so im looking into getting a shavette (the type that takes DE blades) was wondering what the noticeable differences in the shave are?
straights vs shavettes
- Thread starter aquilla
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If you are planning on jumping to str8s I would recommend you skip the shavettes completely.
Bottom line - There is a significant difference in how a str8 shaves vs a Shavette. The technique is also very different. The str8 provides is far superior results IMO.
This has been discussed to great length you could simply run a search and do some reading on it
Bottom line - There is a significant difference in how a str8 shaves vs a Shavette. The technique is also very different. The str8 provides is far superior results IMO.
This has been discussed to great length you could simply run a search and do some reading on it
+1. If you're interested in shaving with a straight, skip the shavette, it's a complete waste of time.
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- #4
ive used straights before and but have been using DE razors for quite a while now and was lookning for a straight without the need for honing. i did a search just after and got simmilar advice from that. thanks for the input.
you dont need to worry about honing unless you want to. A pasted strop is really all you need for maintenance once you have a shave ready razor
+1 on skipping the shavette.
I used one before and it works but not nearly as good as a straight. I'm getting better shaves from a real straight.
As for honing, like Dunny said, you could use pastes. If you don't, you will probably end up with a few straights and they will need honing every year, maybe more!
I used one before and it works but not nearly as good as a straight. I'm getting better shaves from a real straight.
As for honing, like Dunny said, you could use pastes. If you don't, you will probably end up with a few straights and they will need honing every year, maybe more!
I have a couple of straights and I have slowly learned to refine the edge and can now get a comfortable shave. The straights have more charm and class and I really enjoy taking my time and shaving with them. I really want to try a stainless Dovo next or a Le Grelot. However, just because the shavette is an ugly, utilitarian, poser, doesn't mean it can't deliver a good shave though. I know they don't get much love around here, but I will keep one around with a pack of Sharks or Astras just in case. I have a Magic bought for $8.00 at Sally's and it out performs every DE I've tried. I'm not sure if it beats the Micromatic or not. The fact is its as good as the blade you put in it. I can get a BBS shave with no irritation in two passes. If you drop it, tap the sink accidentally, lose it to the TSA or whatever, your out 8.00 retail. Maybe not for everyone, but if you put performance first and take the time to get to know its quirks, the shavette packs a lot of value for <10.00.
I won't lie. While I prefer real straights, I like my shavette too. My only beef with it is that I can't use it day after day because it's really unforgiving and I find it sort of "thins out" my skin, like I'm taking a bit off with every shave or something...
While I really do prefer my real straights I also have my stainless Dovo Shavette always loaded with a long Personna SE blade. The shave is a bit different than the real deal but I get excellent results; Much better than any safety razor I own.
It's great when in a rush as well, I can wrap up a decent shave in under 15 minutes with it.
It's great when in a rush as well, I can wrap up a decent shave in under 15 minutes with it.
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
Chicks dig Straight Razors.... Shavettes....not so much.
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- #11
as far as that goes i think i only ever mentioned that i shaved with a "cut throat" (makes it sound more dangerous, ha, and i knew theyd know what a cut throat was) to three "chicks" of which 2 were impressed and the third is now my girlfriend, go figure, besides short of them watching me shave and either knowing there razor types or looking up shavettes i think i could pass it off as a straight and if not i have a fair few straights i could show off. so all in all a valid point for some, just not one that affects me, no disrespect intended.
I'm a fan of both straights and shavettes. The straight provides the closer shave but if I'm rushed the shavette is good. The shavette is less forgiving of mistakes. I have a flat mole on the side of my face that I can pass over with a DE, Gem, or straight and it's fine but with the shavette I have to watch out for my angle because if it's not A+ I nick it.
well getting a shavette isn't going to fulfil this criteria- best thing to do is get a straight and have it honed once a year
you can get a BBS shave out a shavette (in fact I do, since I don'y have a straight yet), but I completely agree with adonnellyr, it's not something you'd like to use regularly, it does damage the skin, and after shaving I have pretty severe redness for a few hours. Also if you're not absolutely 100% correct with your technique you're going to get a cut, in fact it's easy to get a cut even if your technique is sound
no doubt they're useful, probably more so if you can actually use a straight and then you're less likely to cut yourself with a shavette, and if you do it the other way round like me, then you do end up developing a very light touch from using a shavette which i'm sure translates well to using a straight. Cutting myself wasn't really a problem, because the worst that could happen was i'd get lip from my mates at university- if I was in a full time job it might be a different story
to summarise- expensive shavettes seem ridiculous, cheap shavettes feel extremely light and flimsy- handily I got my shavette free, but given the choice I think I would have gone for a straight right from the off
