Thread: help me

im just starting out with a straight razor and so far i love it but i have a really cheap razor. my question to everyone is what is the best razor to buy. and on that note ii am very good with knives i can keep then sharp enough to shave is there any difference with the edge of a razor. last where can i buy a good razor.

Ask what the best razor is of 20 people and you'll get 19 answers. What kind of razor do you currently have and do you know what style of razor you like? (ie point, grind &c)

As for where to buy a good razor our buy/sell/trade forum usually has some great options at good prices and they're truly shave ready.

there is not best... it is largely a matter of personal preference once you get beyond the "razor shaped objects" and into real razors.

the best place to find them would be right over in the b/s/t forum... just place a want to buy message and list your desires and price ranges and somebody or a dozen will wander by and present you with offers.

we do like spreading the good news of straight razors so look and ask questions!

by the way welcome to SRP your new home!

Use the B/S/T forum. That is the best advice.

Sharpening.... knife skills and razor skills are different. We have a bunch of knife guys here that will attest to that point. Look in the general forum/videos and watch the 9 part video on honing. Also purchase the DVD sold by the founder of this site, Lynn Abrams. Then read all the stickies/FAQ in the hones forum. Then you will have a good starting point.

Hope this helps,

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Sharpening.... knife skills and razor skills are different.

+1 to that. People think that if they can get a knife sharp enough to shave the hair off of their arm, they have it razor sharp. Try shaving with that knife and you'll see what I mean.

I'm wondering what cheap razor you have? Honestly, I think the cheapest Dovo or Fromm razors are going to give you a damned good a shave once they're honed up.

I recently got hold of a dovo Bismark Special 5/8 hollow ground .
After a short time on my spyderco Ultra Fine hone its come up with an excellent edge that has rewarded me with some excellent shaves .So base on my recent experience I would recommmend any Dovo as agood start But only after its been honed to give you a good starting point.Paul

You mentioned you had a really cheap razor but did not mention what it was. You may have obtained it really cheap but it may be a really good razor. You may have all you need for now. I would echo the comments of others about knife sharpening skills not being the same as razor sharpening skills. In addition, the tools (hones) are not the same. You will need much finer grit hones than you use for your knives. You are effectively polishing the edge to have much finer serations than you have on a kitchen knife or other utility knife.
It is really very hard to recommend a razor to you. You will have to determine what your preference is in terms of blade width, grind, point and finish. I tend to prefer 6/8 or 7/8 razors in half hollow or quarter hollow grind. I have a number of full hollow razors but they are not my favorites. My favorite point design is a barber's notch or spanish point. However, I also like the french point design. These are all things that you will have to determine for yourself. So, even though I have talked about my preferences, you need to discover your preferences.

Enjoy the journey!

Originally Posted by tiredofwastingmoney

im just starting out with a straight razor and so far i love it but i have a really cheap razor. my question to everyone is what is the best razor to buy. and on that note ii am very good with knives i can keep then sharp enough to shave is there any difference with the edge of a razor. last where can i buy a good razor.