Thread: Question about choosing a razor

Originally Posted by gssixgun

In the Wiki you are going to find quite a bit of really good info about starting this hobby...

From the first razor recommendation and why to all the info necessary for the very first shave...

In fact this is the Wiki's strong suit it really does have a huge amount of info packed in there for the Beginner and it has all been well researched...

Straight Razor Place Wiki:Books/Beginners Guide - Straight Razor Place Wiki

And that is just the very start


My recommendation has always been the same for first razors

SHAVE READY !!!! from a Honemeister that you have total confidence in...

6/8 Round nose, Half hollow grind...

The reason is simple, it is the dead center razor...

6/8 is the middle size and a tiny bit easier to strop then a 5/8 for a beginner

Half Hollow grind, again dead center and the slightly stiffer feel is easier for a beginners tentative shaving strokes..

Round nose for the Illusion of safety trust me it will cut ya just as fast..

From this dead center start you can then decide what direction you want to go next...


Also, this razor I am talking about is available new....

Glen, I am looking forward to the day that I can give simple sage-like advice like this.

Brilliant!

David

Originally Posted by MickR

Your question isn't very clear as my answer will be another interpretation to those above it. A round 'pointed' razor would be better for a beginner rather than a 'Spike' or a 'Square' end razor. A spike or square is more likely to catch an unwary noob and give a cut. So for a first razor I'm going to recommend a round nose or maybe even a French tip razor. To keep it sharp all you'll need to start with is a cheap strop. Once you've finished cutting the crap out of that one and don't think you'll cut up any more strops I'd recommend another one to keep it sharp, but not one of mine, they're not for a new bloke to learn on, they won't take a beginners major mistakes too well. Is that the advice you were looking for?


Mick

I took the question the same and couldn't agree more...round point means both earlobes likely still present after first few shaves. I used a relatively cheap Illinois strop (sliced her all to Hades BTW) to get started...she still hangs as a reminder of how little I knew then. (My wife serves to remind me of how little I know now...)

Originally Posted by gssixgun

6/8 Round nose, Half hollow grind...

The reason is simple, it is the dead center razor...

6/8 is the middle size and a tiny bit easier to strop then a 5/8 for a beginner

Half Hollow grind, again dead center and the slightly stiffer feel is easier for a beginners tentative shaving strokes..

I just bought what was available I found that a lot of listing did not describe the grind. Either that or half hollow is hard to find.

Originally Posted by kfralin

(My wife serves to remind me of how little I know now...)

That's what they're for...



Enjoy the Str8 experience

I'm pretty much in agreement with everything above: here's the summary:

Carbon steel - I'm not sure I see the advantage of stainless so long as you look after your razor, and it can be troublesome to hone.
5/8 - to my mind that's the dead centre size with all due deference to Glen, bearing in mind that the really wide razors which you see here are uncommon on my side of the Atlantic. This size is easy to use under the nose - well, comparatively.
Half hollow - hmmm, I hesitated here because I now find full hollows easiest to use, but it's what I started with and it worked for me.
Shave ready - not negotiable: a must.
Round point - but no, it won't stop you cutting yourself. The thing to avoid is the square, spike or French nose with an edge which hasn't been softened at the point, because those can be spiteful wee beasties if you're not on top form.
Strop - a cheap one, for the reasons rehearsed above, but make it a longish one if you can.
Other stuff - good soap and a brush capable of working up a decent lather, and your choice of aftershave treatment. Canned foam or gel is not the stuff to use with a straight razor, because it doesn't supply the necessary protection.

One general point: very cheap razors are likely to be a false economy, and there's a list of some of the ones to avoid in the Wiki. On the other hand, there's not much point in going straight to the top of the range either, because the law of diminishing returns applies. A reasonably priced razor from a reputable manufacturer, supplied in good fettle by a good vendor, be it new or vintage, will get you off to a fine start. Some time spent investigating this forum will turn up plenty of specific recommendations.

Take care, but enjoy yourself.

GSSIXGUN gave some good advice. If that razor is not in your budget or hard to find get one that is on the recommended list ( Good Straight Razor Brands - Straight Razor Place Wiki ), fits your budget and is aesthetically pleasing to you. You will learn to use it just fine.

Thanks for everyone for the replies. That gave me some things to think about. I'm also reading through the wiki. I think I like the French point more for looks, but definitely something with a rounded point. Would it be easy to trim around the mustache?

Originally Posted by SlowRain

Generally, some Chromium Oxide (CrOx) spray or paste on a designated strop and/or some diamond spray on a designated strop will do for light touch ups. Or are you thinking hones?

I was thinking of what finishing hone I would need to keep an edge, and how good the finishing pastes were or if they were necessary.

Originally Posted by binder

I was thinking of what finishing hone I would need to keep an edge, and how good the finishing pastes were or if they were necessary.

That would depend on your preference in hones or finishing pastes but if you know how your purchase was honed then you can try to recreate the same thing by buying the same media. Unfortunately you can't buy the skill that went into the honing. The strop will be your biggest friend & maybe enemy at first. Do lots of research & lots of practice to develop muscle memory for the correct actions. Stropping on a single sheet of newspaper is not a bad learning tool. http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ewspaper+strop

Originally Posted by binder

...Would it be easy to trim around the mustache?...

If, like me you sport a moustache and goatee, I use a small pair of scissors to trip the mo' along the line of my lip and I use the razor (a round point) to define the outside edges and also to shave away the stray hairs in the little gaps in growth under the bottom lip and, (for my weird face) the gap in growth caused by the shadow of my big nose ...The philtrum area. I tend to get just a few stray hairs there, so the razor is used to whisk them off too.


Mick

Size:
I had a LOT easier time with a 5/8 size when I was starting. The 5/8 size fit under my nose, into the curve between my lower lip and chin, and into the hollows of my neck much easier. After I got used to shaving with a straight razor, I could use a 6/8 in all those "problem areas", but the 5/8 was still easier. Downsides ? The 6/8 was EASY to stop. The 5/8 took 3-4 sessions worth of practice before it became as easy. The 6/8 also had more weight, and mowed down wiskers in the flat and easy to shave areas easier. "Easier" translated into not needing any "running start" to have some momentum, and automatically using less pressure, which meant less razor burn. After 20 or so shaves, I finally learned to stop applying pressure with the 5/8's though. Also, when the 5/8 gets a little dull, it starts "needing" momentum to cut well. This may be an advantage since continuing to cut with a non-so-sharp 6/8 could cause razor burn (depending on how dull you let it get).

Point:
The roundpoint fit into the hollows of my neck alongside my trachea easily and without trauma. I only tried a squarepoint after I had some experience, but still found I had to be careful with it on my neck (too many hollows). The rest of my face was easy, and I only ever got a scratchy feeling, no cuts or scratch lines. If you have hollow cheeks, you might have to be careful there too. The downside ? I can edge my sideburns on the sideways pass with the roundpoint, but I have to watch where the lather is being removed and "project" where the line will be when I get to my sideburn. It's easy on the first pass, but difficult if I miss a wisker or two and want to go back and get them (no lather this time). I also use the roundpoint to get the wiskers that grow all the way up into the base of my nostrils. Both the sideburns and nostrils were easier with the squarepoint, but it's not very hard to use the roundpoint for precise trimming. You get used to how far back from the tip the edge starts pretty quickly.

Grind:
I firmly believe a firmer grind (like a 1/4 or 1/2 grind) is very helpful for a beginner. I only got to use something other than a full grind after I had some experience. The firmer grind gave my noticeably less razor burn when I used too much pressure, as compared to the full grind. After I saw this, I made an effort to lessen the pressure I was using (which I only THOUGHT was low before), and 5 shaves later, my technique improved to the point where the full grind was easy too.

Availability:
I had an awefully hard time finding a 6/8 half hollow grind recommended in the Wiki. If you don't want to watch the classifieds until something nice but affordable comes along, I'd recommend picking up a new 5/8 or 6/8 full hollow Dovo. Pick the one you like the looks of, they all shave well !