few questions on straights

[Boogie]

Been looking at getting a straight, for some time now. I notice that they come in 6/8, 5/8 and 4/8. What exctally are these measurments of? And I had heard that the blade material is very important in straights. What's the best material to have you blade in, and what's the worst?

Thanks guys for all the help.

 

[mparker762]

the /8ths figures are the size of the blade, as measured from edge to spine, roughly speaking. 5/8 is generally considered the "standard" size, though 6/8 and 7/8 are pretty common nowadays and frequently considered more desirable.

The blade should be made of steel, the problem is that it's gotta be really good steel, and there are a lot of things on ebay claiming to be razors that don't use good enough steel to qualify for much more than a butter knife. Any new razor that is less than $50 should be viewed with suspicion. The cheapest razor that I've found to work well is the current production C-Mon "Cadillac", which I think is made by Dovo. I bought mine for $52 from appleton barber supply, although the price seems to have gone up a few dollars recently it's still pretty reasonable. As with any new razor, it will need to be sharpened by someone who knows how. They also sell a perfectly serviceable Illinois #127 strop for $24 IIRC.

Both stainless and ordinary steel will work fine, as long as it's really good steel, properly hardened and tempered for this application.

 

[Redhead]

Hey Boogie,
There are all kinds of confusing terms for razor steel; Blue Steel, Silver Steel, Sheffield Steel, Swedish Steel, Stainless (INOX).The main thing is that you buy quality. Expect to pay about a c note for a decent new straight and 20 bucks or so to have it honed. Most razors do not come shave sharp from the factory. I would highly reccomend a 6/8 round point or spanish point carbon razor. I would also reccomend a two sided paddle strop with .5 diamond or chromium paste on one side to refreshen the blade as it becomes dull. This is really all you need to get started.
Best,
Red

 

[Boogie]

Thanks for the help. I'm still trying to get all my terms down for straight shaving. It's a whole new world of shaving, and I can't wait to get involved.

 

[Razorburne]

Boogie,

If you go over to the Straight Razor Place forum, you can find tons of information. There are lots of archived videos, pics, articles, and all the gentlemen on the forum are just that...gentlemen. Ask a question and you'll easily have 50 responses by the end of the day - all informative and helpful.

 

[mparker762]

There is also a tremendous amount of information available in the library section at straightrazorplace, as well as in the archives of the threads both here and at straightrazorplace. Just about any topic you're interested in has been discussed at length many times, so you can learn an awful lot just browsing through the old threads.

 

[gglockner]

One must not think that a Pakistan razor or the ones for $15.99 on ebay will make a great shaver. In regards to the post that says, expect to pay $100 or the post stating to be suspicous of anything under $50 there are exceptions to the rule.

300095384051 ( ebay item# ) Ok maybe I got lucky, but someone else before me got one for even less. This is my first Stainless blade that I know of. A little harder to get keen than a carbon blade, but now it's so dang sharp that I wouldn't want to recommend it for a first razor. It is starting to mellow out about a bit now, but fresh off the hone it was nasty sharp.

Glen

 

[Razorburne]

You can easily get a great straight shaver for less than $50 bucks online, but you must be careful and choose wisely. Make sure there are clear pictures - if not, ask them for more and ask questions of the product before buying.

However, regarding Pakistani razors - stay away...Pakistani straights are notoriously bad. Your first shave (if it comes shave ready) might be decent...but good luck after that. And trying to get a keen edge on future honing will not work very well.

just my 2 cents.

 

[Suzuki]

The BEST way to get an affordable first (or second, or third...) straight is to join SRP and buy a shave-ready vintage razor from one of the members over there.

Many members are very skilled at refurbishing and honing vintage razors and there's lots for sale between te $40 and $50 dollar range.

This is a safer way to go than taking your chances on an e-bay special and then having to go have the razor sharpened or experiencing the frustration of trying to sharpen a razor for the first time - not to mention the fact that you will need the proper equipment to do it in the first place.