A first straight razor? Please advise!

Hello One and All!

I have found your brilliant website and have enjoyed reading the countless invaluable articles. I can see there is a steep learning curve ahead of me!

I am researching the various aspects of the kit, and the item I am most intrigued by is the razor. I think I will need a great deal of help with making a purchase.

I would be quite happy starting out with a competent carbon steel razor. However, I would not wish to inadvertently invest in something worthless and which cannot be keened or even provide a satisfactory shave.

I live in the UK, and so have seen only one entry level carbon steel straight razor available from several of the more reputable online retailers.

Carbon Steel Open Razor

So would this razor be worthy of an honest shaver's time and money? Has anyone had any experience of it?

I have emailed this retailer to ask whether it would be sold pre-honed and shave ready. I await their reponse.

Thank you.

Pipps

Your best bet would be to peruse the classifieds here on SRP. Quality and affordability, everyone here has a reputation to protect.

That razor is on the SRP list of brands to avoid :nono::

Brands of Straight Razors to avoid - Straight Razor Place Wiki

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...get-sharp.html

I got my first razor, a wapienica, from theinvisibleedge
which was honed shave ready and cheaper than the one you posted too!

Getting a shave ready vintage razor from the classifieds would probably work out a similar price, and could turn out to be a better blade than the wapi.
Sadly, many of the razors there are from the wrong side of the pond! :(

Classifieds, ignore NEW cheap razors.

5/8 "Blue Steel" full hollow - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Something like that, perfect

Dear Moisty, thank you so much for your invaluable advice and the reference to the Wiki!

Although I should mention, the brand I had seen was a 'Cyril R Salter', and the one mentioned in the Wiki is a 'Cyril S Salter'. I suppose it makes little difference - they're probably the same, bad, company?

Thank you for mentioning TheInvisibleEdge. Coincidentally, I found his website not long after posting my first message, here, last night. He does appear to know exactly what he's doing, and positions himself far above any typical 'retailer' in terms of customer service and quality.

He also supplies Dovos at less than half the usual price. And his Dovos will be pre-honed and shave-ready, too.

What do you think of his Dovo 101581 - the first razor picture on this page.

Thank you again for invaluable advice!

i think i was the one who put salter in the wiki, sorry if i made a typo.
i'd suggest opting for the larger size dovo 5/8 instead of 4/8.

I don't think there is anything 'wrong' with any of those Dovos, I might be tempted - if I was starting out, to get the 5/8 not the 4/8.

5/8 is a bit of a base line, a lot of guys wouldn't use smaller than a 5/8 and they often get recommended to new guys.

Personally, my preference lies with 4/8 blades, and I have one of those 4/8 dovos on the way from a trade. It would seem, however, that I am in the minority on that one.

Dear Sirs, thank you for both recommending the 5/8 Dovo over the 4/8 variety.

However, I am mindful that I might possibly be more suitable to a 4/8.

What would determine which sized blade might be preferable for a particular man's face and skin-type?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pipps

However, I am mindful that I might possibly be more suitable to a 4/8.

What would determine which sized blade might be preferable for a particular man's face and skin-type?

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Welcome to SRP.

Personally (and almost everything about straight shaving is very personal), I would advise to go for a bigger blade. The advantage of a small blade is its manoeuvrability, which, incidentally, is also its biggest disadvantage for a beginner. Getting the angle right is probably the most important part to be learnt for a beginner (apart from not cutting off ears or your nose): Advanced shaving techniques for the straight razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki.

If I had to start over, I would go for a nice 5/8 or 6/8 from the Classifieds.

Regards,
Robin

I found a 4/8 razor a little too fiddly to use, and I am no clumsy oaf with most other things (my work involves working with some tiny machine parts for textile manufacture).
Fantastic for touching up awkward to get to areas though, but I found a 5/8 was much more controllable and a little more forgiving for actually shaving with. You need all the forgiving a razor has when you are learning! ;)

I am actually a little sad that I didn't like the 4/8, as it belonged to my grandfather and possibly his father before him. It's a cute little "THE MAB" midget! Still, as I have found how handy it is for awkward areas, it probably gets used more times than my others even if it doesn't get the same mileage!!:p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by m0isty

I am actually a little sad that I didn't like the 4/8, as it belonged to my grandfather and possibly his father before him. It's a cute little "THE MAB" midget! Still, as I have found how handy it is for awkward areas, it probably gets used more times than my others even if it doesn't get the same mileage!!:p

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Ah, now, the MABs are a little different in my experience. I don't find mine difficult to use, but it does have a distinctly different feel to my other narrow blades - I believe this is down to the short blade length. I like mine a lot.

If you really like the idea of a 4/8, then it is technically as capable as any other razor.

Don't get me wrong, I love the little thing to bits!:D As you say though, it is tiny even for a 4/8 so handles differently to most other razors.
And I really did try to get used to it, as it has sentimental value as well as being cute, but I prefer a slightly larger blade. My current favourite is a 13/16 ERN . My second fave is a 5/8 Carnos!