Going to buy my first straight razor....any suggestions?

[niro884]

Looking to give the straight razor a try after using a safety razor for quite awhile. What brands can anyone suggest for a first? Anything to stay away from? Looking for something reasonably priced and good. What else do I need as far as strops or hones for sharpening? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks for reading

Carmine

 

[strop]

Two words. Whipped Dog. Seriously, look at Larry's offer for sight unseen beginner straights. You will get a shave ready straight, a beginners strop that won't make you cringe when you cut it the first time, and a balsa hone charged with CrOx for tough up honing. If you decide you don't like it, you're not out much and if you do then the sky's the limit. ( I'm trying to convince SWMBO that I need a TI for my birthday!) Larry is a great guy to deal with, as well.

Welcome to B&B. Just noticed this was your first post. Be sure to introduce yourself upstairs as well.

 

[Earcutter]

One man’s opinion – and that’s all it is.

I have read allot of threads here from guys who say they want to get into shaving with a straight. As a straight shaver, nothing excites me more than to have another in the fold so to speak. Having said that, I also note that most of these threads are answered the same way and that’s to start off slow, buy a used straight and learn to hone after you know you’re into it.

I think that is sound advice, but I am not sure it applies to everyone. For example me; I did that, and though I still shave with a straight, I almost abandoned straight razor shaving waiting for my razor to be honed. Hence, because every noob I know of who starts with a straight razor almost immediately questions if their razor is sharp after a couple of shaves, and has that nagging them more than learning proper technique, makes me say that you need to get a honing stone almost right away. It’ll add to the pleasure and ease your mind I think.

The other difference in my thinking is I feel you should spend as much as you want on your first razor (within reason - you will buy another and even if you don’t – they look cool in the den). Sure you’re going to scratch it honing it or whatever, but they will be “war wounds” and they should be valued rather than looked down upon. Ultimately though, if you get a razor that you really like, and that might be a bit more expensive, you might also be more willing to see the eventual learning curve through.

So I say buy a razor that you can afford. Make sure you get a hone, and know you are going to destroy (read will need to sand) your first strop. If you want, buy some pastes too!

Finally, revisiting commitment; straight razor shaving I found took much more commitment than DE shaving. You’ll need to spend more time shaving initially learning all the angles etc, etc.. Heck, just feeling comfortable with it in your hands takes a day or two! Plus, there’s more to the tool than merely changing the blade, in that you need to learn to strop, hone etc.. Ultimately it’s a pleasure though! And once it all comes together, I find shaving with a straight much more rewarding than DE shaving.

Razor – If new, make sure it’s honed. If used, make sure it’s honed.
Strop – whatever you want. I am actually thinking I am going to gopaddle exclusively.
Hone – Norton 8000/4000 is a standard. Coti’s are popular here too.
B&B – read, read, read. Ask.

Well Like I said – that’s one man’s opinion. Welcome to B&B.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Welcome to B&B. Many people will suggest Whipped Dog, which enjoys a very good reputation here. As a possible alternative, I might also suggest starshaving.com. They will have a new cheap razor and a cheap strop and balsa hones for CrOx--although you will have to arrange with their recommended honemeister for making the razor shave-ready. Pick up a 4000x/8000x Norton water stone as well, or a little bit later, and you're good to go for a while.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Welcome to B&B. Many people will suggest Whipped Dog, which enjoys a very good reputation here. As a possible alternative, I might also suggest starshaving.com. They will have a new cheap razor and a cheap strop and balsa hones for CrOx--although you will have to arrange with their recommended honemeister for making the razor shave-ready. Pick up a 4000x/8000x Norton water stone as well, or a little bit later, and you're good to go for a while.

+1. The Giesens & Forsthoff basic 5/8 is a pretty good new razor for a pretty low price. They have some pretty cheap badger brushes, too, and their famous Big Daddy strop.

I would recommend Larry's sight unseen deal, though. Most of his razors are very respected old brands. Lots of vintage American steel. They will all shave quite well even if they aren't so pretty. For $49 you get a razor, and the poor man strop kit. He also sells cheap badger brushes.

Now Earcutter brings up a good point. After a couple shaves, you might wonder if you have messed up your edge or not. That's a pretty good case for getting TWO whippeddogs. One in the sight unseen package deal, and another spare one. Use one razor until you think the edge needs refreshing. Then switch to the other, while you either teach yourself to hone on the first one, or send it out. A newbie CAN learn to hone. It is just difficult to do so when you don't know what a shaving edge feels like or looks like. And it does suck to send your only razor out for honing, and have to regress to cart or DE or electric while you wait for it to return.

 

[Earcutter]

+1. The Giesens & Forsthoff basic 5/8 is a pretty good new razor for a pretty low price. They have some pretty cheap badger brushes, too, and their famous Big Daddy strop.

I would recommend Larry's sight unseen deal, though. Most of his razors are very respected old brands. Lots of vintage American steel. They will all shave quite well even if they aren't so pretty. For $49 you get a razor, and the poor man strop kit. He also sells cheap badger brushes.

Now Earcutter brings up a good point. After a couple shaves, you might wonder if you have messed up your edge or not. That's a pretty good case for getting TWO whippeddogs. One in the sight unseen package deal, and another spare one. Use one razor until you think the edge needs refreshing. Then switch to the other, while you either teach yourself to hone on the first one, or send it out. A newbie CAN learn to hone. It is just difficult to do so when you don't know what a shaving edge feels like or looks like. And it does suck to send your only razor out for honing, and have to regress to cart or DE or electric while you wait for it to return.

Never thought about that - good idea!

 

[niro884]

Thanks to all for reading and your replies. Helps alot!

 

[Brent]

+1 to all the above. It's best to start out cheap. You'll have plenty of time to try a bunch of different razors but getting an inexpensive strop and razor will help you out if you destroy one or the other and if you decide it's not for you (it isn't for everyone) you're not out that much.

If you don't want to get into honing right away, you can pick up a second inexpensive razor. Not that I'm trying to fuel any acquisition disorder but if you have a spare you can use that when you send out your other razor for honing. I picked up a hone almost immediately and still found the backup straight was helpful. I had something to use while I sat and stared at the hone and razor for a few days trying to figure out what to do next...

 

[bytor]

Certainly personal opinion, here, but I wish my first shaves had been with a quarter, or maybe, half hollow razor, as opposed to the full hollow I had. Not saying you can't learn with anything, but I think the thicker grinds are easier to use at first.

 

[The Ambassador]

Welcome to B&B. Many people will suggest Whipped Dog, which enjoys a very good reputation here. As a possible alternative, I might also suggest starshaving.com. They will have a new cheap razor and a cheap strop and balsa hones for CrOx--although you will have to arrange with their recommended honemeister for making the razor shave-ready. Pick up a 4000x/8000x Norton water stone as well, or a little bit later, and you're good to go for a while.

I think I'll try this out. I got into shaving with a str8 and didn't ask any questions. Just bought a $79 Dovo best quality. I didn't buy a hone and got a strop from Amazon somewhere. But I like this idea.

 

[drawonme]

+1 for Whipped Dog. Got my Sight Unseen Deal last night with a great freshly honed razor, leather strop (plus, I bought an extra strop for $11.00) balsa strop and oxides, and neetsfoot oil. Shaved with it this morning and loved it! It was my first straight shave other than a Parker shavette I tried a few times. The Whipped Dog straight is much easier and more comfortable than the shavette and I really liked dealing with Larry. I ordered it late afternoon and it shipped the same day.

 

[intheshaw]

Another for Whipped Dog. I love my razor and shave with it whenever I have the time which is usually 3 times a week plus. It's a great deal and one that many here have gone with. I also picked up a norton 4k/8k stone that was considered used but didn't show it for 40 bucks shipped off ebay. I also have a few ebay specials I was planning on refinishing to learn the ropes but have just not have had the time to lately.

 

[AverageJoe]

I like my Dovo Special (tortoise scales). Although it's supposedly 'shave-ready', it needed quite a bit of work with my Spyderco ultra-fine ceramic hone and strop before using.

 

[shakin_jake]

Looking to give the straight razor a try after using a safety razor for quite awhile. What brands can anyone suggest for a first?

~~~~Dovo, because they have the most selection in every price range

Anything to stay away from?

~~~Gold Dollar, unless you buy one from someone who can sell it to you shave ready. Rup Razors comes to mind yet at the moment, I see that he does not have any Gold Dollar razors for sale

Looking for something reasonably priced and good.

~~~Dovo, but make sure you buy one from a shave shop that will send it out to you shave ready. I would trust Jarrod (thesuperiorshave) I have purchased two dovos from him. Both were shave ready

What else do I need as far as strops or hones for sharpening?

~~~if money is not an issue, I'd go for a two component strop (linen and leather). Hones?, a coticule from Belgium. Why? Ask around. Most anyone that hones here and has used various honing systems (including coticules) will tell you coticules from Belgium will deliver good value for your honing dollar, and if you decide down the road to sell your coticule, you will not lose any money on the stone, so think of buying one like investing in Gold. No bubbles in coticules. As far as that goes, if anything, the prices keep going up, but not all that much. the main thing is (IMO), the prices are not going down so you wont lose when and if you decide to sell, or trade

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks for reading

Carmine

~~as others stated, Whipped dog is the value leader, so if you want to get into straight shaving for little dinero, Larry is a good way to go, but if you want to spend more, the sky is the limit. the main problem you are going to run into, if you are like the rest of us, you will most likely destroy (or nick it up good) your first strop, so don't spend much on it. I think the strops rup razor has for the money would serve you well for your first if want something more than a just a piece of leather that comes in the Whipped Dog pkg for $50, as rup strops have two components. Linen is good for cleaning the blade before moving to leather + it will heat the blade through friction, also prepping the blade before moving to leather, buit it is not a deal breaker for your first strop just having leather to strop with...

A new Dovo razor will set you back at least $80, more for better blades, but the entry level blade is known to be good. spend twice that on a Dovo and you will get a nicer blade, and nicer schales. New Thiers Issard razors start at about $160 IIRC. I remember paying that amount for my 1st TI entry level razor. Another route you could go for your first two razors (I'd suggest buying a pair)...spend some time perusing the BST, if you're not in a hurry and are able to find something you like and can afford, and is available. Nice straights for little money don't stay there long and unless you are there when the razor is posted, someone else will snatch it up. There are other used shave ready razor classifieds (SRP comes to mind), and that might make your next thread for you, asking who (WTB-want to buy) has a nice entry level straight razor they want to part with. some of these guys have razors they are too lazy to post for sale but if they see your WTB ad...

When it comes to buying your first hone, you really have to have made your mind up if that's your stradegy, so if you're anything like me, you've decided to buy a hone at the same time you acquire a straight razor, or close together. If you've read much of anything in the straight forums about n00bs and thier first few straights, you know then that you are going to need to sharpen it probably sooner rather than later. Speaking for myself, I knew I wanted to take care of that, and not leave it up to someone else. Are you that type of shaver? One of the nice things the $50 kit from Whipped Dog has going for it, Larry includes several ways for you to touch up your edge (pastes and Balsa)...that will keep your edges going for awhile but eventually you will need to do more than run the edge over paste. If you're on the fence w/this whole straight razor thing, Larry's kit is a great way to go but if you have made your mind up you are going to use straights to shave with, you can still go with larry or, you can put a kit together on your own, but it is going to cost you a lot more than $50, unless you are extremely lucky and find someone who is looking to get out for a song. You could find two decent razors for $50 each or less, a decent strop w/two sides for $40-$50,a coticule for about $100, possibly slightly less. So what's that?, $250? A lot of this depends on your budget, what is available when you're ready


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

 

[jasterixstrange]

Same question as OP but I'm based in England ... does anyone know anywhere in the UK that do value packages like Whipped Dog? There's a bunch of cheap packages on eBay but I'm not convinced you'd want to rub them across your face.

May buy a shavette whilst I figure it out or is that a bad idea?

 

[Slash McCoy]

Same question as OP but I'm based in England ... does anyone know anywhere in the UK that do value packages like Whipped Dog? There's a bunch of cheap packages on eBay but I'm not convinced you'd want to rub them across your face.

May buy a shavette whilst I figure it out or is that a bad idea?

Personally, I don't think it is a good idea. It is possible to learn to shave with them... others have done it. But the experience will be easier and nicer with a proper straight. I recommend against buying a Franken-razor. IMHO their only place is with professional barbers, in locales where it is no longer legal to shave customers with a regular straight. For your own personal razor, they are poor substitutes for the real thing.

You could google for the revisor site... they have some entry level 5/8 razors that will not break the bank. I'm not sure, but I think they either do, or they can/will ship you a shave-ready razor. But even with shipping and duty, assuming you end up paying duty, a whippeddog setup should be about the best deal you can find. Razors from ebay can be great bargains if you know what you are doing, and IF you know how to hone. I don't think you will find any truly shave-ready razors on ebay, even among those that are claimed by the vendor to be shave-ready, so my strongest advice against buying your first razor from ebay. Maybe you could post on BST that you are looking for your first straight from a UK source, and that you desire an inexpensive, vintage, shave-ready razor. Not very many members here would risk their reputation on this board by selling you a dull razor, while claiming it to be ready to shave with.

 

[superbleu]

Give this guy a ring, Neil miller

Same question as OP but I'm based in England ... does anyone know anywhere in the UK that do value packages like Whipped Dog? There's a bunch of cheap packages on eBay but I'm not convinced you'd want to rub them across your face.

May buy a shavette whilst I figure it out or is that a bad idea?