First str8 razor recommendation

J

Jester60

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May 21, 2011
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I'm interested in obtaining a razor for use, not collecting. Any recommendations of brands or specific razors? Brands/razors to steer clear of?

Also, how many here use a straight razor to shave with?

Thanks
 
Best place to start is the wiki over on Straightrazorplace.com. They have a great list of brands to avoid. A couple of questions before we get started:
What is your current shave method?
whats your budget?
Do you prefer new or antique razors? (there are still a few really good razor makers out there)

For new brands you've got dovo, thiers-issard, and boker. The main thing is to find a reputable seller (not so much the flea-bay) who has the razor professionally hand honed before you get it. Razors are not typically shipped in a shave ready state from the factory. There are a huge number of antiques on the market, but most sellers will use phrases like shave-ready to boost the sale, regardless of the shape of the razor. due to the recent resurgence of interest in straight razors, there is a lot of crap on the market being sold at "antique collectors" price instead of "value for usage" if that makes any sense.


I straight shave when I have time (I've been getting pretty lazy on it) and use a DE the rest of the time. There are a couple other straight shavers around here.
 
I shave with a straight when time permits, but that's been less frequently than I'd like as of late. I use a DE otherwise. The above is all sound advice. For a new razor I find the Dovo Special Tortoise to be pretty much ideal.
 
I shave with a straight. I agree with the advice here. I would check out the resources mentioned - read some posts, etc. I think the best value is to get a vintage razor that has been restored and honed by someone who knows what they are doing. You can get a sense of that at the site mentioned, and there is some good advice here in this forum too.

Jordan
 
If your looking for a good razor, ready to shave and everything you'll need to maintain it, you can't beat www.whippeddog.com. he has "sight unseen" deals for about $25 you get a vintage razor that has been cleaned (not restored) and professionally honed. He also has starter strop kits for about the same. He also has many other deals for things the straight shaver needs.

I am just starting to straight shave on a regular basis, but have been repairing and restoring razors for a while. I have a couple I'm making from scratch now too. Get a known shave ready razor from a reputable dealer to learn to shave with, then find one in the wild to play with and learn how to hone.


-Xander
 
hurray! someone started the thread for me. so wiki mentions the three brands. there's even a negative list. just my own questions:

1. do you guys zero-grind your razors? how do you protect the spine against wear?
2. how handy are the japanese-style one-piece razors?
3. are 'smiling' razors more effective?
4. lastly, recommended good models in current production? i'm also a bit of a collector (often several of just one model.)

thanks the the OP, and to you gents.
 
Hank, We've answered this before.? Tape the spine to protect the spine and set the edge angle. Smilling razors are what you want. I use a A.F. Bannister and like it. DM
 
I have all antique razors and don't bother with tape. I figure I don't mind that sharpening removes some steel. Some of my razors show some spine wear, some don't. Personal preference, its not like its going to make the razor last longer, heck, one of mine is going on 100 years old as near as I can tell, and while it looks it, there is lots of blade left. To me protecting against spine wear is like worrying about changing the edge of a knife while sharpening it. its what happens. not sure what you mean by zero grind, if you mean without a secondary bevel, then thats what I do, slap on the hone, and away we go.

one piece Japanese razors, no idea.

Smiles, again preference. some razors are made with a smile, some are square. Smiling is better than frowning either way. when looking at a blade to buy, a huge smile on an otherwise straight blade (haha) might be a sigh of improper honing.

current production, I had a Dovo special that died of celluloid rot (RIP). I have a boker king kutter in my rotation that I like, and an edelweiss in the restore lineup.
Of the big thee current production, i don't think you can go wrong.
 
I'd suggest a Shavette. I just got one and find it works very well. I'm not a strait user and I picked up one of these just to give it a try. They use half of a DE blade. So you don't have to concern yourself with the sharpening, unlike a regular strait. It is a fun way to shave but I don't see myself shaveing this way much.
 
db said:
I'd suggest a Shavette. I just got one and find it works very well. I'm not a strait user and I picked up one of these just to give it a try. They use half of a DE blade. So you don't have to concern yourself with the sharpening, unlike a regular strait. It is a fun way to shave but I don't see myself shaveing this way much.
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I have a Dovo, an east german "solingen quality" (can't remember the brand name) and 3 restored antique straight edge. I like the restored ones more than the new ones, the steel feels slightly softer (if that makes sense) and the pitch of the "snick" as they come off the strop is more pleasant. The steel also feels more relaxed. This is about feelings and impressions rather than sharpness or other measureable qualities.

A shavette will give you some idea and maybe useful for getting used to "laying the blade on", but they're really not long enough and they aren't smiling by any measure. They are more like shaving with a very short square/frowning blade. Not the most pleasureable shave as the blade is pretty much "all corners".

Japanese straights tend to be flat ground rather than hollow so you need to take off more metal to get there, but I think the edges last longer once you're there. I use the finest 3 grits of micromesh soaked in water and slapped onto glass for honing/stropping after starting with a black arkansas oilstone. I probably only hone once a year because of rotation. The other thing is if you only have one razor and use it every day, it'll start to feel blunt and stropping doesn't seem to do much. Let the razor relax for a couple of days and then go back to it with a strop. It'll feel sharper and have more of a "spring". I was told by an old school barber that you need a minimum of 2 straights (and alternate) if you want to shave every day.
 
David Martin said:
Hank, We've answered this before.? Tape the spine to protect the spine and set the edge angle. Smilling razors are what you want. I use a A.F. Bannister and like it. DM
Click to expand...

I disagree with the practice of taping the the spine unless you're literally only covering the section visible when viewed from above with the edge facing down. If covering the sides of the spine (where it contacts the stone simultaneously with the edge) then your bevel is going to become more obtuse as the edge wears over time. The two points of contact are necessary to keep the angle the same over the life of the razor. Protecting only just the actual "face" of the spine itself (rather than the "cheeks") however, is acceptable to prevent wear on any decorative etchings, washes, or filework.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I disagree with the practice of taping the the spine unless you're literally only covering the section visible when viewed from above with the edge facing down. If covering the sides of the spine (where it contacts the stone simultaneously with the edge) then your bevel is going to become more obtuse as the edge wears over time. The two points of contact are necessary to keep the angle the same over the life of the razor. Protecting only just the actual "face" of the spine itself (rather than the "cheeks") however, is acceptable to prevent wear on any decorative etchings, washes, or filework.
Click to expand...

A big +1! Don't tape just for the sake of it. Tape if you need to change edge geometry.

I don't own any new production razors, so I can't help you there. I just restore the old ones. But I do have some Gold Dollar razors en route to me, they are not just a simple "hone and go" razor, they often need a big of massaging to the shoulder to help it be honed properly. They are cheap, I got mine for $3.55 with free shipping direct from HK.

Kamisori, japanese non folding straight razor, they have a following. But much like many football teams many people either love them or hate them. There is much tradition in using them, some stick to it, some don't. Honing a kamisori is different than a western razor as well, they are made from soft iron with a high carbon bit on one side. Honing is done more on one side than the other, usually 7:1 or 10:3. I am currently working on two custom kamisori, they are intriguing to me. The WIP thread is in shop talk.

I don't like or use smiling razors, so I can't help you there.


-Xander
 
So much to learn ... and I thought you just bought a razor and immeadiatly start cutting your face to pieces.

Ill do some nosing around but The Whipped Dog site looks interesting. I think Id like to str8 shave but I didn't want to spend a lot at first till I was sure I was going to stay with it. They have like a starter pack with everything I need to try it out for I think $75, and if it doest work out looks like he'll buy the razor back.

Thanks a lot everyone!
Jester
 
At the very least, once you start using a brush and soap, you'll never want to go back to cans. If the straight doesn't work out for you, a DE probably will, and they are way better than cartridges. It also helps to get used to shaving with brush lather before you start with the straight. I think that caused me a few problems when I started learning.
 
The use of smiling vs. non-smiling razors is a matter of preference. I like them because I have a lot of hollow features, like the side of my throat, and the smiling blades are able to get in that hollow with fewer acrobatics on my part.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
The use of smiling vs. non-smiling razors is a matter of preference. I like them because I have a lot of hollow features, like the side of my throat, and the smiling blades are able to get in that hollow with fewer acrobatics on my part.
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Getting the sides of my throat has always been a pain for me, any recommendations for a razor with a smile?
 
SunsetFisherman said:
Getting the sides of my throat has always been a pain for me, any recommendations for a razor with a smile?
Click to expand...
so far i see only custom charlie lewis smilies (folder and one-piece.) a short or 'snapped' straight razor also works well on the sides, provided the end is rounded.
 
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