Thread: Top Of The Range Injector Razor / Shavette?

Gentlemen,

My nephew has become fascinated by the accoutrements of wet/straight razor shaving and has shown interest in taking it up.

Although he is at an age where he is responsible enough to handle a blade, his parents are not keen on the idea of laying out so much money on a young'un, especially on something he may well lose interest in a week down the line when he finds out he doesn't want to wake up early enough to do it properly. (Personally, I think it's a great opportunity to teach him patience and the forgotten notion that satisfaction is derived from delayed gratification -- particularly to the texting generation -- but he's not my boy, so I don't have any say.)

If you prefer to skip the above B.S., my basic question is, is there a really nice injector razor / shavette to start him out on, just so he can get used to lathering and, well, basically, for the first time in his life doing something that's not sloppy and half-assed? (He is definitely a good boy and only guilty of something many of us were guilty of at that age. I, personally, agree with his parents in that he will lose interest at first; but, I do believe he will grow to appreciate it and come back to it when he is ready.)

I would give him the Dovo shavette I started out on but it's kind of cheap and crappy, and I think he'll take it more seriously if he starts out on something that's a bit more substantial and not a "toy": is there something out there made of higher-quality stuff in this category (i.e., not a safety razor, and uses the same fundamental design as a straight razor but with disposable razor blades)?

As always, thanks a million,



Derek

Hi.
I would recommend the Feather artist club RG or DX.
They are fine disposable-blade razors IMO.
You can choose between 4 different blades for it:
Light, Pro-Guard, professional and professional super.
The blades are different in aggressiveness, where the professional super are the most aggressive.
Now that doesn't mean sharper per se, it means that the blade sticks out a bit more from the housing, making it easier to vary angles. And get cut..

I use the professional to shave my head every day, and are very satisfied with the feather disposables.
You could also get the Pro-Guard blades which have a protective wire on each side of the blade, making it a fair bit more forgiving.
Good luck!

I agree, the Feather AC would seem to meet your requirements. Also, you aren't really taking much of a financial risk as they tend to sell quickly for pretty good prices. Personally I didn't like the ProGuard blades (they feel rough to me) but the other blades give a great shave.

One caveat, if he has blemishes this is not the right razor for him. The Feather doesn't do well with skin imperfections (tries to cut them off ).

Originally Posted by Bill S

One caveat, if he has blemishes this is not the right razor for him. The Feather doesn't do well with skin imperfections (tries to cut them off ).

Good point. I can testify to that Anything uneven could very well be a bit flatter after a pass of the feather

But perhaps the Pro-Guard would fit better for someone with that problem, and as such be exactly what he probably should start out with, if that is an issue?

What about a rolls razor? or a valet, not de razors as there is a bit more invovlved in the shave and they are cheap.

Thank you for your kind responses.

If you really want to go for an injector, then yes, Feather (from what I hear) is the way to go. Of course, you COULD always find a decent priced razor on the classifieds that is shave ready. If he doesn't like it, you could always put it back up on the classifieds and most likely get your money back what you put in it.

Injectors are ok IMO, but for me, and I know a few others, the shave off a REAL straight will feel more comfortable that a disposable blade. Just my 2 cents worth

Have your nephew try the Parker straights which work on the same principle of the Dovo Shavette & Sanguine razors but are cheaper. They are available in 4 models on Amazon, Qed, Howard-Howi on Ebay-check out his store for more products. The arm is stainless steel and uses have a double edge blade. The scales range from thin stainless steel, chrome-black-white plastic.
Same principle as straight shaving, but not quite the same shave. I get 3 shaves out of half a blade before discarding and replacing it. The last time I used a Parker straight I was able to shave my neck and lower lip and never cut myself. I still have difficulty shaving my neck & lower lip with a straight razor & do nick myself there. Rarely have I gotten a close shave there. The Parkers are inexpensive but a good value! Avoid the Taize version of the Shavette-cheaply made & deosn't hold the blade properly in the arm as the Parker.