Thread: Favorite Straight Razor

Originally Posted by evnpar

The question was about a favorite razor, not necessarily a best shaver. For some, their favorite might be their best shaving razor, but for others it might be their oldest, rarest razor, or one from an artisan. My best shaver is one of my Iwasaki razors, although if I had to pick one favorite it would be a custom Tim Zowada. There is such a difference between Japanese straights and Solingen, Sheffield, and Swedish straights, that I tend to think of my favorites as one from each group. What I shave most frequently with, my daily driver, has more to do with size, grind, weight, and what just feels right in my hand, and has nothing to do with appearance, cost, or rarity. Lately it's been a Friodur 17 1/2 7/8 half-hollow razor that's not expensive, doesn't have fancy scales or blade decoration, is very common, and is just a joy to shave with. Several characteristics that I like in a razor all seem to come together in this one razor. That doesn't mean that I'm not attracted to fancy scales or blade decoration, or to a unique razor from an artisan, or to Tom's gorgeous razors, but if I had to pick only one razor to take to a desert island, it would be this Friodur.

That was a very good answer to my question! If you had to pick just one.....

Originally Posted by evnpar

The question was about a favorite razor, not necessarily a best shaver. For some, their favorite might be their best shaving razor, but for others it might be their oldest, rarest razor, or one from an artisan. My best shaver is one of my Iwasaki razors, although if I had to pick one favorite it would be a custom Tim Zowada. There is such a difference between Japanese straights and Solingen, Sheffield, and Swedish straights, that I tend to think of my favorites as one from each group. What I shave most frequently with, my daily driver, has more to do with size, grind, weight, and what just feels right in my hand, and has nothing to do with appearance, cost, or rarity. Lately it's been a Friodur 17 1/2 7/8 half-hollow razor that's not expensive, doesn't have fancy scales or blade decoration, is very common, and is just a joy to shave with. Several characteristics that I like in a razor all seem to come together in this one razor. That doesn't mean that I'm not attracted to fancy scales or blade decoration, or to a unique razor from an artisan, or to Tom's gorgeous razors, but if I had to pick only one razor to take to a desert island, it would be this Friodur.

An excellent answer to the question! If you had to choose just one.....

if I had to choose just one,,, hummmm the one with a great edge! cause as long as my edge is right I love them all. from 5/8 el cheapo to high end custom. it really is about the edge. now some razors take an edge better so it would be pretty hard to beat no matter what other razors. now to qualify this,, do we get a strop, and hone? otherwise my favorite wont be favorite after a while Tc

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

I don’t have any “special” razors, no collector specimens or anything exceptionally rare. I have many really nice ones but the ones I buy, I buy to use. If I could only keep one I guess it would be my W&B FBU. It’s a big, heavy, near wedge in black horn scales. It always takes and keeps a great edge. It’s easy to hone and it shaves like a dream.

Of late, I seem to have fallen into a pattern of waiting 1-2 weeks between shaves, and find that I turn to any one of my three 6/8" near wedge razors; in particular, the heaviest of the three -- my Wheatly Brothers Wheat Sheaf -- which cuts through those hairs while enabling me to guide the blade, rather than push or pull it.

SOTD from 12 February 2008