritated easily. I would like to shave on a daily basis using my newly learned wet shaving method but can only shave every few days or so.
It makes sense a sharper blade will have much less resistance, and cause less irritation. So along with a "new" (new to me) razor that is shave ready, I should also purchase a strop.
Now, given the information provided, I would like to hear what razors and strops you guys recommend.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing your feedback!

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Originally Posted by jasalvas

Now, given the information provided, I would like to hear what razors and strops you guys recommend.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing your feedback!

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I'm still pretty new, but here is my $0.02.

First off, keep using the DE. It's great practice on the prepping for the shave and still allows you to map out your beard growth.
For your first Straight Razor (SR) and Strop, I would go one of three routes. When buying a SR, the most important thing is that it is truly shave ready. These options will give you that.

1) Cheapest: Buy a SR off of the classifeds here or try the "sight unseen ugly" razors from Whipped Dog.
2) Mid Range: Once again, look at the classifeids on this site, there is a range of prices. Look at some of the websites for members who have vendor badges here. They will usually have some cheaper SR (not a popular name, not a mirror polish or whatnot).
3) "Higher End": You can start getting some new or good looking vintage razors in this range. Look on the classifieds, memebrs vendor sites, and any of the sites that have advertising banners on this forum.

For a strop, go cheaper with your first one. EVERYONE nicks up thier first strop sooner or later. Part of the learning process. The options above are a good place to start looking for strops as well.

Best of luck, its a great hobby :)

I find that there's a balance between size, grind, and weight, and that for starters a 5/8" wedge usually has enough weight so that one doesn't have to power (push) the blade through the stubble, maintaining the proper control of the blade, but not too much weight (which would put the focus on "braking" the blade, with a corresponding loss of control or concentration). YMMV.

I recommend getting one like that from the SRP Classifieds; if it's not "shave ready", send it out to one of the recommended honemeisters.

This is probably the most asked question on this forum and one of the hardest to answer. You will probably get a wide variety of recommendations which will leave you right back where you started. There are hundreds of new and vintage razors that are being used with good results every day. Everyone has their favorites, but there is no unanimity of which is the best. Any razor with quality steel that has been properly honed and maintained will give you a good shave. All the rest is bells and whistles. Dollars and cents. Personal preference. If you type "which razor" in the search box at the top of the page you will find many similar postings and a wide range of suggestions. And I'm sure more suggestions will follow in your posting. Good luck in making your decision. My two cents worth is to look in the classified section of this forum and find a shave ready vintage razor that fits into your price range. There's always the chance that this type of shaving may not suit you. In which case IMO it is foolish to spend a lot only to not use the razor. If you find that you are hooked on straight razor shaving you can always upgrade later. Especially since it is handy to have more than one razor anyway.

Regards - Walt

Thanks for the info gentlemen. I have been looking here and there and hope to make a purchase by weeks end. Like I said my Merkur DE has done the job but I would like a more aggressive tool.

My ultimate goal was to be using a straight razor within a year or so, using DE's as an entry way to wet shaving. When I first tried my Merkur I was impressed and dissapointed at the same time. As you said Walt, "it is foolish to spend a lot only to not use the razor". Rather than go for a Merkur 39C for the slant and aggression, then to a straight in 6 months... the water looks just fine right now.

I have come across a few blades I would like to try and will do so sooner than later. Once I purchase a razor I will be posting more with new questions on ways to hone or strop I'm sure.

If anyone comes across the thread and would like to add something, there can never be too much information posted.

Thanks again for the feedback!