A shavette is much LESS forgiving of poor technique than a straight. Also, due to very light weight and much smaller/thinner holding areas, correct technique is harder to manage on most shavettes, even once correct technique has been learned.
Does a straight out perform a DE?
- Thread starter Ynguns251
- Start date
Absolutely yes!
For me straights give a much more even shave; whereas, the DE gives much closer shaves. That being said, I'm not at 100 straight shaves yet.
I'm not sure how to explain it but a straight razor seems to know the difference between hair and skin while a shavette the will cut everything you put in front of it. The blades in my de or shavette razors are sharpened by machines and are sharper than I can get them through honing and sharper than any straight razor I've used. I can get a nice shave with a straight that is more comfortable but so far I can't get a closer shave than I get with my ATT Kronos H2 razor. I do love the challenge of using and honing a straight razor. I'm maybe 120 shaves in with a straight.
If you master a shavette, str8s and R41 will be a walk in the park.
Shavette use will be obligatory in my shaving boot camp!
I love str8s for the great condition they leave my skin in and the satisfaction of improving technique.
The feel of going out the door after a good str8 shave is magic
Also the meditation of honing as well as the history of the vintage blades.
They keep their value well too and so are good to collect, buy, sell and trade
Shavette use will be obligatory in my shaving boot camp!
I love str8s for the great condition they leave my skin in and the satisfaction of improving technique.
The feel of going out the door after a good str8 shave is magic
Also the meditation of honing as well as the history of the vintage blades.
They keep their value well too and so are good to collect, buy, sell and trade
Performance of the razors depends mostly on your skill, and the learning curve for straights is very steep. But you also have to consider that straights are expensive, and then you need to buy strops and hones or pay someone to hone them. DE blades are inexpensive and come in many varieties.
Thank you all for the responses. More importantly, thank you for the education.
I also thought that a shavette was a good way to transition from DE to straight. After being through all stages DE to SE to Feather Artist to straight and spending no less than a year on each I have to say that you can skip all the SE and shavette. The key is to get a really good first straight that is truly shave ready. I'm not a fan of cheap eBay finds to see if you like straights. Once you make a mental commitment to it stick with it for no less than 6 months. Buy yourself the proven best you can afford that you know is properly honed and you will never look back.
- Thread starter
- #29
I bought a shave ready Gold Dollar and beginner's strop from the Buca, in the hobbyist classifieds. It's not a huge financial decision, they're good shavers when honed properly and the strop is cheap. I'm still in the learning phase as well, but I'm finding I really enjoy it. I'll get a nicer blade that I like more one of these days, but I'm in no hurry since my GD is working fine.
One word of advice...when you're pulling the straight across your face and it sticks, it's probably not hung on hair. Lift straight off, reset and then continue. Pushing will result in blood and a nice straight scar. Don't ask me how I found out, haha.
One word of advice...when you're pulling the straight across your face and it sticks, it's probably not hung on hair. Lift straight off, reset and then continue. Pushing will result in blood and a nice straight scar. Don't ask me how I found out, haha.
- Thread starter
- #31
I picked up a Weck. Super cheap and very much like a straight. That's what I learned on. I'd give a pass on the half DE blade shavettes though, (in my humble opinion).
DE blades are much harsher on my skin. The safety razor competition to the straight is more the SE razor.
I have always had excellent experience with the Hobbyists section. Reasonably priced and shave ready (when they say it is).
I get a closer shave with a Shavette than a Straight. But I do get a closer shave with a Straight than a DE.
Whippeddog has affordable straights and the poor mans strop kit the straight will be shave ready
Yes, I think so.
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As said above; a straight razor gives a smoother shave, takes more time to learn how to use and generally gives a closer shave.
Even so so far I've only found one straight razor that can compete with the R41 2011 when it comes to giving a close shave. By the way the R41 2011 works best when used similarly to how you use a straight.
Even so so far I've only found one straight razor that can compete with the R41 2011 when it comes to giving a close shave. By the way the R41 2011 works best when used similarly to how you use a straight.
I am by no means an expert. I have only 4 shaves with a Feather DX and 50 shave with a straight. I can get the best and closest shave with the Feather DX, but it is also much less forgiving than the Straight & DE. I feel that a properly honed straight is very close to the DX, yet is more forgiving than even a DE. The DE can give me repeatable and consistent DFShaves. I say jump in with the Straight and see how you like it. If you find that you like it, but have concerns about your technique, then go for a non-de shavette. the shavette should cause you to improve and understand proper technique (angles and pressure) that can be applied towards the Straight. My shaves have improved immensely in the short amount of time spent with the Feather DX, yet I still prefer the Straights that I have and am just working towards having the proper technique to utilize a Straight from start to finish.
PS. Don't be afraid to take it slow and use both Straight and DE to smooth out the learning curve. I have used the Straight for the first pass for a while until that is almost a no brainer. Now I am working an XTG pass into the equation along with some ATG.
PS. Don't be afraid to take it slow and use both Straight and DE to smooth out the learning curve. I have used the Straight for the first pass for a while until that is almost a no brainer. Now I am working an XTG pass into the equation along with some ATG.
That's funny. If you ask the same question in SRP, guess what the answer will be. 
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