Which one would you pick to start with?

[Old Prohaska]

Greetings all,

I'm getting ready to take the plunge into straight razor shaving. I've picked up three vintage razors (which I have had re-furbed and honed by Mike Mason at Mason Razor Works), but I'm not sure which one would the best to start with. They are:

1) Boker "The King," dated 1926; I believe that it's a 6/8. Mike mentioned that this razor had virtually no hone wear.

2) Genco "Lincoln," 5/8 blade.

3) J.A. Henckels "81," with a 9/16 blade.

So, if you were me, which would you choose to start with? I don't have a particularly heavy beard.

Thanks for your input

Old Prohaska

[Wid]

Flip a coin, they should all serve you well.

[Gustav]

Flip a coin, they should all serve you well.

+1 it really does not matter what you start with. You can learn basic technique with any regular razor. Personally, I own a Boker and it's among my favorites but since I do not have any of the others, I cannot really give any recommendations.

[O.G.]

I would start with number 2. The 5/8 is a good starting point to determine a size that you would like and it will have, probably at little less flex in it than a larger blade. All can be good but I would start with that one.

[squirrelmaster]

Yeah I was thinking the Genco also but really you wont know what you like or comfortable with until you try it so grab one and start shaving.

[NewBlader]

I doubt it will make any difference, as long as it has a shave-read edge on it. Pick the ugliest one because you're likely to drop it and nick the blade.

[Optometrist]

I'd start with the middle width blade-5/8

[Earcutter]

It might sound odd but well, I would start with the one that felt the best in your hands. For me that's usually the one with the most heft.

[DFSDAILY]

I don't use my larger blades anymore because 5/8 just seems to be more user friendly. I vote for #2.

[dakotaev]

I prefer 6/8 size so that's what I would do, all of them are great brands though.

[Brent]

As above, any should serve you well and there is not going to be a night and day difference between them IMHO. As dakotaev said above he'd pick the 6/8 and I would too; DFSDAILY said he'd pick the 5/8... that's a big hint there that you'll start finding specific preferences. You may eventually be a 5/8 man... or prefer meat choppers that are 8/8+!

I think at this point there is no wrong answer and eventually you'll gravitate to a specific size or like some like to have many sizes to perform different tasks or like to change it up. I'm in this camp - though I seem to prefer the 6/8 size I actually don't use it any more than my 5/8s or my ~8/8. I like to switch it up.

[Slash McCoy]

Eeny Meeny Miney Mo.