Thread: Help choosing new razor.

Long time lurker first time posting. Well anyway a few years ago started wet shaving got a couple of straights from the barbershop then sent them out to have honed from this site. Proceeded to cut up my face pretty bad cause of my own stupidity and impatience. So I switched to safety razors. Well I broke my leg and have plenty of time to practice what I have for razors are an old Imperial safety 20507 and a Geo Wonstenholm and son pipe razor. I would like to buy a new razor that is better than what I have.I was looking at Dovo and Theirs issard. So my question is what is better in blade quality that what I have now? The confusing thing is when I look at what I own I see that restored they still sell for decent money used.
I was thinking of half hollow but a little confused on blade materials.

thanks for the help..

If it's been honed by one of our resident pros, then no you won't find anything that shaves better,mist all you right now the technique takes months to get good with, as a long time lurker you should have read thru the library on starting out as a beginner. If your blade was honed you just need to try to follow a smooth logical path, beginning at leaning to strop so your blade will stay sharp, learn our prep, and then go slow taking one section of face at a time till you get a good handle on angle and positions of the razor in your hand. Changing equipment will not make you a better shave if what you have is serviceable, and no honer on this site would put an edge on a razor not worth having.
Post pictures of it and get into the library and do some reading , lots of good stuff n there. Tc

Yah I have used a few razors now and though I like some more than the others the shave is really about the same.... it just takes a long time to learn ....assuming you have a quality blade to start with that is

Hey thanks for reply. Spent hours and hours reading etc. At 47 years old I am really wishing my dad or someone had shown me how to shave when I was young. I will continue the battle as it is with it!!!

I have nothing really new to add. A quality edge and a good technique and it really does not matter the age of the blade. If your edges are a couple of years old they may need a refresh, even though you have not used them much. The edge is pretty fine and is subject to storage issues more so than the rest of the blade. Also stropping technique is paramount to keeping a good edge. Other than that is is all about technique for shaving. The basic advice on that is keep your skin taught, your blade angle low, your lather wet, and your pressure should be so light you are shaving the lather not the whiskers. If you are getting nicks you are using too high of an angle or too much pressure.

Originally Posted by steverobbinssteve

Hey thanks for reply. Spent hours and hours reading etc. At 47 years old I am really wishing my dad or someone had shown me how to shave when I was young. I will continue the battle as it is with it!!!

Your Dad may have been like mine-----preaching the virtues of an abomination called Norelco.

Originally Posted by steverobbinssteve

Hey thanks for reply. Spent hours and hours reading etc. At 47 years old I am really wishing my dad or someone had shown me how to shave when I was young. I will continue the battle as it is with it!!!

Read and ask questions mainly but between the TI or Dovo I don't think you can go wrong as both are highly favored and respected. Now that comes with a caveat of the razor is presumably "honed" and shave ready. But if you have yet to buy I would look very close to a basic razor < in other words no fancy scales or engravings and such. That razor would be a Ralf Aust 5/8 with the black acrylic scales with a the round toe profile. This razor if bought from SRD is I believe $103 and will come truly shave ready and makes a nice first or even a nice razor for the rotation in any man's stable! Good luck and report back to us when you decide what to get. You will also want a leather strop for daily maintaining. I don't shave daily myself but I know a lot here do.

Doubt you can beat the wostenholm if it's in good shape. Otherwise I second Aust, but I prefer 6/8. Find them easier to strop.