Thread: razor suggestion ?

Hello everyone !

I have been shaving with straights for a few months now, with good success. I can now easily shave my entire face, and I'm definitely getting better shaves compared to cartridges.

I currently own 2 razors. A GD200 and a 8/8 W&B "the celebrated". I can get just as close a shave with both razors, but the W&B is a MUCH more comfortable shaver & it leaves me with less irritation. However, it's just so BIG.

Upon closer inspection of both razors, I can see that the W&B is not only considerably wider than the GD, the blade cross section at its thinnest part is much thicker, which makes me beleive the blade will flex less compared to the GD. Can this have anything to do with why I find the W&B more comfortable ?

Anyways, I'd like to try out another razor, something smaller than a 8/8, but something with a bit more meat than the gold dollar. Maybe something that's more of a half hollow ? Or a full hollow that has a thicker cross-section ? Basically, I don't know what to try/buy as a next razor, to see what kind of razor really fits my face.

Can anyone help my out ? Any suggestions will be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks.

I sold most all of my full hollows and shave mostly with my 5/8, 1/4 hollows with barber or hollow notch points. I find these give me the best shave. I have a very wiry beard and I feel the extra heft and less hollow help or my technique just isn't that good yet. Anyways I have 5 of these type of razors a few Wostenholm's, a few Torrey's and a Joseph Allen and Sons. I bought all of mine on Ebay, cleaned them up and sent them to be honed. I also have a big 7/8 Wosty wedge for the heavy growth weeks! I bought all of those razors for $15 or less some for $10! It was worth the searching. There not mirror shiny but I buy razors to use everyday. If you want I can post some pics.

Pictures would indeed be nice.

Eye candy is ALWAYS fun !!!

This is the nicest finished razor out of the bunch. Brad (undream) did a minor blade restore and the honing (very sharp)! When I bought it it was labeled as a Baumann razor, but I looked very carefully at the blade picture and the blade said George Wostenholm and Sons so I decided to buy it. I think if it would have said Wostenholm and Sons in the ad it would have went quite a bit higher. Lucky for me it didn't. Here are a couple of pics, nothing fancy just a nice clean, great shaving razor! All the other razors look about the same with varying degrees of patina.

That's a VERY nice razor.

It definitely makes me what to look around for something like that.

Thanks !

If you want a fairly stiff 5/8, the Boker Edelweisse is a really great little shaver. For a bit more money the TI Spartacus is a 6/8 half hollow blade.

If you can't find any like this on the classifieds I always go to Ebay to find them. Mostly I just search for Sheffield manufacturers. I usually do searches on: Wostenholm, Reynolds, Joseph Allen, Rodgers, Wade and Butcher and Sheffield. I also search for Torrey, they are very nice razors as well. This will usually get you the closest to this type of razor. I always am watching for these. I would like to by 2 more so I can have a full week of these fantastic shavers!

I saw Max had a rescaled/restored dubl duck 4/8 or 5/8 wedge or near wedge for sale on his site ... fits the smaller, but thicker requirement. It's kind of an odd DD, but it sure is purty.

Unfortunately, I don't have the budget for a DD....

But I'd enjoy taking a look at what he has for sale, I love looking at nice razors. Can you give me the website ?

Here is the link. Just scroll down to the bottom and any razors Max has for sale will show up above the sold list.

Vintage Straight Razors, DE Razors, Honing & Restoration sevices, Sharpening and Shaving