Straight razor & oil/cream question

Hi there!

Just bought my first straight razor. To try it for the frist time, I used the oil and cream I was using with my Mach III: The Grooming Lounge oil and cream that I really like

http://www.groominglounge.com/groomi...shave-oil.html
http://www.groominglounge.com/groomi...ave-cream.html

However, using my straight razor for the first time, it did not feel right. I cut myself a couple of times (I know it is normal at the beginning) but also my face seemed too dry for the razor and the oil (or cream) felt to sticky or something. So I don't know if it's because I am not used to this new technic or because those products are not suited for a straight razor.

What do you think?

FrancisV said:

Hi there!

Just bought my first straight razor. To try it for the frist time, I used the oil and cream I was using with my Mach III: The Grooming Lounge oil and cream that I really like

http://www.groominglounge.com/groomi...shave-oil.html
http://www.groominglounge.com/groomi...ave-cream.html

However, using my straight razor for the first time, it did not feel right. I cut myself a couple of times (I know it is normal at the beginning) but also my face seemed too dry for the razor and the oil (or cream) felt to sticky or something. So I don't know if it's because I am not used to this new technic or because those products are not suited for a straight razor.

What do you think?

Click to expand...

First, who honed your razor? Generally, a new razor is NOT sold shave-ready. The factory edge is not meant to be shaved with. If nobody honed your razor to shave ready condition, that is gonna hold you up. If it is shave ready, it should lop the top off a few hairs when you float it 1/4" above your forearm. More is better. A couple is sufficient.

What brush do you use with your cream, and how do you make your lather? Give it to us step by step and someone will be able to straighten you out on making a nice slick lather. Oil is not needed.

You do have a strop, right?

Hang in there. The first few shaves can be frustrating but you will get plenty of help here and you can succeed.

Slash McCoy said:

First, who honed your razor? Generally, a new razor is NOT sold shave-ready. The factory edge is not meant to be shaved with. If nobody honed your razor to shave ready condition, that is gonna hold you up. If it is shave ready, it should lop the top off a few hairs when you float it 1/4" above your forearm. More is better. A couple is sufficient.

Click to expand...

What?!? I bought my Dovo brand new and I had no idea about this.

What brush do you use with your cream, and how do you make your lather? Give it to us step by step and someone will be able to straighten you out on making a nice slick lather. Oil is not needed.

Click to expand...

The Grooming lounge product I was using with my March III was applied directly to the face. I did the same with the straight razor. Wash (shower) >> oil >> cream >> shave

You do have a strop, right?

Click to expand...

Not yet. Before investing, I wanted to use it for a couple of days to see if I was going to stick with straight shaving


Hang in there. The first few shaves can be frustrating but you will get plenty of help here and you can succeed.

FrancisV said:

What?!? I bought my Dovo brand new and I had no idea about this.


The Grooming lounge product I was using with my March III was applied directly to the face. I did the same with the straight razor. Wash (shower) >> oil >> cream >> shave



Not yet. Before investing, I wanted to use it for a couple of days to see if I was going to stick with straight shaving


Hang in there. The first few shaves can be frustrating but you will get plenty of help here and you can succeed.

Click to expand...

Who did you buy your Dovo from? Some vendors hone, some better than others. Most just sell you the razor as they get it, which is unhoned. So it is surprising that you got it to shave at all.

No, don't just slather cream right from the tube on your face and shave. You need a brush. See Larry's site, www.whippeddog.com for a cheap but very effective badger brush. I suggest a larger brush, 26mm to 30mm. A silvertip is the highest grade of hair, lathers nice and has a silky feel on the face, but some are "lather hogs", that want to retain the lather in the brush instead of put it on your face. The construction of the knot has as much to do with this as the hair quality. There are other grades: Finest, which is a good compromise but costs almost as much as a silvertip, then Pure, which is the basic badger brush and might have a little scritchyness to it similar to a well broken in boar, and Black, which is the lowest grade, feels sort of like a well used boar but picks up more soap and more water, lathers good, and is dirt cheap. Any grade will do for your first brush. A Black works nicely for shave soaps. You can get VDH at walgreens for $1.87 for a puck. A boar will work but they have a break-in period and they don't hold as much soap or water as a badger. Load a badger once and you have enough for three passes without reloading the brush. I can't stand a new boar on my face, and I don't have the patience to just use it anyway while it gets broken in. A badger can be had for very little more than a boar, anyway. Larry's bigger badgers are currently about the best value for the dollar that you can get. A Lijun brand Chinese brush can be a great deal. They sometimes shed a bit, but for under $30, who cares as long as it lathers good? Frank Shaving brushes is another Chinese brand and they are very good, but Ian went waaaaaay up on his prices when his brushes got popular. Still cheaper than the boutique brands, which give you a hand turned handle instead of a molded one, etc but hardly any more actual usability.

You must strop before each shave. If you absolutely need to go as cheap as possible, Larry's Poor Man Strop Kit is what you want. You get a very very basic hanging leather strop, and a block of balsa pasted with Chromium Oxide on one side, Iron Oxide on the other. Use the leather 40 to 60 laps before each shave, and to keep your edge sharp, you can use the balsa a dozen or two laps on the green followed by 2 or 3 dozen laps on the red, after each shave, or you can wait and use the balsa only after you notice the edge going dull. I prefer to KEEP my edge sharp, and never have to touch a dull edge to my face, rather than try to catch it back up after a mediocre shave. Up to you. But you got to strop on leather before each shave. Now if you want to start with a bigger and better but still very cheap strop, try the Big Daddy from www.starshaving.com. And instead of the green and red paste, get a block of balsa 3" wide and a foot long from your local hobby store or online, and paste it with 1u diamond on one side (label the sides with a sharpie) and .25u on the other. This works waaaay better than the green and red. Plus you have a bigger stropping surface. I get my diamond paste from www.tedpella.com but there are other vendors.

See www.whippeddog.com. Larry sells sight-unseen vintage razors waaaaaay cheap, and he hones them up nicely before shipping. His edge will be quite good, and so it will all be on you. If you can learn, you will be getting good shaves in a few weeks. You will have plenty of "shave daddies" to coach you along if you post your progress and questions. Here is a plan for you, take it or leave it, up to you. Order a badger brush, the Poor Man Strop Kit, and a whipped dog razor from Larry. Meanwhile, send your Dovo to him for honing. He hones pretty cheap. You may get offers from members to hone it for free, just pay postage both ways. Mostly, anybody who offers, will do a decent job. Some will do a superb job of it. You will then have two razors in your rotation, a good thing. The Poor Man kit will keep your edge going for a long time if you don't spoil the edge. The badger will give you a good slick lather with the right soap or cream. The Shave Wiki will give you a good background and if you hang out here and read all the newbie threads, you will at least know what you don't know and know what questions to ask.

THis is doable. Educate yourself, and get the tools you need to do the job, and it will come together for you. You gotta do your part, but it is worth it. Happy shaves.

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/ is the shave wiki. That's your homework. Read read read.