Thread: What’s your favorite straight razor?

The last few shaves has been my new Hart.

Before that, a nice Helje that I bought off of a forum member.

A Festonne and Dovo 55 before those.

My collection has bloomed to 20 or so razors...so I revisit my "favorite" every few days.

I have a Red Imp that i'll get on the hones soon, and that will probably be my next favorite.

Code

Blademen,

That is a tough one to answer as others have said !

I have a real soft spot for my Genco Fluid Steel, my 'tatty Puma', and my Dovo Best (a real workhorse).

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

My favorite is a mint condition cast steel blade from the 1700s. I don't have one unfortunately, but if I did I'm sure it would be my favorite.

E.Decker Master Barber, 4/8, would keep an edge through an atomic blast and glides through hair, then my 6/8 crown and sword, a nice big hollow ground when I feel like a big piece of steel against my face.

regards
Alex

I cant answer that..!

I love them all, really I do, and its the variety between them that keeps this all interesting to me.

Its the same with my stones. Someone asked the other day about what set to get, and I was like "Shapton... No, Naniwa.... No, wait, Shapton..." And then theres all the finishers...

Too many razors, too many hones, not enough time or money!

Originally Posted by Theseus

My favorite razor is usually whatever on I use on any given day.

Yep, that seems to be the case for me. I've only got 7 shave-ready razors, so I'm guaranteed to use each one every week. I like having the variety without having to figure out which razor to use. Monday? 6/8 Wosty pipe for L. Herder. Friday? 5/8 Anchor in really cool yellow and black mottled celluloid scales.

But I've got a 6/8 Sprock in ivory that I'm sending off to gssixgun for a vintage restore. Trouble on the way . . .

My favorite razor is not my best shaver. I like it and will never part with it because it was a gift. Passed from my stepfather to me and he got it from his grandfather. It's a simple black scaled Henry Sears and Son's 5/8 spike point. It has very little hone wear but blade is stained and not the best looking razor I own. I have thought about polishing it up, but there is no rust and I like it the way it is. I have several razors that are great shavers and look ten times better than the Sears but it's still my favorite.

Gentlemen:

In the idiosyncratic world of the straight razor, the word "favorite" proves inadequate. Some of our members here have several hundred straight razors out of which a favorite, I am sure, is difficult to choose. And on what day of the week? With my modest collection of 25 razors I find the choice impossible to make. What razor is my favorite I don't know.

That's why in these circumstances I prefer to use the word "prefer" over "favorite," because it proves more legitimate in conveying my feeling toward my razors. Which ones I "prefer" suits me better.

Four Wackers, two of which are the wedge set, are glorious in every way, from the way they sit in my hands to the way they shave. I feel the same about the three Le Grelots, one a 1/4 hollow, and would never choose one over the others. My Filarmoncia 13 is lovely — and a part of me.

And before I forget, I have a 4/8" Wostenholm Spanish point that I consider priceless. It's the one I use for travel. Is it my "favorite" razor? No, of course not. Rather, it is one of my preferred razors. So is the 5/8" Revisor Gold with plastic scales and beautiful blade etching. Also a simple 5/8" Boker King Cutter with plastic scales — it's a sweet shaver and one of the preferred.

I prefer these over two new 6/8" Revisors, a beautiful Thiers-Issard "Dos Festonne," several 5/8" Thiers-Issards with fancy scales, a Dubl Duck "Pearlduck" and an assortment of other modern and vintage razors. Oh, sure, they are good shavers, but not my preferred razors.

So there you have it, gentlemen: I don't have a "favorite" razor, but I prefer some over the others.

Regards,

Obie

My top five:
5/8 Westenholm "Original Pipe Razor"
6/8 Thiers-Issard Le Grolet
6/8 Hart Steel
5/8 Dovo Black Micarta
6/8 Heljestrand No. 6

If someone put a gun to my head and made me choose, I'd choose the 13/16ths Friodurs. I have much more expensive or nicer looking razors, but it is just very difficult to beat a vintage Friodur.