Thread: First Straight Razor for Beginner

Originally Posted by Scareface

Spend your money they way you want.
You'll continue to spend until you find what your looking for.
If you've never shaven with a straight you'll eventually find out what you don't know when you spend more money looking for nirvana.

That's the way I started that's why I have a Bismark that I've shaven twice with in the last year. And now eleven other blades that look pretty and shave me like crap. But I keep them because I find them to be good looking.

Thanks for the heads up.
I really like the Ralf Austs build quality and workmanship.
I'm probably going to purchase that "Cut Throat Blade" along with a strop, case, etc

Thank you so much everyone for the help, please continue to post on this thread about great straight razors as I haven't made my purchase yet!

Which Cut Throat Blade were you talking about. The Ralf Austs.

Also something to look out for, if you have used an electric your whole life. Get a razor with a ROUND point, and not any kind of square or spike point. This is NOT a matter of preference, it's a matter of safety.

Even a cartridge razor will bite you if your mind wanders too far, let alone if you are using a 3" knife without the added safety features on cartridges & a 90 degree tip pointed at your flesh!

The Bismarck is pretty, but I also find any well polished razor alluring... though, that could be the A.D.D. drawing me to shiny things again .

Definitely get a round point razor to start. They will all bite you at one time or another but the round point is much more user friendly to a noob.

My first razor was a 5/8 round point. it wasn't the best quality razor around but it taught me a lot. It doesn't see much use anymore but I'm grateful to have had a low end razor to make mistakes with. I learned how to properly and IMPROPERLY shave, strop, and hone with it. Not as pretty as it once was, but who cares. Now I can buy nicer razors and keep them looking that way.

Just wait till you get into soaps/creams, brushes, "HONES". OH my! you have plenty of things to spend that money on.

Originally Posted by Straightandproud

Definitely get a round point razor to start. They will all bite you at one time or another but the round point is much more user friendly to a noob.

My first razor was a 5/8 round point. it wasn't the best quality razor around but it taught me a lot. It doesn't see much use anymore but I'm grateful to have had a low end razor to make mistakes with. I learned how to properly and IMPROPERLY shave, strop, and hone with it. Not as pretty as it once was, but who cares. Now I can buy nicer razors and keep them looking that way.

Just wait till you get into soaps/creams, brushes, "HONES". OH my! you have plenty of things to spend that money on.

I will keep my eyes peeled for any good listings of a round point blade, but for now I think I have rested upon the Ralf Aust Spanish Point as my first straight razor or razor for that manner.

Welcome to the addiction. I have learned a hell of a lot from all of the fine members at SRP. probably couldn't have done it without them.

I'm fairly new to this myself, and can tell you, the advice given here is all about making you successful in your quest. Pretty is nice, but function is far superior. An ugly blade that's sharp and holds an edge is way better than pretty and won't cut hot butter. Listen to these folks and they'll save your neck, and maybe some cash too. Good Luck and enjoy.

I've been straight razor shaving since the fall of 2014. I bought a brand new Dovo Inox. I've enjoyed the shaves it has given me. Yes.... I agree with the allure of liking how it looks. Looks and function are important. Cost is another factor too. Some people like brand new, never used before razors and others like vintage razors. Each to their own. In time you'll try other razors. Trust me on this. The longer you are doing wet shaving with a SR the more broaden your knowledge will be. Curiosity will get the best of you. Some guys only have a handful of razors they use in their rotation. Some have more than you could imagine. Listen to what these guys say. They won't steer you wrong. When buying the razor though, ask questions to the vendor, is it shave ready, do they have a follow honing, etc.. Or when you make the decision on you the one you want to purchase ask questions here. Sometimes it isn't always what you want to hear either. What will work best for one person, will not always work for another. Everyone's face is different.


When you do get that great shave with whichever SR you do get, that feeling will be priceless no matter how much you spend on it. And a side note..... Most of the major straight razor manufacturing companies..... The quality is there and will last for years of many shaves depending on how you care for it too. Avoid the cheapos. They have an avoid list here in wiki.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by noy99

...
I know you guys love used blades, but personally I never like to buy things used, unless if they are so darn cheap that it wouldn't make a difference anyways-which sadly doesn't apply to any enthusiastic hobby

I was thinking for a moment....That I not only want something to get the job done, but to be appealing to my eyes and make me feel special when I hold it in my hands. I really like the Thiers-Issard blade, except that I don't know if its a round point and I have no Idea how their blades hold up over the years.

I can't blame you for wanting a new blade. I had decided my first, at least, would be brand new. I'm more of a function over fashion kind of guy, so something on the simple side was just fine. My education here also told me the SR needs to be sharp. I just got my Dovo Best Quality 5/8 full hollow with 3" strop from SRD yesterday, the shave will be after work today.

My decision to buy new was based on two factors. Get started on the right foot with the right tool for the job (90%). Who's problems, that I'm not qualified to fix yet, am I inheriting with this used item; +hygienic (10%, I know logically it's a simple matter to disinfect steel).

To teach myself honing and the likes, I bought two razors at an antique mall for a total of $24; so as to avoid doing something I'd regret to my new shiny.

Good luck & have fun.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

In the long run looks can be deceiving. The shave you get from a razor should be the prime consideration....

Agree with this recommendation.. If we rely solely on looks, we would all own a few hundred straights. There are so many that look nice, but that's where it ends...

Originally Posted by Phrank

...I have a Dovo Bismarck, and it is not what I would consider a great razor, personally, it has just never really delivered great shaves...YMMV.

I agree here as well. I have a Dovo Flowing. Essentially a Bismark with a scalloped spine. I love the looks and the ergonomics, but the shave just isn't on par. It gets very little use. It's sentimental value is what keeps it in my collection.

Originally Posted by noy99

You might freak out by this...but I believe I'm changing my mind on my previous decision for what razor I should get.

I really want a round point blade with a really nice body for under $150. , e.g. high quality SHINY plastic, wood, etc.
(Round point because I care about my safety and I dont want to carve out a chunk of my face everytime I use it)

.....I know you guys love used blades, but personally I never like to buy things used, unless if they are so darn cheap that it wouldn't make a difference anyways-which sadly doesn't apply to any enthusiastic hobby

You know... You can buy a great used blade with a set of crap, boring scales and have it either restored or give it a new set of scales that have all the bling factor and are EXACTLY what you like, and probably end up spending less.. There are a good many artisans who can help you with the scales and it's not all that expensive. What could have more cool factor than custom design?

No doubt Ti & Ralf Aust have both function and form. I have both and they are at the upper end of my rotation.

Spending $200 on a Ti won't necessarily yield you a better shave than if you spent a third of that on a starter blade with all the right specs (round point, half to quarter hollow etc) and then added a set of custom scales with all the bells and whistles for another $100 and put the balance into a nice brush and soap.