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I have purchased a Rough Rider Black Widow as my first straight razor, i've shaved with a Merkur 34C for 1.5years.
However, the razor is rather dull, wont even shave my arm hair (my spyderco bug did that even)
So, what would i need to get to have it shave ready, its 440 steel.
Judging from what I saw when I looked that razor up it looks like a collectors item and not really meant for shaving. Also from my understanding 440 steel is not good for taking a shaving edge.
So unfortunately you will have to buy a new razor to start straight shaving.
You can check out whippeddog.com and the classifieds here to get a shave ready razor at a good price.
Rough rider is just that, rough. A good letter opener or paint stirrer. We all make mistakes. This is yours!
Lots to learn here, keep reading before buying and you will get good shaves.
Good Luck!
Well then that sucks :/ i know its really cheap, but i really like spiders (owner of 10 tarantulas)
Shot a picture of the edge, maybe it could work if honed properly?
http://i45.tinypic.com/2rgku1l.jpg
I would think that most members listed that do honing wont even touch that razor. Sorry
As Castel pointed out...its something to look kind of cool...as for shaving with it, not gonna happen. The steel, heat treating, etc. is not up to snuff on those to take and hold a proper shaving edge. Chalk it up to learning experience. Check out the Library here and look for the list of approved straights :) Dovo, Thiers Issard, Hart are a few of the modern production blades that'll give you a fine shave when honed right :)
The fact you can see microchipping on the edge without the aid of magnification is not a good thing. Sorry man, this is not the razor for you.
Too bad :/ will put it in a glass frame on the wall then.
What about the shavettes? maybe the best choice for a beginner?
Shavettes are different...like a DE without the protection..sorry, I don't know a better way to describe it..lol. Alot of guys get turned off because they can be harsh like a spike point. Your best bet would be to check out the classifieds or if you're sure this is something you want to pursue then get a properly honed blade from a reputable vendor.
I do have very sensitive skin, that's why I got the DE in the first place, I wanted to get the straight razor back then but did not dare, before I got the DE I've always avoided shaving mostly because no matter how careful I was I got a shitload of skinirritation, even with the DE my throat gets irritated easily.
I don't have very thick beardgrowth, almost noting except around the mouth, so basically the DE blades last forever.
I have looked at a kit with a Dovo 5/8", strop, silvertip brush, soap, stand and alunstick for around 200$
If you've been wet shaving for a couple of years you should already have some of this stuff (brush, soap, etc) so you really only need a razor and strop. A Dovo 5/8 is a good razor providing it's been made shave ready. Pick one up and a good strop and you're good to go.Quote:
Originally Posted by Will3
No worries, on the "burn" * can get irritation just looking at a mach 3, but no probs here with a straight once I learned how to use it. I would suggest buying from lynn your first time, he puts a very keen edge on and will give you a nice shave out of the box. Larry from whippeddog.com is another great guy to buy from, it won't be pretty, but will shave like the dickens!
I'll second this. If money is an issue, you could do a lot worse than whippeddog's "sight half seen" razor and "poor mans" strop. It'd give you a chance to try a shave ready razor at low cost and decide whether or not shaving with a straight is for you.Quote:
Originally Posted by tiddle
That edge is awful, i'd try to hone it and see how good it gets.Quote:
Originally Posted by Will3
Don't know if you are able to do it yourself, i wouldn't spend the 20-25$ to get it done.
In principle 440 steel is good, but the final result in therms of hardness and honing capability is depending on the correct heat treatment it has undergone.
Yeah i know the edge is awful.
Im looking for a good beginners razor now for up to 200$, WITHOUT any text or anything on the blade itself
What would be best for a beginner? hollow, half-hollow or solid? 5/8"?
Visit Straight Razor Designs and pick out a new Dovo. It will come honed to shave ready by an expert and you will get a free
second honing when the time comes. You will find some very nice Dovo's for less than $200. Enjoy.
This is very good advise.Quote:
Originally Posted by lz6
Terry
Since this thread ia already up and going I am just going to add to it so perhaps somebody searching in the future will find this too..
I just unpacked 10 razors that came in for work/honing to be done here is another Rough Rider Razor
Attachment 116343
Attachment 116342
These are total junk, besides the steel being wrong , they are flat just made wrong, in fact dangerously wrong...
Attachment 116341
Amateur idiots playing at making straight razors can get ya cut :mad:
You might take a look at this website too.
For Sale - Gem Star Customs
Run by a very nice gent.
I am soon to be 23 years old, I have been shaving with the DE for 1.5year, before that Mach 3 Turbo and a worthless Philishave.
I held the Black Widow to the face today (JUST HELD NOT TRY TO SHAVE) and i must say it felt VERY MUCH more natural than regular razors!
They are just junk that looks like a straight razor. I played with one for a while to try and get a half decent edge off it but it was impossible. The spine width to blade ratio is all wrong. You can build up the spine with lots of tape but then the steel just crumbles as you're trying to put an edge on it. Just write the cost off to experience.
How are the 108$ alternative on whippeddog? very good condition on the razors? i kinda like the idea of resuing, instead of wasting resources by purchasing a new one.
Also i wonder how open they are to preferences, ie if i specificaly ask for a black handle and a good beginners type of blade.
Email Larry and he will help you as much as he can. Not sure where you got the $108 price as I think his most expensive kit is half that price.
It is 108$, 118$ shipped to sweden. I have emailed already
Are you having it refurbished also?
Do you mean the edge or the whole razor?
The whole razor
That im thinking of doin myself :) maybe custom handle
Shall we tell him about RAD. I have been using a straight a whopping 3 months and I started out with a $40 kit. I still have the brush (that is coming apart in the center) and some soap. I wish I would have landed here in my research first. You sound determined that this will work and I was too. Now, I will never go back. I my short trip so far I have learned to take everything slow. Think it through. While shaving and when buying. You will see that when you can shave without thinking you automatically start spending without thinking. No need to rush it :<0). Buying a nice kit in the beginning is a wise choice. So is buying a whipped dog deal. Rebuilding razors is another learning curve and you should start that path separate from learning to shave, strop, etc. Now, that is not the way I did it but if I could be 18 again.... I would.
Lol don't listen to all of that brother. You could shave with a Swiss Army knife if you really wanted to. Blade steel is only relevant when talking about the length of time to sharpen and how often honing is required. 440 is absolutely suitable to shave with "if" you can get it sharp enough. It's extremely east to sharpen as well as it is a softer stainless. Most of these guys scoff at Rough Rider because it is inexpensive, but have never even held one. I actually have a blue celluloid Rough Rider Straight razor that my dad stole from me and uses daily. If you didn't mention the brand no one would have had an issue with it. Just my two cents.
I mean I have a Case Pocket knife I've carried for years with a Cali clip blade in 420..that I could easily shave with. If you know how to hone you could shave with a Chinese kitchen knife.
You could shave with a chisel too, but it won't be a good shave, pocketknives shaving hair on you arm ain't shaving your face, some steels aren't meant for shaving, a nice chippy rough edge cuts great on a knife but sucks for shaving.
So you shave your face with your knife and I'll take a dull razor and still get a smoother shave. Tc
I've been honing just shy of five years now and one of the ways beginners are able to check their wet stone progress is by shaving their face with whatever it is that they are honing. Pocket knives..kitchen knives..awls..whatever. I can easily get a nice facial shave with a standard pen style Swiss Army blade. Is it suitable for that? Absolutely not; but it is certainly doable. So I disagree with your statement wholeheartedly. My point was you can make any knife "shave ready" if you know how to sharpen cutlery. Especially one with such a soft steel.
:rofl2: This is very entertaining. Somebody comes out of the Blue and digs up a thread that's 4 years old and starts training everybody on steel and honing. :popcorn: Going to keep my head low and watch for little red dots on the wall :<0)
Blue you should have read the whole thread. Or do you sell these things and don't really care about truth ?
Interesting indeed, I've been honing a heck of a lot longer then that and had to forget everything I knew and "learn" to hone razors when I started. Different animals, knives and razors. At least i thought so. Till now that is!
Lol. I stumbled on this thread while looking for a beginner level razor to buy my Navy buddy who wants to get into straights. Having used a RR in the past succesfuly I simply pointed out that if you know how to sharpen, strop, and hone, you will have no issues shaving with a black widow or pocket knife for that matter. Is it the best shave you'll ever have? No. Will it shave like a Dovo? Absolutely not. But you can certainly get any knife shave ready with time and practice. Don't believe me? Pick up an $8 dollar Mora with a scandi grind and tell me it doesn't shave your face. Appreciate the response though it was very resourceful...lol.
Now I understand, I thought we were talking "comfortable shave" not "hair removal". I regress.Quote:
Originally Posted by GoBlue2486
As you probably well know, it depends on the grind. A straight razor with a hollow grind (like the one listed) is identical to that of a standard pocketknife. Obviously wedge ground straights are a whole 'nother animal.
That sounds great! It sounds like you're strapped for money but do have great honing skills. So, instead of arguing let's do something that would help everybody.Quote:
Originally Posted by GoBlue2486
Buy that RR razor and hone it well. Then take a video shaving with it, post it for everybody to enjoy and I'll cover the cost of the razor. You can then either keep it or give it to your buddy. Everybody wins.
Lol strapped for money huh? I was looking for something he could get into inexpensively in case he didn't like it. I was simply defending someone who purchased an inexpensive razor..and in turn got blasted by every douchebag on this forum. Much like yourself.
