Thread: Shavettes, the whole truth.

After my recent accident I was unable to bear weight on my right leg. In the hospital/rehab I encountered the "OMG that's a Weapon" bias so common these days (it seems the world is full of timid little shrews these days) so I used a safety razor for the whole time. Once I got home standing and stropping a razor was nearly impossible and sitting down and stropping a razor just felt awkward. The compromise (and a good one at that) is my shavette team. The Sanguine R5 has become a standout but my Dovo and CJB Kamisori are both frequent flyers. Although they take lots of bad press, shavettes are a lot less work to maintain and some would say a lot more consistent than a traditional straight. My curiousity is peaked and I'm very keen to try them with Feather DE Blades.

No, I'm not a shavette defector and once my leg is back to normal most of my shaves will likely be with a traditional straight but it is good to have multiple tools in the tool box and at this point in time my shavettes are the best option.

After about 18 months of shaving with my straights, I got a Feather DX folding razor for a present. I've owned all the Feathers and Kai Captain folding razor and sold them. I took out the DX for a spin and had no problems using a ProGuard blade. What I did notice is the difference in size. The DX is smaller and the blade stiffer then straights. This, IMO, makes it easier to get around and even hold. Maybe that's why people say its a good starter. I've owned a 4/8 straight and it's about the same size as the DX. I use different size straights so going to the DX didn't seem that big a deal. If your starting out, the size of a straight could intimidate someone.

I know this is kind of old and many of the things said were said last year, but I got both a Shavette style and a straight razor to start. My 2 cents on the shavette style is that 1. you can get better quality for less money. 2. because it is brutal as was mentioned it forces good habits faster 3. I had an issue with my straight razor, a slip of the hand led to a tiny chip that you can barely see that left my face torn all up. With a Shavette I toss it and grab the next blade with the straight it has to be sent off to be rehoned.

To me when you are learning anything new if you start with something that gives you a lot of leeway, because it builds confidence and has fewer problems than another method, you set yourself up for learning bad habits. My second shave with the straight razor had no nicks, a smooth shave, and didn't take long at all. For the last 2 weeks I have only been using the shavette and I am still getting cuts and nicks. It does a killer job on my cheeks. My neck is more complicated. The thing is I am getting better at the awkward angles and weird growth pattern around my neck with the shavette and I know that as that continues to improve and I get the technique down that when I get my straight razor back and get the new ones I will be able to focus on things like not hitting the faucet while rinsing and getting a proper strop before a shave and things like that because the angle of attack and the grip and which is the most comfortable technique that allows me to shave my neck and still see where to stop will all be covered. Covered because the least little mistake leaves a spot of blood to remind me that something didn't go exactly right or a little rough patch that rubs my shirt and whispers, "you still have practicing to do my friend". It actually makes me look forward to the next one because the last time I cut myself and I knew when I did it that I did it wrong and that would probably bleed. With the straight razor it probably wouldn't have. It would have been maybe not quite as smooth, or maybe a little more irritated but I would be thinking man I must be a natural at this. I am good look at me no cuts and people say this is tougher than it looks. I think it takes longer to get the technique down if you learn on something less brutal.

The Feather series are great razors to learn good technique on. As many others have said, they are less forgiving than a regular straight but that does lessen after a couple shaves on the blade. Kai Captain Milds are a good choice for blades for the true beginner, or even one of the guarded blades. You can still get a close shave with a guarded blade, but the chance of nicking yourself are minimal. They can be a great introduction to shaving with a straight like razor.

I hate shavettes.

I am still using the Magic Shavette, which is identical to the Diamond Edge referenced on page 1 of this thread. After 2 months of using it, I feel it has been a good way to learn technique such as angle and the other things needed, such as grip and skin stretching. And to date, my experiences have been very positive.

I can consistently get BBS on my cheeks and DFS under my nose and chin. Not sure if I will ever truly be able to get BBS in those areas as my beard seems coarser and grows digonally. But DFS or even CCS from my shavette is still better than any cartridge razor I have used. If my shavette has a limitation, I'd say it is the lack of heft which requires a very tiny bit of extra pressure to shave.

Yes, they are brutal but is it any worse than a raw SR noob with a spike point? However, the nicks and weepers Ive received are so minor that they stop after being pressed with a cold rag. And I suspect that my being used to the unforgiving nature of the shavette will translate well into my migration to a true straight...not unlike learning the rigors of a manual clutch on a 1960s musclecar then moving to the hydraulic clutches on a modern car.

I also agree with a statement about it being like an inconsistent partner. But I found that to be more so with the Derby half blades I purchased for it. Some Derbys gave me very good shaves whereas others felt rougher than shaving with a broken beer bottle! A blade change did help a lot. I have some Astra Superior Platinums and some Feathers. Right now, I get the best results with far less nicks (maybe 2 at the most) with the Feathers and the Astras are not far behind. A friend from my church gave a Gillette yellow to try.

So with a little bit of experimentation, I was able to get even the cheap Magic shavette to be a competent shaver. I worked around it's weaknesses. And like others, I chose the shavette route to see if I could pick up the SR technique without the big investment. Since I felt I picked it up easily enough and despite the sharpest blades on the brutal shavettes not slicing slabs of skin off like ham at a deli counter slicer, I feel the SR is the way to go.

If I did not do well with learning or did not like the results, I would have been out under 20 dollars. Big deal...

That is a totally valid way to go Donald. I feel straight razor user's can get a hate on for shavette's for some odd reason. I sometimes pull mine out and shave with no weepers, nicks and BBS everywhere. Is it my favourite? No. Better then a straight razor? No but it is a consistent tool that provides close comfortable shaves for a hell of a lot less money than all the gear associated with straight razors. If I didn't enjoy honing so much as a hobby I would use a feather or the likes all the time. It gives me great satisfaction to be self sufficient and shave with the edges I produce.

Ps. I like Shark Blades and Lord. YMMV on blades everyone likes something different.

P.P.S. I would avoid pressure at all times, even the lightest shavette shouldn't need pressure to shave.

+1 on the OP. Great write up and very thoughtfuland informative.

I shaved with a Parker shavette for YEARS before going to a straight and I, for one, am glad I did. When I transitioned to a straight I had a lot of the technique down pat, I knew what sharp was, and I could focus on the stropping and maintenance with a reference point. I see people on here all the time starting out and getting confused on if their blade is sharp or normal for a straight. My first straight was not shave ready and contrary to popular belief at that time it was not my technique. I went to a c12k stone and touched it up and it immediately changed into shave ready. I wouldn't have known that otherwise. I would have doubted my stropping or technique which in hind sight was spot on. So for me in my experience this was on par with what the OP is saying.

Now obviously not everyone has this same experience just like I didn't have the same experience as others. It just goes to show that the only right was or best way is the way that works the best FOR YOU.

Thanks to all who have posted their experience and wisdom. I'm starting into SR shaving and am having the shavette vs. straight debate to get started and all your words have been incredibly informative.