Thread: should i get started?

I've started using a shavette because the nice straight razor I ordered before christmas was delayed at uk customs so long that I'd gone back to Norway by the time it arrived at my parents house where I was staying. Now it's being delayed by Norwegian customs so I still don't have it. I bought a cheap shavette to be going on with. I got a bluebeards revenge one for £10 off amazon. A very affordable way to have a go at something close to straight razor shaving, although not quite the real deal.

Originally Posted by WoppA

If you don't like it I bet you could even recoup some of your money reselling it here on the classifieds.

That would depend on just how "cosmetically flawed" it is.
Sometimes it's safer not buy things sight unseen like parachutes & razors

I noticed the same problem with my cartridge razor I had been using prior to starting straight shaving. The only way it wouldn't irritate me is if I ONLY shaved with the grain. Any time I'd try against the grain (yes even after WTG) I would get some irritation. Having shaved with a straight for about 6 months my shaves have improved, and minimal irritation. I didn't switch because of the irritation, the sheer bad-ass-ness of straight razors is what attracted me. However, my shaves are better and I can go ATG with minimal irritation. Sometimes I'll think an edge is sharper than it actually is when I go ATG and that will cause irritation, but now I have a few razors that I trust ATG. My honing is slowly improving as well. I'll occasionally get a little redness immediately after shaving, but it will subside after a half hour to an hour.

Skin clarity has improved a little as well, I don't know if I would give the straight razor the credit for this. As I have always had troublesome skin (mild acne), but I think it does play a role in my skin clarity. I'm still working on improving my shaves but if your willing to learn, I almost promise that you will think of shaving not as a chore anymore, but a relaxing time for you. I look forward to shaving every time I get to do it, which for me, is every few days. My beard doesn't grow fast, thick, nor do I need to be clean shaven every day.

Safety razors aren't a bad stepping stone either. I got my friend hooked on them (he said he didn't want a straight). Now he loves his DE and I think in the future he might want to give shaving with a straight a chance. He had to shave daily for work and his beard also grows fast and thick, so he went through cartridges FAST, he got excited when I told him how much blades for my DE were. He can notice a better shave, and can wait longer before having to shave again because of a closer shave. He too, can't go ATG with cartridge razors, and was skeptical at first, but I think he really enjoys his DE. He mentioned that he wanted to get another one, a full size DE, since his is a travel size. But shaving daily or every other day for him adds up, and saving money was what attracted him and the shave quality has him hooked.

As for straights, I haven't HAD to buy anything for shaving since July 2012. I did choose to get some blades to restore and some new soaps to try. It is a somewhat addictive hobby if you ask me. I never dreamed that there could ever be so much to shaving to learn. I love it, I'm sure everyone on this forum can agree with that.

Good luck in your shaving ventures!

Originally Posted by cpcohen1945

Two things:

Blades are cheap -- ten cents to 50 cents each -- and last for a few shaves. No stropping, no honing. you can get a 'blade sampler' online and find out what you like, and what you don't -- blades differ.

when you said a 'blade sampler', what did you mean exactly? do you have a link to hand I could take a look at?

thanks

Dan

A lot of vendors sell sample paks
of various brands of blades.

Google DE blade sampler pak.

Pick the vendor of your choice.


Terry

For example:

Razor Blade Sample Packs | West Coast Shaving

I just read a thread (maybe here, maybe on BadgerAndBlade.com) that suggests that it would be better to buy a good supply of a "middle-of-the-road" blade -- for example, Astra -- and _learn to shave with it_.

I'm not sure what to believe, now.

I started off with a Gillette Tech and a stock of Feather blades, and did a little suffering in my first few weeks. But I eventually mastered that combination.

Everything after that has been easy.

. charles

Dovos are great. some of the top of the line and all you need to get a good shave. I have several. Make sure you get one professionally honed by Lynn Abrams at www.straightrazordesigns or www. vintagebladesllc.com they all come shave ready. There are several other sites that offer professionally honed razors and its quite relative so be careful. Another cheap way to go is Larry at whipped dog.com. Hs razors are vintage without flaws in the blade and come professionally honed. I bought from all these guys and highly recommend them. The notion that SR shaving is more expensive than disposables is a farce. Where the disposables get you is the blades. a good razor can last a lifetime. Of course RAD kicks in and you can by more but all you reallyneed is razor, strop, brush and soap. hope this helps