Thread: First Razor Purchase... I want some input

Okay, so now that I have your attention...
This isn't exactly my first straight razor purchase... it's my second, but I'm not gonna count the first because I'm looking to replace that one entirely until I can find more information about it and get a decent bevel on it.

I'm looking for a Christmas present to tell my parents to buy, so I need to know this kinda ASAP so I can get it here by then...

Basically I'm down to three or four razors that I'm trying to decide between and it's making my head spin trying to pick one.
Here's what I'm looking at...
(by the way if you know of a better razor in the same price range, I am open to suggestions, I want this for the quality shave over having a particular name on it).

I also would like to mention that I don't know what grind I want on the razor (which yeah, is pretty important), I have a pretty coarse beard (my scotch-irish blood I guess) and I would imagine I would want to go ahead for the full hollow ground (which I am assuming that the ones below are unless they have stated otherwise)
to cut through the whiskers more efficiently... Am I right in thinking this, or am I way out there in left field somewhere?

My budget to try and stay within is $200.00 USD... so basically there are a ton of great razors out there in that range, I just have to find one...

**I would also like to avoid stainless, and with good reason... Stainless doesn't take or hold the same edge that regular High-Carbon steel does.
While I can maintain the razor myself fine, like I said, I have a very coarse beard so I need something that will hold its edge well and not need
stropping halfway through my morning shave...

1.) Boker "Tree Brand" Micarta - 5/8

2.) Boker Edelweiss - 5/8

3.) Dovo Prima Klang - 5/8 - Extra-Full-Hollow ground

4.) Dovo Ebenholz "silver steel" - 5/8 - Full-Hollow ground


I'm also looking to order a decent strop as well, any opinions there would be great as well... I want at least a 3 inch wide strop to keep it simple, and make keeping a consistent pressure on the entire edge at all times, less of a hassle...
Mostly what I'm looking for here is what material you have found works best for everyday stropping... I'm very familiar with different leathers, but some of the ones used in most strops I have seen are not really named as any leather in particular.

Thanks in advance for the help y'all,
-Alex

What Jimmy says..
Go for a SRD razor+strop deal, and any of those razor will do you good I'm sure.

Btw, what you say about stainless steel razors aren't very true, so don't let that stop you from getting a Henckels Friodur in your future...

I've heard good things about Bokers, but I haven't used them myself. I have a few vintage models that I'm in the process of restoring.
I've had a few Dovos and they have all been good. They are great shavers, they just get a bad rap because most of their designs aren't innovative.
Just for reference, I have a very coarse and full beard.
Speaking from experience, I think you actually might be happiest with a Dovo Stainless Steel model. I heard a long time ago that stainless razors were difficult to hone, don't take a good edge, etc. I think this depends on the brand. I've tried Dovo stainless and carbon steel, and although the carbon steel is a great shaver, their stainless blades are even better. I checked some of the reviews here about Dovo stainless blades and the reviewers were all impressed.
I got the Dovo ebony (ebenholz) stainless 5/8 from SRD a couple of months ago, and I was instantly impressed at both the edge it takes and the its ability to hold that edge. I liked it so much, I just bought another Dovo stainless from SRD this week.
I've also had the carbon steel ebony (ebenholz), and it's great, but the stainless performs even better.
DOn't know about the prima klang. I've heard it's a great razor, but that it has a lot of flex, which I hear takes a lot of getting used to if you have a tough beard.
Something to keep in mind is that a lot of Dovo models on SRD are stainless, but it isn't listed in the title, you have to look for it in the description. For instance, the Dovo renaissance is stainless. Just received it yesterday and it's beautiful. I think the Micarta and Encina are also stainless.
I highly recommend getting a Dovo stainless model. You will not be disappointed.
As for strops, I really like the SRD model 4. It's a nice medium. The draw is very smooth, not too heavy, not too light, and it feels great on a Dovo stainless. Latigo has a very heavy draw and takes some time to break in, but it can also be very nice.

First off, Thanks for all the welcomes, I'm glad to be here where I can finally get some decent information about shaving like a man...

I think I should mention that I currently have three straight razors... all very vintage (one is a third generation heirloom).
One I got for $6.00 at a local gun show, it happenst to be a Boker Damascus "magnetic steel" razor... I have no idea as to the value of that one and I cant find any record of it existing...
One is an old Henckels Friodur from about 1940-1950 if I had to guess, that was my grandfathers... It's not got enough of the blade left to put a proper edge on and I keep it merely for sentimental reasons.
The third is a very very old razor made by the Wheatley-Reade Company out of North Carolina and has the name Mary Lardo etched in the scales, its in amazing shape to be as old as it is (I would say pre-1900 and its got almost no spine wear... I do know for a fact that he had a habit of taping the spine when he honed it so that may be why) and its a full to extra hollow ground blade... It had a large chunk out of the heel of the blade and I managed to save it with a dremel (save the hate mail for later, I actually knew what I was doing, I have a lot of experience around edged impliments and with metal working in general so I knew what could happen...) and re-shape the heel to save the blade and it is a completely servicable, very close shaving, razor....

you may be asking why I'm looking to replace any of these... well, I don't feel right using a razor that's not mine, theres just something about having your own straight razor to pass down...


I probably should have also mentioned I've been shaving with a straight razor for about a year, so I'm pretty comfortable with investing a little more money on a razor now. I do have a strop, but it's due to be replaced (cheap leather... it's not knicked or anything, its just matted) so I'm looking to move up with the strop as well...

I also have all the other various accessories I need, I am looking at brushes because mine is getting a little worse for wear, and I'm almost out of alum, but other than that I'm covered...


I may avoid the prima klang in the case of it being an issue with tough beards (mine is annoyingly tough... it also grows in about 90 different directions so I need something that will cut through the stubble cleanly and easily to help prevent irritation)...

I have basically heard good things about all the razors is why I chose the ones I did... I have considered one of the new Henkels razors, but I cant find any useful information on the blade...

As far as stainless versus plain high-carbon is concerned, plain old "stainless" steel isn't high carbon and is very brittle, and not an ideal material to make a blade (any blade, not just a razor) from for that reason... However the stainless that DOVO uses is a high-carbon stainless, which may explain why it does so well...

I usually hone my razors myself (I have found that I have a knack for putting a surgically AKA "scary" sharp edge on a blade... now if I can just find out where I got it) and so far stainless is the only one I've come across thats tough to work with... I now have a stone for it though that is a little more agressive that I do a couple passes on before I go to my waterstones. So I could get a stainless blade, but I'm just hesitant due to several very bad experiences working with stainless blades.

I may have to look into the DOVOs a little more closely now though. I also came across the DOVO natural with the bamboo scales and the Gentleman with yew wood scales at SRD (which is, by far, the best place I've found to shop for stuff like this)... some of you guys with more sink time than myself may be able to answer this for me...
How does the regular moisture contact affect the conditon of wood scales?
I would hope that the wood is sealed properly, but if not then it wouldnt take very long before they were totally ruined... I know the bamboo would be fine, but the yew wood concerns me a little...

so that puts me up to three from before (remove the extra-hollow) and a couple of (several) new ones that caught my eye...

4.) DOVO Ebony stainless - 5/8

5.) DOVO "natural" - 5/8

6.) DOVO "gentleman" 5/8

7.) DOVO "Bismark" (I usually like very plain blades, but the shape of this one caught my eye) - 5/8 or 6/8

8.) Boker King Cutter - 5/8

9.) Boker Stainless - 5/8

... I don't wanna be "that guy" who asks weird questions or goes crazy asking stuff, so tell me if Igo a little overboard...


as far as the grind is concerned, MinATX, you said you have a coarse beard as well, have you found a grind that works best with that? I may use it as a starting point for experimenting with different grinds for myself...


Thanks for the input on the strops as well... I'm looking for something that will be okay to use on a daily basis, so I don't mind spending the money that some of the ones mentioned cost... I would like to ask about the draw resistance though... I understand how that might affect how many times you would need to strop it to smooth out the edge, but how well do they hold up? again, I'm looking to use it every day so I don't want something thats going to get matted after 3 months... being a college student, I cant really afford to have to replace my strop on a regular basis...

A lot of misconceptions here.

First any quality blade will shave you just fine no matter the size or grind. You don't need a specialized blade no matter how tough your beard. Second, any quality stainless blade will do just fine. There is no reason to leave stainless out of the mix. My advice is just buy what you like and don't make this too complicated. You just might want to consider a blade with no ornamentation on it. Gold wash isn't very durable and trying to preserve it isn't worth the effort in my opinion unless you're just looking for a Sunday Shaver.

As far as strops go, draw is just a characteristic having nothing to do with dressing an edge. It may give you some clues as to how sharp the edge is but in the end is one of those things some folks like to have and some don't. Some of the best strops in the world have no draw at all.

Like thebigspender said, any grind will do fine. I use a range from full hollows to wedges and they all work just as well. They just shave a little differently. Like I was saying, I haven't tried the extra hollow Prima Klang. I've heard that it's a great blade, but that it has more flex in it than other blades. So I take that to mean that it cuts just as well, but it might require a finesse that is different from other blades. Each blade has its own personality. I guess I'm trying to say that it wouldn't be the best choice for a first razor, but it would be great for someone with more experience.

ahhh... okay, I may go with a half hollow or full hollow then... but I'll just keep in mind that it wont buy me much of anything in the long run.
I do know I want a little flex in the blade, but I dont want too much so those two would probably be okay
(I have used both, but something in between would be the ideal feel i think)

I'm right there with you thebigspender... I prefer plainer blades, less to worry about, especially when you consider that I'm probably going to use the thing every day.

I would probably go on even further, but I need to leave to go to work (I work in the theatre on campus... classes are over but we have a production of the nutcracker tonight I have to be a stagehand for).

Thanks again for all the help guys... I'll let you know what I narrow it down to, I should know that by tomorrow...
-Alex

Welcome, This is just my two cents so you can take it for what it's worth. I think that there's nothing better than old steel - provided it was maintained and well cared for. Perhaps I should say first, that, new razors hold none of my interest. However, I do like the Dovos and the Boker. I had a fairly expensive knife made by Boker growing up, it was memorable in quality. Basically, though, I think you can't go wrong with any of the older German made razors that were imported into this country in the last century or so. And, the same can be said probably about most Sheffield imports. That being said, it is all the luck of the draw, I think. Sometimes we might hone one razor type better or differently than another - affecting the shave. There are so many variables. For example, I recently bought a smaller 'twin' to my Holzhauer razor. It's a 5/8, compared to its bigger twin at 6/8. I like the 6/8, it is scary-sharp, holds a great edge, sharpens up quickly and gives pleasant shaves, but, I love the 5/8. The 5/8 just, at the end of the day, fits right in my hands, feels comfortable on my face and gives me an irritation free shave. So, enjoy the journey - whichever one you ultimately choose.

P.S. I also have an aversion to stainless, though, I have one stainless razor that is surgically crazy-sharp...just not my thing I suppose. Also, it shaves so close that it scares me!

Originally Posted by cflaageriv

P.S. I also have an aversion to stainless, though, I have one stainless razor that is surgically crazy-sharp...just not my thing I suppose. Also, it shaves so close that it scares me!

Yeah... stainless will hold an edge that is way sharper than necessary, it's just a pain in the butt to get beveled properly and then hone to that point... you have to have some really specific equipment to do it too...

I keep the razor I dont use to shave with (I shave with the boker) surgically sharp... I use it as a precision cutting implement... it works wonders for getting splinters out of hands that are in there deep. Basically it's my scalpel of choice (kinda like the Germans did with them for a while)


I also would like to mentio that I have ordered my new razor...
I went with the DOVO "Gentleman" in 5/8 ... I just really liked the blade ergonomics... it's got jimps on the top and bottom of the tang, which is good if you get wet hands, its a very plain blade other than a tiny piece of gold embellishment (a figure in the middle of the face) and overall it's a very understated razor.

I did order from straight razor designs (they were the only people who actually had the razor), and I ordered one of their strops (the "natural" in 3"... reading their description of it, I get the feeling that it's more strop for the money than they are letting on), and a new alum block... it should be here today actually...

I can't have the razor till Christmas, but I can go ahead and be breaking the strop in and softening it up (I paid for that, and it's not a christmas gift like the razor... I made the order because I was being so specific that the folks made me do it just to be rid of me... lol)

I'm looking forward to checking out the honing work on it when it gets here. From the way it's talked about their honing work is supposed to be some of the best around...
I'll be sure to update the thread when I do finally get to shave with it... I may even write up a review of it for the site since there isn't one for this particular razor yet.


On a totally separate note...
I may be the only one who thinks this, but I actually prefer to have a slight amout of stubble after my shave... not anywhere near five-o-clock shadow, but I like to be able to rub my hand against the grain and feel my beard scratching a little (kinda like a soft sandpaper... that's exaggerated, but I just want to be sure my idea comes across).
My reasoning for this is very specific though. I have acne problems anyway (go figure, fair irish skin, red hair...) granted its calmed down a little over the past two years, but I know that if I get a shave too close, I am guaranteed a massive breakout (more than what I used to get at 16 even). my problem is ingrown hairs... I find that if I can get a shave where I can still just barely feel the hair above the skin, then I wont have as many (I still get them occasionally) in-grown hairs. I started out shaving with a gillete sensor 3 and I still keep a fusion proglide for certain other things and when I travel and cant bring a double edge or a straight. I always had really bad problems with in-grown hairs, and it wasnt until I switched to a double edge that I started having fewer problems, and now I have almost none shaving with a straight razor...
Anybody else have this problem?

I think you're just going to have to wait it out, so to speak. I went from a Gill. Sensor Excel to a DE a couple of years ago. It's a far superior shave. My only complaint was the occasional 'weeper.' However, since going to the straight, I never, ever, have any weepers - and the shave is far superior. Kind of like you can't have it both ways. Also, I don't mind a little bit of beard left either, because, If you (in theory) shave in the morn. and by next morn. you don't quite need a shave, but you kind of do. And having a little left there is really not such a bad thing. There was this old Italian barber by my parent's house on Long Island, he said to me once, "I give better shaves if you come in with two days no shave." And, I must agree - I definitely have a better shave after two days. Good luck with your new razor - remember: 'till death do you part.'