Thread: Does a shavette = full hollow? Apples = oranges?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

That's the ironic thing about a shavette. Yes it's sure cheaper unless you buy a fancy feather however it can be more difficult to use because it is basically just a razor blade and the scales are so light. I would never call it a bridge to a straight. It's just a cousin twice removed of a straight. I'd more call a DE a bridge to a straight.

That's very interesting to read. Does this mean the technique I'm learning now will have to be unlearned if I get a SR? Surely some of the basics like developing proper blade angle, left hand dexterity, and proper amount of pressure will be useful.

While I respect TBS view point that is not how it worked for me. I started with a Parker and found it very helpful. I went from a cart to the shavette and mind you I started with the shavette before I found SRP. I shaved with the shavette for a year or so before finding SRP and getting the itch for a real SR.

Starting with the shavette can be really rough it's very unforgiving and you really have to be determined to get it right.

However when I moved to a true SR I found a lot of what I learned translated to SR's.

First was that I really learned how to make a good lather in that time. With out also having to learn stropping and wondering if a bad save was a result of poor lather or a dull blade. So it gave me only two factors to worry about technique and lather. As has been pointed out a de can do the same for this but I have read other places before that you can get away with a poorer lather with de then SR and shavette.

Second was angle. The angle of attack with a shavette is almost parallel with the face I learned that pretty quick with the shavette. When I switched to a SR I found myself using larger angles and getting poor shaves it wasn't till i took a break and used the shavette that I was able to realize the problem I was having was do to the angle. So yes angle translates.

Pressure is in my mind a no brainier that translates. Put pressure on a shavette get cut. You quickly learn what light pressure is with the shavette and that's the same thing you need for a SR.

Learning to grip the shavette does translate also but you have to adjust slightly but nothing majorly different. I didn't learn how to shave with my off hand but that should translate as you are developing the muscle memory for it.


Joe

I seem to be using a hotrodded $4 Chinese copy of a Parker a lot these days, on trips, where it's very convenient.

It's not really similar to a straight in my inexperienced opinion. My experience is that it's harder to just directly stab yourself in the various ways a straight can esily do, but very easy to skim off a couple of layers of skin, as with a DE. But I'm finding that as my straight shaving is getting better and I'm learning to go light, my pseudo-parker job is getting better even quicker.

Its advantage is its disadvantage: the ease of getting every last bit of stubble, and a couple of layers of skin with that. I just never burn myself at all with my straight, which is pretty nice.

I think you should do the best of both worlds: chopstick shave.wmv - YouTube