Thread: Your 1st Straight Razor

Hmmm,

I got my first razor sometime in the late 1960s - a 5/8 Black Diamond from either Hegener's or Bowdin's Barber Supply in Minneapolis, MN. I still have it, somewhere. It's in one to those safe places that defy immediate access and it's there because I have graduated to larger razors - 7/8 seems to work the best for me now. Apparently the older more I get, the lazier more I become and the wider blade seems to be a bit less fussy about angles of attack, etc.

My first was a 5/8 full hollow square point Torrey in faux tortoise that I bought right here in the old BST from Izlat.

My first (and only) is an old Genco B2. Ten bucks at an antique store. It had problems like a rusted blade and ruined handles, but it fixed up nicely.



Phillip

Nice, what kind of wood are the scales?

I am probably amongst the majority when it comes to the reasons that influenced me in the purchase of my first razor:

1. I like to purchase new. So my first razor was a Dovo Best Value 6/8 in blond scales.
2. In retrospect, I am not too fond of 5/8th blades since I have big hands the 6/8th and wider blades complement well.
3. The razor was honed by a professional; that meant more time for me to spend learning how to shave and not worry about a dull blade.
4. It was reasonably priced.

Now days, I am eye-balling a 8/8 I just need to acquire a lip lopper.

My first was a C-Mon I bought for 20 bucks after picking up an Omega brush and soap kit that kicked off this journey.

It had one major spot of pitting and some other minor areas. The scales looked bad. I also nabbed a barbers hone and managed to get it kinda, sorta, almost, sharpish enough for a decently bad shave. It would cut whiskers, just not very well.

After a year of DE shaving I decided to restore the C-Mon and have it honed by a pro. The scales polished up very well.

It's still the razor I use since I don't see any reason to by a new one.

My first razor was a 6/8, round point, Blonde Dovo.
The first razor I purchased was a H.R. Boker, style 387.

nate

Originally Posted by livingontheedge

Nice, what kind of wood are the scales?

They're desert ironwood with sapwood. There's an ebony wedge, too. The whole thing can be easily disassembled for cleaning or maintenance (or if I just get bored with the current scales).

My first straight was a stainless, 5/8 round Fromm Eagle I bought, in my teens, at a mall knife shop about 25 years ago. The only instructions I had said to "practice shaving a balloon first". I didn't have much of a beard then so I actually managed a few shaves, giving myself a bunch of paper cut like nicks in the process. I bought a strop too but had no idea how to use it.

The razor stayed with my folks when I joined the service and just a few years ago came back to me with a bunch of stuff from my youth (the strop was lost). It sat in a drawer until I decided to get back into straight shaving about a year ago. I didn't start up with the Fromm, though, since (after perusing this site) I realized it wasn't likely shave ready. I did eventually manage to put a decent edge on it and it's a good shaver. It isn't my go to favorite shaver, but I can never get rid of it; it is my sentimental favorite.

My first straight was the classic starter from RupRazor, the Double Arrow (or it was at the time, now known as the Gold Dollar). I still break it out every now and again, and still get a good shave with it. The better I've gotten the more I've realized that if properly honed, that razor is a steal.