Best Starter Straight Razor?

[TimmyBoston]

I'm beginning to look at straight razors, not as a daily shaver, I'll stick with my DE, but for a luxurious weekend shave. I have been looking at Feathers, primarily for their interchangable blades, it's much easier than getting honed. Primarily the Artist Club with the Pro Guard blades (they appear the safetest to start with) What is the concensus or is there a consensus on a good starter straight?

Thanks

 

[Steelforge]

I would go with this razor http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.com/displayProductDocument.hg?productId=41&categoryId=6

and this strop http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.com/displayProductDocument.hg?productId=31&categoryId=2

 

[ouch]

The consensus for a good starter str8 is about as easy a question as you'll find on this site- go to straightrazorplace.com, where you'll find everything you need to know. The most important thing is to get a razor that's already sharp. Most new razors aren't. Get a shave ready blade from one of their local honemeisters, then be prepared to learn how to maintain it.

As for the Feather, you may want to ask around a bit. Yes, they're the sharpest things going, but they've ripped up the mugs of many a luminary on this site.

 

[Tony Miller]

Thanks Iwan.

The razors I sell are shave ready sharp, each being honed by hand before sending. Classic shaving offer a similar service for a small fee where they are sent out for honing before going to the customer. We are probably the only dealers doing this with new razors. John Crowley sells new old stock razors pre-honed as well.

On SRP there are several guys offering vintage razors pre-sharpened.

Tony Miller

 

[sphughes]

Tim,

I would also suggest looking into one of the starter sets that Tony sells. For a relatively short amount of money, Tony will sell you a fine 'shave ready' Dovo SE razor along with one of his strops, which are second to none IMO. One suggestion I would make if you decide to go this route with a hanging strop, is to upgrade the strop to a 3" model. The additional width will allow you to strop almost any razor dead on and not have to worry about stropping in a pattern.

Feel free to PM me of you have more specific questions. I am a 100% SE shaver and will try to answer anything I can for you.

-Scott-

 

[TimmyBoston]

What I like so well about the Feather's are the interchangeable blades. But it really isn't a good first straight?

 

[mparker762]

It can be a good first straight, but be aware that if it doesn't work for you that tells you very little about your compatibility with a traditional straight -- other than the way you hold them the two are very different beasts. I tried the feather nearly every day for a month before switching back to traditional straights. I still haul the feather out every now and again (shaved with it today actually) but I just can't shave with it every day without my skin getting thin in a couple of patches. Some guys love them and prefer them to straights. As with so many things, YMMV. You can pick up a feather and blades fairly inexpensively, and if you decide you don't like it you can sell it easily here or on SMF; there's a never-ending supply of guys getting bored with their Feather DE blades looking for something a little more hard-core.

Though it may not seem like it now, shaving with the feather is a lot like shaving with a DE, except that you hold it differently. Shaving with a traditional straight is a very different experience, partly because they aren't quite as sharp, and partly because you're the one responsible for the sharpness, not feather or merkur or whoever. If you visit SRP you'll discover that there's very little chatter about brushes or soaps, and a lot of talk about hones and honing.

 

[randydance062449]

I have heard a lot of satisfied comments about shaving with a straight razor and far less from those who use a Feather.

Getting a good qualty razor and strop from Tony Miller, along with a abrasive pasted paddle strop, would be the best way to go.

Just my two cents,