Thread: Help choosing a new razor

At the moment I have a nice Wade and butcher getting restored and I have a nice Geneva cutlery straight razor. I am wanting to add one more razor to my collection and wanted to hear what you guys would choose.
I am stuck between choosing a Bengall, Dubl Duck, Puma, or maybe a Wostenholm.

Curious to what you guys would choose, I think I am leaning towards dubl duck but wanted to know how the bengall and puma compared to the duck. Just seen a few really nice looking pumas/bengalls but trying to wait for a nice duck to pop up.

If I couldn't find a Wostenholm IXL, I would probably look at getting a nice Puma. I've only had mild interest in DD blades, so take my recommendation with a grain of salt.

First choice would be a heavy George Wostenholm.

I don't have a Bengal but do have a Puma 18, some Wosties and some DDs. As far as shaving there is not much difference between the ones I own. I imagine a Bengal would be just as good.

If it were me, I'd be on the look out for a nice condition DD #1 special to test the DD waters with. Same great blade and shave as the fancier ones but normally had at much more reasonable prices. Most people are after the fancier DDs but consider fancy/pretty don't shave.

Bob

A Red Imp is hard to beat. There are many good vintage razors out in the wild. As long as the blade is straight & no weird bevel issues you should be safe.
I don't like to use tape to hone razors as alot of the time the razor was never honed with tape. Once you start to use tape on a blade you ALWAYS have to keep using it.The best shaver I own is a mid 1800's 6/8" Wade & Butcher hollow ground. Had a good edge when I got it & with little work it shaved really smooth but the next W&B that looks just like it could be very hard to put an edge on. I would say in general I have found the German razors to be more consistent And better to get started with . Also American razors are a great choice.

Slawman

If you are looking for a well rounded rotation, then one of the things you might want to consider is what grinds you have and which ones you would like to try. Personally I tend to like the 1/2 hollows the most but do like to use the heavier grinds and the extra hollows every now and then too. Just another thought to add to the brands. Also like BobH said, the pretty the razor does not make it a better shaver, however some razors are just worth sitting and admiring.

Originally Posted by Slawman

Once you start to use tape on a blade you ALWAYS have to keep using it.

I have no intention of sidetracking this thread, but the above statement is false. In fact gssixgun has a video on YouTube showing how quickly you can reset a bevel from tape to no tape in a minute or so with a Chosera 5k. It's your choice wether or not to hone with tape, but that should never be a consideration when choosing a vintage razor.

Yea I am not to worried about the looks just looking at how they shave, thanks for all the input everyone. Might just go with Puma but I will see what pops up thanks again.
Also I usually hone without tape however that doesn't mean I wouldn't use tape just depends on the situation.

Let me go against the grain and offer an option that wasn't really on your list. I'll also admit to being a tyro myself with only six months of shaving with a straight razor under my belt so you can be sure that this is only an opinion.

Don't chase a certain razor at this point.

Simple as that. My approach has to buy affordable, user-grade, vintage razors so that I can try a number of different makes, sizes and grinds. At this point I have found a preference for 6/8, full hollow blades with a slight smile or "swaybacks" as I've seen some describe them. I also love my American razors and I feel far too many people simply ignore some great razors as they chase the allure of European blades. The fact of the matter is that while I've discovered preferences I've only tried a small fraction of the different razor designs out there.

At this point I keep an eye out for the 6/8 blades I know I like, a Shumate or two to add to my small but growing collection and razors of sizes and grinds that I haven't yet tried.

They will all give you a super shave. Condition should dictate your purchase but assuming they are in mint condition I would take the Puma followed by the DD. I've never had a bad one from either and they are easy to maintain.