Thread: Shavette

Hello
Has anybody else tried using a "shavette" or a replaceable blade straight razor.I recently purchased a Parker SR 1 replaceable blade straight razor and I am using Feather, Derby, and Merkur blades. I am getting a closer more comfortable shave than any of the traditional straight I own even after being honed to ready to shave by the honemeisters. I know that it is doing away with the daily stropping and other activity's involved that are enjoyable. Has anybody else tried these razors and what are your impressions?

Hi.
I started off with a Feather Artist Club, using all 4 different blades from feather. Still use it to shave my head.
I felt excactly like you do when it came to sharpness.
It felt like the Disposables where sharper and therefore better.
Everyone kept telling me that with practice I would learn to use the straight in a fashion that would yield the same, or even better results.
And guess what, the guys here where right
I'm still not sure about the whole sharpness thing, but there is no doubt that I get at least as close a shave off of the straights. And with less soreness and cuts.

I must confess to using a shavette quite a bit at the moment,especially during the week if I shave in the morning.
I am using a Sedef. Shavette that I got on eBay &deby single edge blades.
The shaves Iam getting with this set up are as good as any of my straights .
I just try to keep the touch as light as possible .
& I don't get any irritation . So the shavette is a permanent part of my rotation now .
Cheers Paul

I also am a fan of my shavette and use it quite regularly along with my traditional straights (purchased via SRP classifieds of course). I use the el cheapo variety blade holder that are used in many barber shops now. It would be nice to try a feather AC, but they are costly. I'm quite happy with the shave I get from using Derby blades. I can normally get 3 shaves out of each blade, so a box of 100 lasts me a loong time.

I started with a shavette.

I hacked my face up pretty well by using it.

If you don't want to spend big bucks on a "Dovo" or "Feather" shavette check out the Parker SR1 at Shop for Men's Shaving and Skincare Products - Geo F. Trumper Taylor of Old Bond Street Merkur Razors Proraso Savile Row Speick Tabac Musgo Real QED Soaps. It is made of stainless steel and very well built and they are selling it for $12.95. They also have several other products at good prices.

I use a Dovo shavette with a half-DE blade, and I get better shaves than my regular straights. I used to think that my stropping technique was not upto par, but it has improved greatly. Even if we remove stropping from the equation, with a freshly honed straight from a honemeister, I can come close to the results of the shavette, but have not been able to exceed it yet.

I started with a Dovo before I threw down the cash for the real thing...


Bloodbath.


(though it was probably the lack of experience that destroyed my face)

I actually started out with the same razor as you. After seeing that i could do this i started to buy the traditional equipment. My experience is, yes the disposable blade is always sharp and easy to go ahead and get a jump on a faster morning. But to me, using the Parker is like going back to my multi blade razor. On weekly bases i give shaves to few of my friends with a parker I do it because its always sharp and i dont have to worry about stropping. However there was times that i used the traditional equipment and none of them wanted to go back to the Parker. I found that for my self and for my friends the Parker does give u a closer shave, BUT it is also a lil rougher on the skin too. So at the end it is just a personal preference.

Gregory

I started with disposables - Diane 12, Shavette, and Feather DX. Then I made the jump to straight razors, but found myself still using the disposables once every 5 shaves until I got the hang of caring for my straight razors.

Today, I prefer my straight razors over the disposables and here is why:

After I learned how to care for my straight razors properly, I could tune the sharpness of the straight razors to shave like a disposables 1st and 2nd shave, but offer the forgiveness of a disposables 3rd shave. Thus I had the best shave experience with every shave. Also, I have not bought any new disposable blades since I first bought my disposable straights and it has been over 18 months. I still have a few of each around for when I travel.

After having both experiences, I was glad I made the adjustment to straight razors and my straight razor collection exceeds my disposable straight razor collection.

If you are proficient with disposable straight razors, then the transition to straight razors is quick because you know what a good performing straight razor feels like and how it compares to the 1st - 4th/5th day use of a disposable straight. Thus you are efficient in learning how to strop, hone, and care for a straight razor in addition to evaluating a straight razors performance.

No knock on disposables...I still have them and like using them when I travel or just want to blow off stropping or honing.

Pabster