Any straight-razor users about?

Voodoo

Voodoo

Joined
Jul 7, 2005
Messages
276
My grandaddy used to use a straight-razor every day. Now, being the young whipper-snapper I was, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. It was just another antique that had been improved upon with the release of the "safety" (hah!) razor. Well, fast forward fourteen years, and here I am looking for one my self in the interest of saving money not having to buy $18.00 worth of razors every few weeks. Sadly, having been all over town, I haven't found any place that sells the real ones, just the kind with the disposable blade that wholly defeats my purpose. I did some googleing and found a few places looking to charge me around $200-300 for one, which is a little beyond my prices. Anyone have any experience with them, and even better, know where I can get a reasonably priced but still reliable set (preferably with brush, cream, stone, and strop included)?
 
I just started using a brush, and soap a little while ago and I believe it does give a closer shave. But I am just using a regular razor.

The old shaving kit was passed on through the family, in fact I found a brand new in box German brush, and I would be interested to know what its worth. But here is a brush you can buy, for the rest of the stuff look on Ebay.

http://www.theartofshaving.com/taos6/fcc_collection.php?show=50006
 
Yes, I use straights. If you can't find anything here, you might check the classified section at straightrazorplace.com. There's also a lot of useful info in the wiki there that you might want to read before buying anything - just so you know what you need etc.

Art of Shaving usually carries some straights for less than $200, but I think you'll do better getting a restored vintage blade that has been honed by someone who knows that they're doing. Straightrazordesigns.com also carries strops and all the stuff you'll need to get started. Jim at vintagebladesllc.com is another great guy to deal with and I think he's right there in MD. Tony Miller at thewellshavedgentleman.com makes outstanding strops, but he's been limiting his production lately to spend more time with family, so check is site and see if he has any available - he's also in MD. Good luck and take your time with it.

Jordan
 
I've got an old one bought at a flea market years ago at home. Always been curious to try, but I'm gonna need a badger brush and mug first... probably not practical for me though... I'd be unwilling to devote the necessary time to do my whole head with one.

The ol' fashioned double edge razors are a nice compromise between convenience, closeness, and the amount of material disposed of: a single metal blade, not some bluky plastic cartridge or worse still, the whole razor. I can typically get at least two weeks life out of one razor, and I keep the old blades for cutting up sandpaper, cause I'm not conerned about dulling disposable blades.
 
I have always been curious to try a straight razor, then I remember that I detest both the act of shaving as well as the time it takes to get a close shave. I have settled on the stubble look.

The wife likes it and I can hit it with a guardless beard trimmer every other day...it'd look cooler with an eye patch.
 
Steely_Gunz said:
I have always been curious to try a straight razor, then I remember that I detest both the act of shaving as well as the time it takes to get a close shave. I have settled on the stubble look.

The wife likes it and I can hit it with a guardless beard trimmer every other day...it'd look cooler with an eye patch.
Click to expand...

I used to hate shaving too, now I look forward to it! Imagine having 15-30 minutes of quality time with your knives each morning. That's what straight razors are for me. :D

Jordan
 
I have a medical condition called "sissy face" where anything that is raked across it causes discomfort:D

I would rather look like a roguish hobo than be clean shaven.

I had a customer ask me if I was ever going to finish that beard I started. I told him that I was just "indecisively Amish" and was wavering about the whole chin-fist of hair....then screamed "Fie on ye button! Thou art the infernal clasp of Beelzebub!" and took off my pants.

I want to apologize to any Amish forumites we might have reading here. It's all in good fun. If you want to discuss it any further, please feel free to shoot me an email.
 
For the razor, first place I'd look is antique shops. Seriously. They usually have a couple good ones for $10-$20.
 
For the real skinny on straight razors, go to straightrazorplace.com.

I have been shaving with a straight for about 4 years. Works fine for me.

And besides "Disposable razors are the work of the Devil."

Feel free to quote me. ;)
 
I've been shaving with a straight razor for almost 5 years now. I don't like to shave any other way, though I do so when I travel. The new 2-3-4 blade razors don't hold a candle to straight razor shaving, nothing gets as close. Plus, women love it. I don't know if it's the baby smoothness or the fact that you are shaving with an open blade, I've had more than one woman tell me that straight razor shaving is incredibly sexy. Word of caution - you'll tear like a little girl the first couple of weeks of straight razor shaving. Stick with it, your face will get used to it and you'll soon be experiencing the best shaves of your life.

As to sets, I can't really help you there. I bought my strop, brush, soap, honing stone, and razor separately. It's probably the best way to do so, as you can tailor the items to suit your needs. I know it seems expensive, but it's much cheaper in the long run. A lot of men I know spend more per year on their disposable razors than I did on my entire kit.

You can find all of the items above at www.classicshaving.com There is some sticker shock involved, as these are pretty much luxury items nowadays. (You can also blame a devalued dollar for the cost, as most of these items come from Europe) Remember though that there is no reason to get the most expensive items unless you just want to. The cheaper items will work quite well and will still be much better than safety razors and shaving gel/soap. You will probably still need a safety razor to get a close shave on your upper lip though, I still haven't found a way to shave that part of my face without cutting myself.

Just remember that when you shave with a straight razor to take your time and to always use a pushing, not a slicing motion. It's very easy to cut yourself with a straight if you're not paying attention.

Enjoy! You will soon discover that nothing wakes you up in the morning like putting a razor sharp piece of steel next to your throat.
 
I love shaving with a straight. I have that extremely thick, coarse hair that flat out destroys regular razors in record time. In fact, a straight is the only kind of razor that doesn't force me to go over an area several times to cut the hair.

I have been told to NOT shave my head with a straight, though, so I still use a conventional razor for that.
 
2 ways to go.

1. Get a good new razor. I can recommend a Dovo. Avoid cheap new razors. Some low quality stuff comes out of Pakistan.

2. Get a good old razor. You can get them cheap on e-bay, but you may have to refurbish them a bit. You might pick one up for $10. My best shavers are reconditioned old razors. This takes a bit more dedication and skill to recondition than buying a new razor.
 
Thanks to Steve Ferguson, I could shave with a forum-appropriate straight razor if I had the nerve. In England they are commonly referred to as "cut-throat" razors, though, which has always seemed to me a poor merchandising tactic:eek:.
wimqab.jpg
 
Berkley said:
... In England they are commonly referred to as "cut-throat" razors, though, which has always seemed to me a poor merchandising tactic:eek:.
...
Click to expand...

in england they had a barber by the name of johnny depp who cut the throats of patrons he didn't like and made them into meat pies with his lady, mrs. kipling (who makes exceedingly good pies).
meatpie4.JPG


i think they did a film about him recently where he was played by sweeney todd. or did i get that one wrong.....
sweeney-todd.jpg

anyway, negative publicity is better than no publicity, or so they say...
 
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used to collect razors , stroups.razor hones,@ mecanical stroupers.had many from 1800,s @ one from 1700,s.go to antique shops @ gun shows.the best are english.look at the top bevel,will show how much wear.razors were sharpened by laying entire blade on razor hone;then they went to stroup.many 1000,s are everywhere.in old days,cost a week's wages.pocket knives were 05.to ten cents.some of best were;i.x.l. joseph rogers @wade@butcher.do'nt pay more than 20 dollars.exception;pearl or ivory handles.the learning process with a straight;painful.badger hair brush were the norm.badgers are as common,in england;as rabbits over here.
 
a great place to find all you desire;is old time barber shops. most barbers were still using straights@ every chair had a stroup on it's side or back.this was the norm through the 1970's.aids caused the demise of straights.
 
I use an 1890s Sheffield straight razor. It belonged to my greatgrandfather (my mother's side).

Fortunately I only need to shave about once a week.
 
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