Disposable straights vs real straights (here, Dovo SE v. Dovo Shavette)

Hey all - I'm just getting started with SE shaving would really appreciate some help. I have a Dovo straight that a friend gave me (after getting frustrated with straight shaving) and a Dovo Shavette. I've been using the Shavette for a week or two now (while the real Dovo was away getting professionally honed), and I'm getting pretty good with it - but of course slow and still learning. I was all excited when I got the real Dovo SE back today, but it just wasnt nearly as sharp, especially after a few strokes. I'm testing sharpness both on body hair and in shaving. And though I'm not 100% confident in my stropping method, I'm pretty confident I'm doing it right, as I got some good instruction from a shop - and after stropping the Dovo SE just doesnt compare to the Shavette, which has been used 3-5 times. FYI I am using a regular Dovo leather strop with the black Dovo sharpening paste. . I would prefer to use the real SE, I like the feel of it more, and I dont mind the stropping, but it seems like it cant be as sharp as the disposables. (FYI, I'm using the Dovo brand little blades with the red holder - I've ordered other disposable blades which are on the way. I've also ordered the green and black Dovo Shavette blade holders and blades to go in them.). It was done by a cutlery shop that I trust.

Is it just that the disposable blades are much sharper and the real SEs cant compete head to head? Does one just have to use a different technique with the SE, and it doesnt need to be as sharp? From some of the answers here the Dovo straight should be as sharp as the Shavette, but I'm not sure how that can be given my experience, or what it is I need to do differently.

I also wonder, if I decide the disposable straight edge is the way to go, if it's worth investing in one of those Feather replaceable straight edge blades. Really appreciate your help - running a bit blind here. The guy at the cutlery shop I'm dealing with doesnt really know that much about razors (which I think is why he actually sends the razors out to get honed). Really appreciate any help anyone can give.

After getting the razor honed, did you strop it before use? Most of the time that is not necessary or recommended for new shavers. Also, you mentioned a sharpening paste, if you got your razor professionally honed, you should not have to touch that for months...

Aside from that, I think the consensus is that a Shavette will be sharper than the vast majority of normal straits (some argue it is too sharp). However, a normal straight can do as good, if not better of a job. It will still get you hair just as close cut, but will do it with less irritation. the fact it takes ever so slightly more effort to cut through hair is of little concern usually.

hi there just a few questions first
did you try the razor before stropping? you should, if only to know how a newhoned blade feels
are you using pastes already????

a straight should be about as sharp as most new DE blades

Sorry if I wasn't clear - It was honed and stropped and shave ready, and I did try it first, and found that it just wasnt as sharp, both from shaving and hair tests. Then I tried stropping to see if I could improve it, and didnt make much different. The shop I bought the strop at sold me the Dovo Black & Red Sharpening pastes, course and fine, and told me to use the fine for daily sharpening (and I guess no plain leather? though elsewhere that seems to be the daily strop). Thanks for your help, guys.

And Janivar - then perhaps my problem was that I've been working out my technique based on the Shavette, so my question would be how does one vary the technique to accommodate the regular straight? Is it just about using a little more pressure? I would think the sharper gets you less irritation, because you dont have to press down into the skin as much, you can actually shave without even touching the skin at all, practically.

On a related note, one thing I've often seen advised is to pull the skin taught with your hands, but that seems mostly sort of impossible when your skin is lathered up. I just move my jaw around and (to an onlooker) make funny faces to draw the skin around the area I'm shaving.

Thanks again.

yeah im glad theres no audience

no you should not need more pressure
but trying a shavette a few times i noticed theres a bit difference in the angle
or maybe it only feels that way being a slightly different profile

The blades on shavettes are coated with teflon to reduce friction, which is why they feel sharper. They're not actually any sharper than a well honed straight razor..!

As you say, you will need to stretch your skin in order to get a really close shave. The way to map your growth is to feel which way the hair is growing, then pull the skin the other way to make the hair stand up.

You will need to practice with your straight to get the best angle and the best results. If I had a quid for every time I've seen a newbie post "I've got this shave ready razor, but the shave isnt as good as my Mach3/ DE/ Quattro... What am I doing wrong?" I'd be a rich man! Hehe!

You WONT get a BBS shave right off the bat, no one does. Using a straight razor is a skill, and like any other skill it takes time and practice to master.

The elements of a great shave are; A shave ready razor, good prep, stropping and technique.

It sounds like you are happy with your stropping, so thats one down. Your razor has been professionally honed, so that takes care of that one. I assume you are using a brush and a good quality soap/cream to make a good lather? If so, that only leaves technique and the only way to get that down is to practice!

Sounds like you've made a great start, so well done! Dont give up, just keep at it and you will get there!

Good luck!

EDIT: Dont use your pastes daily. You can have too much of a good thing, and you will dull the edge with excessive use of pastes. Only use the paste when the razor starts to pull, or it gives a bad shave. Then do 5-10 swipes on a pasted strop, then strop on the unpasted and test shave.

Also, dont get too caught up with the HHT and all the other tests. They are another source of confusion for a lot of new members! The only test you need to worry about is the shave test. If it shaves good, it is good!

Good luck!

IMHO the Dovo Shavette is overpriced, too light, unbalanced, and should only be used by a barber shaving the neck or when you're finishing that little bit you cannot ever get quite right with a straight. I know many people are very happy with the Dovo, but for my money the best shavette is made by Miraki. They are half the price of the Dovo and feel better built!

You can get them easily from Japanese drug stores, but outside Japan your best bet is ebay. I also recommend the Miraki platinum blades. The Miraki is stable, about twice or three times the weight of the Dovo and feels really solid, which is probably why I find it much better for shaving. Personally, I found the Dovo shavette feels a bit like shaving with a very sharp plastic spoon. ;-)

Although I moved on to use a proper straight some time ago (my first was a Dovo Special) I keep two Miraki's and the full length blades around for when I travel.

Just some things you may want to know about the Miraki:
1. You can use the plastic holders sold separately for the Dovo if you want to use the shorter double edge blades - though I really can't stress highly enough how much better the longer blades are when shaving your face.
2. The Miraki comes with a 'toothed' holder that partially hides the blade - good for trimming hair or cropping your nethers. :hmmm:

No, I don't sell them - just look on ebay, there are several UK companies that ship worldwide, and you can find them at professional barber/hairdresser supply shops. I recently noticed there are two different styles - on the one I use you can clearly see the black plastic holder. I have only ever seen the second style at http://www.coolblades.co.uk/miraki-c...oat-razor.html, and I don't know how well it shaves or even if you can put the longer blades in it. However, it does look deeper than the other style, more like a 5/8 whilst mine is closer to a 9/16.

Hope my first post was useful and in a reasonable place.

I have both disposables and fixed straights and I learned to straight shave with disposables straight razors. You do get use to the shave of disposable straight shaver and you will think they are sharper than you can get a fixed straight shaver, but thats not true.

The big difference is the bevel of disposables and their angle or point to shave. If fixed straights had the same set up, it would be a lot of work to maintain their edge. And they do feel a little different when they shave.

A stainless steel fixed straight razor 1/2 hollow 5/8 will feel similiar to the disposable blades. It does take time to tune the sharpness of a fixed blade to meet your personal preference. But once dialed in, you are going to appreciate the fixed straight the more you use it. You will also find that you can sharpen the edge to compete with a new disposable blade. None of this will happen overnight, but it will happen over time.

No knock on the straights, I have 3 different brands. The Feather AC is a premium, the Shavette is priced affordably and my Diane 21 is very cheap. Its fun using all of them and since they all give me a BBS shave, they all are keepers. However, my fixed straights carry the shaving load and do a great job as always. I love stopping them up and getting that very fine edge going for the next shave.

I hope this helps.

Pabster

Having used both I would agree that disposable stra8's are much sharper, or at least feel sharper (due to the coating and lasers that they use to make them) than a normal stra8. Disposable blades are much more dangerous and will draw blood much easier than a classic blade. Harsher on the skin, especially ATG, than a real blade.
If I could do it over again, I would have skipped the disposable and just learned using my real Dovo blade. Its more comfortable and will shave better than a disposable if you use the right technique and properly maintain the blade. I would only use a disposable as a backup.
For me it was also hard to get my angles right with a disposable because of the way that the razor holds the blade; its like I had to use a steeper angle to get the blade to make good contact. Hair also gets caught in the gap between the blade and the holder and can get clogged.