Thread: First Straight Razor for Beginner

Originally Posted by aribica59

Welcome to the forum. You certainly can't go wrong with the Dovo or with any of the other blades folks have been discussing. My only advice would be to spend less rather than more. You have a hankering for a straight shave ... might love it and become a member of the tribe ... or go back to the electric after you decide it's all too much work.

Get a basic blade, get it cheap, and see if you're hooked. If you are, then spend the $$$. This also gives a chance to try out a particular grind or shape.

Come to think of it, I have a drawer-full of oldies. Not fancy, but all good German or English steel, and all shave ready (or will be once I pick up the hones). I'd be happy to pass along a freebie if you give me a holler/private message. If you don't like it, pass it along to the next guy who's starting out.

Thank you so much for the offer, but I'm currently not interested in using used straight razors on my face.
Again thank you so much for your generosity. Hopefully others around this world will learn from your kind words.

Originally Posted by noy99

Thank you so much for the offer, but I'm currently not interested in using used straight razors on my face.
Again thank you so much for your generosity. Hopefully others around this world will learn from your kind words.

I am kinda the same way, I think, in regards to used straights. It sort of gives my brain a "hygienic thumbs down" sensation when I think about using a vintage razor. Even though some are real beaut's!

The solution: Barbercide. In fact, Sally's Beauty Supply where I got mine, you get a 16oz bottle of the concentrate for free if you buy the "Barbercide" jar that is synonymous with salons and barber shops. That added a layer of neatness to my budding shave den .

We are all different, thank God (whichever God you believe in, if any). It would be a very boring world if we were all the same! Personally, I can't see an issue with using a used, vintage razor. By not doing so, you are depriving yourself of a real pleasure. So many wonderful, quality old razors out there.

Suppose I should be pleased. That's less people bidding against me for that beautiful Boker...

I am very pleased to have one less person to bid against. I guess someone has to buy the new overinflated razors.

I own Dovo's and Ralf Aust razors. I prefer the R.A.

I just received my Ralf Aust 5/8 Straight Razor! I'm so happy that I R.A. b/c they truly are a beauty. Thanks to everyone who helped me on this forum.
---Though there is one problem, I can't shave my stubble facial hair.
I began shaving with a lather, (a bit too watery), and I would perform slow actions w/ a 30 degree angle and sometimes 50. I would easily hear the hair being shaved off w/ that loud noise of a full hollow ground, and then...... nothing when I was done. I shaved over my side burn area 3 times along with my chin and neck twice- But Nothing! I could tell that I a few were trimmed, (not shaved), but that's it.
My skin was burning during and after the shave. I used an Alum-Block and it stung like CRAZY everywhere I shaved on!

I will be attempting to shave again tomorrow, but I'm kind of worried. Not about cutting myself, (which I haven't so far, besides for bumping into a couple of my pimples) but rather about the burn that I experienced. I still feel a slight burn on my face, and I shaved 6 hours ago!

PS- This was purchased from Straight Razor Designs. I chose the package deal with their Latigo strop. I did not strop the blade before shaving due to the fact that it was already razor sharp and shave ready. It easily cut off my hair on my arm by just lightly touching them, and it also easily caught my skin on my thumb to test for sharpness.

PSS- This is my first time shaving manually at this, So basically, I've only used an electric all my life

ROUTINE: I prepped my face by soaking it with warm/hot water. I then soaked my Brush for 5min, (should have done 2min). I wiped off the oily lubricant on my blade from SRD. I performed a face lather. I then began shaving with my right hand on my right cheek at roughly a 30 degree angle with my left hand sometimes stretching my skin to provide for a smoother shave. I reapplied shaving cream 3 times, due to flakes falling. I washed my face with cold water and used the Alum-Block. Clean and dry Razor along with applying SRD oil on blade while keeping scales dry.

Edit: One more question, I found several black dots on the spine of my blade and on the face of it. Is this normal?
If not how do I treat it?

My experience starting out was a lot of razor burn on the first several shaves. As my technique improved the razor burn went away. You said that your blade angle was thirty degrees, sometimes 50. You really want to keep your blade angle under 30 degrees. Going above likely contributed to your razor burn. High blade angles will also dull the blade quickly.

+1 to what Leatherstockiings said. And remember NO PRESSURE. That is NOT a YMMV thing, it is a universal truth of wet shaving.

My .02: practice your lather when you want to wash your face. With that and being six shaves in, lather is still my weak spot.

Also lather related: since we noobs take a bit longer (still over an hour for me) to shave, it's best to lather in sections. My sections: sideburn & cheek, mustache, chin & sides of mouth, one side of neck +under jaw on that side, middle of neck.

It sounds like your lather is drying out on you, and lathering each section right before shaving it will help eliminate that variable.

Good luck & have fun!

Originally Posted by noy99

I just received my Ralf Aust 5/8 Straight Razor! I'm so happy that I R.A. b/c they truly are a beauty. Thanks to everyone who helped me on this forum.
---Though there is one problem, I can't shave my stubble facial hair.
I began shaving with a lather, (a bit too watery), and I would perform slow actions w/ a 30 degree angle and sometimes 50. I would easily hear the hair being shaved off w/ that loud noise of a full hollow ground, and then...... nothing when I was done. I shaved over my side burn area 3 times along with my chin and neck twice- But Nothing! I could tell that I a few were trimmed, (not shaved), but that's it.
My skin was burning during and after the shave. I used an Alum-Block and it stung like CRAZY everywhere I shaved on!

I will be attempting to shave again tomorrow, but I'm kind of worried. Not about cutting myself, (which I haven't so far, besides for bumping into a couple of my pimples) but rather about the burn that I experienced. I still feel a slight burn on my face, and I shaved 6 hours ago!

PS- This was purchased from Straight Razor Designs. I chose the package deal with their Latigo strop. I did not strop the blade before shaving due to the fact that it was already razor sharp and shave ready. It easily cut off my hair on my arm by just lightly touching them, and it also easily caught my skin on my thumb to test for sharpness.

PSS- This is my first time shaving manually at this, So basically, I've only used an electric all my life

ROUTINE: I prepped my face by soaking it with warm/hot water. I then soaked my Brush for 5min, (should have done 2min). I wiped off the oily lubricant on my blade from SRD. I performed a face lather. I then began shaving with my right hand on my right cheek at roughly a 30 degree angle with my left hand sometimes stretching my skin to provide for a smoother shave. I reapplied shaving cream 3 times, due to flakes falling. I washed my face with cold water and used the Alum-Block. Clean and dry Razor along with applying SRD oil on blade while keeping scales dry.

Edit: One more question, I found several black dots on the spine of my blade and on the face of it. Is this normal?
If not how do I treat it?

Watch this video on making a lather.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4zESTQWDuw

Low angle and NO PRESSURE!!!

Remember, it's about reduction with each pass. You're looking to hit singles not a grand slam..

That steep angle is essentially scraping away hair instead of cutting it and may also contribute to damaging the edge. Then it becomes a viscous circle.. Edge gets dulled, so you add more pressure and increase your angle in an attempt to cut whiskers and it just goes downhill from there.