Anyone Here Use a Straight Razor

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I was looking, and now CVS has the cartridges in a plexi case with a button and by it says: "press button and wait for product to dispense". The newest cartridges are around $14 for I think it was a 4 or 6 pack? And to make it worse, they keep phasing out the older models leaving you with the choice of either a complete throw away or a seriously overpriced cartridge style. I am definitely buying a double edged safety.
 
bradsul said:
I haven't had time to get a safety razor yet, but I decided to try a wet shave this morning as I was able to get an inexpensive brush, some Proraso shaving soap and a non-alcohol based aftershave.

WOW.

I'm a total convert even after just having used my regular crappy razor. The best thing is it only took about 5 minutes longer than my usual morning routine. And I imagine that it will even out a bit more as I get quicker at making the lather - for which I think I need to find a better mug, the one I used was awkward. I've also read that the badger brushes make the lather much faster so I still plan to get a better brush.
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I use the badger brush, and actually make the lather in my hand as opposed to in the mug. The best part about wet shaving is that the cream is hot as it goes on your face and helps open up the pores, so to me making the cream in the cold ceramic or metal mug or dish seems a little counter intuitive.

Additionally before you shave you want to hold the brush under hot water for a good 30 seconds and get it very very hot and very very wet, really soak that hot water in there. This will help it lather up the shaving soap better and make the shaving cream warm on your skin, again it opens up your pores and gives a better shave.


:D

Oh, and I checked UPS today, and my strop is in Massachusetts, with any luck they will deliver it tomorrow and I can play with my straight razor some time this weekend.
:D
 
Donasay said:
I use the badger brush, and actually make the lather in my hand as opposed to in the mug. The best part about wet shaving is that the cream is hot as it goes on your face and helps open up the pores, so to me making the cream in the cold ceramic or metal mug or dish seems a little counter intuitive.

Additionally before you shave you want to hold the brush under hot water for a good 30 seconds and get it very very hot and very very wet, really soak that hot water in there. This will help it lather up the shaving soap better and make the shaving cream warm on your skin, again it opens up your pores and gives a better shave...
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I actually watched some videos last night and didn't use a cold cup. What I did was fill my basin with about 1" or so of really hot water and also filled my mug. I set the mug in the water in the basin and put the brush in the mug to soak while I had a shower. Everything was nice and hot when I started to make my lather.

It was recommended to leave the water in the basin so that you can leave your mug in that keeping it nice and hot. It worked really well, but they cautioned even on the video that the cheap brushes would take longer to build a good lather so I was prepared for that. I think I'm going to hit ebay hard tonight and find a safety razor and badger brush. Fortuitously I only have 1 disposable blade left in my current package and I don't intend to buy any more of them (even if it means not shaving until they get to me). :D
 
bradsul said:
I actually watched some videos last night and didn't use a cold cup. What I did was fill my basin with about 1" or so of really hot water and also filled my mug. I set the mug in the water in the basin and put the brush in the mug to soak while I had a shower. Everything was nice and hot when I started to make my lather.

It was recommended to leave the water in the basin so that you can leave your mug in that keeping it nice and hot. It worked really well, but they cautioned even on the video that the cheap brushes would take longer to build a good lather so I was prepared for that. I think I'm going to hit ebay hard tonight and find a safety razor and badger brush. Fortuitously I only have 1 disposable blade left in my current package and I don't intend to buy any more of them (even if it means not shaving until they get to me). :D
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Personally I don't think I could buy a used badger brush. I have a standard one now and it is fine, was purchased new, but I would really like to get one made from some silvertipped bristles (the finest quality of bristle), they are like $100 new, so I have been looking at them on e-bay, and all of the used ones I am a little skeptical of, I don't know why. They only touch soap and skin, but I don't think I could just buy a used brush off of e-bay.
 
Donasay said:
Personally I don't think I could buy a used badger brush. I have a standard one now and it is fine, was purchased new, but I would really like to get one made from some silvertipped bristles (the finest quality of bristle), they are like $100 new, so I have been looking at them on e-bay, and all of the used ones I am a little skeptical of, I don't know why. They only touch soap and skin, but I don't think I could just buy a used brush off of e-bay.
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I couldn't either, I will be buying from one of the stores for sure.
 
I shaved with a straight razor for about 30 years. I purchased two and a strop from a retiring barber. My best one is German silver steel.

The key to not nicking yourself is to have a very sharp high quality razor. For sharpening, I have 3 grades of Arkansas stones and the finest being a black stone which appears to be as slick as glass but will put the final touch on it. If you do not have the stones to get the proper edge on the razor, you can send it out for sharpening. See link below.

Straight Razors - Safety Razors - Wet Shaving & Grooming Supplies

Once the razor is sharp, proper use of a strop will keep it sharp for months for most beards. For those with really tough beards, a hot towel on your face for a couple of minutes will help a lot with shaving and keeping your razor sharp. For those with light beards such as I have, if I shave after I shower I can just lather and shave without the hot towel and it's fine.

I have not found that shaving with a straight razor takes much longer than shaving with a safety razor. In fact, the shaving itself takes about the same amount of time. It is the care of the razor that takes longer. Stropping, making sure it is dry before putting it in its case, and of course sharpening. But then if you are a brewer you are used to taking more time. After all it is much faster to go to the store and buy your beer.

Finally to those that are afraid of cutting yourself when you first try it. I found that it came natural to me. I rarely nicked myself and never have nicked myself the length of the razor. And it was months of shaving before I first nicked myself and this was because I got cocky and let my razor get dull. I have never cut myself when my razor was properly sharpened and honed.

Here is a couple of more sites to check out:

straightrazorplace : Straight Razor Place

preface
 
orig-191661.jpg


:cross:
 
For lathering, I use a small stoneware bowl that I can hold easily in my hand. The capacity is about 1.5 cups, I'd guess. I place it and my brush in the basin full of hot water while I shower. Then I drain and refill the basin with fresh hot water, add a bit of shaving cream to my brush, and whip up a nice lather in about 20 or 30 seconds. You don't need a really thick lather, but it does feel nice when it's thick and hot.

Surprisingly, one of the best values in a quality brush I've ever found is from Crabtree & Evelyn. They cater mostly to women, but they do carry men's shaving and grooming products.

The $35 Cream Best Badger Small Shave Brush is made by Edwin Jagger of the UK. There are finer and more expensive brushes to be had, but this one is a really well made brush and a steal for $35.

I bought a really nice strop a couple of years ago from Tony Miller at The Well Shaved Gentleman.

I use the 4000/8000 grit Norton Waterstone for sharpening, which is a rare thing. Your strop will keep a properly sharpened razor sharp for a long time.
 
billtzk said:
For lathering, I use a small stoneware bowl that I can hold easily in my hand. The capacity is about 1.5 cups, I'd guess. I place it and my brush in the basin full of hot water while I shower. Then I drain and refill the basin with fresh hot water, add a bit of shaving cream to my brush, and whip up a nice lather in about 20 or 30 seconds. You don't need a really thick lather, but it does feel nice when it's thick and hot.

Surprisingly, one of the best values in a quality brush I've ever found is from Crabtree & Evelyn. They cater mostly to women, but they do carry men's shaving and grooming products.

The $35 Cream Best Badger Small Shave Brush is made by Edwin Jagger of the UK. There are finer and more expensive brushes to be had, but this one is a really well made brush and a steal for $35.

I bought a really nice strop a couple of years ago from Tony Miller at The Well Shaved Gentleman.

I use the 4000/8000 grit Norton Waterstone for sharpening, which is a rare thing. Your strop will keep a properly sharpened razor sharp for a long time.
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See, I don't look forward to learning how to hone one of these things on my own, I have a feeling that it is the kind of thing you really need to learn from someone. If you mess up, bam huge scar on your face, which is why I got one that is pre honed and hopefully I'll be able to keep it sharp using just the strop for about a year before I have to send it to get re-honed by a professional. By that time I should have a couple extra blades in my rotation, so missing it for a week shouldn't be that big of a deal.
 
See, I don't look forward to learning how to hone one of these things on my own, I have a feeling that it is the kind of thing you really need to learn from someone.
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Look around your area for an old-fashioned barber. My barber has been in business for 35 years, and he taught me proper honing and stropping technique. Like any skill, it just takes practice. :D
 
I have been fed up with the prices of mach 3 and other replacement blades for years now. Never been a huge fan, they always clog up on me. I have thought about straight razors, but thought that was a big step. I saw an infomercial about a sharpening system for disposable blades, but figured it was crap. I didn't even think about the old saftey razors. I think that will be my next step. You guys always have me buying cool new crap!
 
I'm intrigued by the straight razor and the old-style safety razors, but my method works pretty well. Just shave at the end of the shower...no soap needed even. I think it must be hot water and steam for the 5-10 minutes prior, but I get a very close shave this way.
 
West Coast Shaving has the greatest variety of double-edge blades. The Swedish Gillette blades are still the best, IMO. Look for a Gillette Fat Boy on ebay. It's an excellent DE razor. EDIT: Actually, just google it. I see some sites are selling refurbed Fat Boys.
 
quickerNu said:
Okay, stupid question time. I know it is best to shave after shower, but how do y'all deal with mirror fog?
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I don't use one! :D It was a bit nervewracking at first, but you get used to it. Just be careful around the sideburns or you'll go to work with one side an inch higher than the other! :)
 
billtzk said:
West Coast Shaving has the greatest variety of double-edge blades. The Swedish Gillette blades are still the best, IMO. Look for a Gillette Fat Boy on ebay. It's an excellent DE razor. EDIT: Actually, just google it. I see some sites are selling refurbed Fat Boys.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea to Google that model. Found the Gillette I use while checking out other. I never knew the specifics of it before, just that it was my wife's grandfather's razor and that it worked much better than the Merkur it replaced.
 
billtzk said:
West Coast Shaving has the greatest variety of double-edge blades. The Swedish Gillette blades are still the best, IMO. Look for a Gillette Fat Boy on ebay. It's an excellent DE razor. EDIT: Actually, just google it. I see some sites are selling refurbed Fat Boys.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link! I hadn't come across this place yet but I like the prices and they ship USPS so I won't get killed on brokerage fees.

I decided to order the following:
- Merkur Heavy Duty Safety Razor ($29)
- Col Conk Styptic Pencil ($2.25)
- DE Blade Sampler Pack (Standard) ($18)
 
So my strop came, and I gave my razor a once over. I then proceeded to try it out, just to get the hang of it, I decided to try shaving my arm, the hair literally jumped off of my arm once it was touched by the straight razor. Once I thought I had the hang of it, I decided to take it to my face, and well the shave was amazing.

The one bad thing though is that my left arm is now hairless....
 
quickerNu said:
Okay, stupid question time. I know it is best to shave after shower, but how do y'all deal with mirror fog?
Click to expand...

If it's one in the shower, conditioner over it. If not, a hairdryer (you all have hairdryers, right?) focused in one spot will clear it up. I don't use a mirror though, just touchups later when I find that I haven't shaved that one spot on my chin yet AGAIN!! :mad:
 
Cool. I'll try conditioner over it. I don't own a comb, much less a hairdryer! My mustache and goatee would prefer I use a mirror.

Half of us are probably bidding up all of the old fat boys on E-bay. I'll get myself a straight razor for my 30th...
 
My left arm is so smooth and hairless, it feels very very weird, I just can't seem to get over touching my hairless forearm... I wish my ex had had legs as smooth as my arm is right now, that girl didn't know how to shave and always had stubble. These results are amazing, do you think women will ever take up the straight razor for that super close shave?
 
Ok so I bought DO1059

PRESHARPENED DOVO Extra Hollow Ground "Singing" Razor, 5/8 African Thuyawood

Any tips? Should I sharpen it anyway? What grit?
 
Email the vendor (Classic Shave I presume) and ask them what they mean by pre-sharpened. All blades are factory sharpened. If someone honed it on a stone prior to sale, then it's ready to go. You need a strop to keep it in good shape. You can destroy the edge by stropping incorrectly. Get the Lynn Abrams video, available on the same site.

Edit: "The blade begins as a Forged High Carbon Steel razor blank. Next a Master Craftsman shapes and carefully grinds it into a 5/8 Extra Hollow Ground "Singing" blade."

Sounds like it's ready to go. You need to buy a fine and a super fine grit stone. Take a look at the Norton Waterstone combo in 4000/8000 grit.

That is a nice blade, by the way.
 
It should be good to go from the sound of it, but I did strop mine about 10 times first before touching it to my face arm, then I stropped it another 20 times before touching it to my face.

It took me a while to figure out the "sweet angle" that you need to hold the blade at, but wow it works so well it isn't even funny.
 
the obvious question is do you still use these techniques for 'manscaping'?

I have had a straight razor shave before, it rocks, but I dunno about taking it south of the border
 
I'll have to say it again, I love my old Gillette adjustable safety razor. Blades last forever and there's never any clogging issues. I allot myself less than 10mins for shaving in the morning, and I have no problems with the safety razor and shaving soap.

I'll have to give my straight razor another good sharpen and give it a go this week. It's been more than a year since it's last use...

On the topic of badger brushes, I have both an all badger and a mixed bristle. Both work great, though I would avoid the 100% artificial ones as their not nearly as soft.
 
I quit using my old Gillette because DE blades are not available in stores anymore. Mach 3's are getting lower quality, I've noticed, so you have to buy more...

Who has the cheapest price on large quantity packs of DE blades?

I mainly shave my neck and upper cheeks. I start in the shower, and finish at the sink so I can see what I left, since I have a beard.
 
I'm surprised no one has reported back results! I've got about a week's worth of shaves in on my Dovo 5/8 straight and I love it. Perfectly honed and I get incredibly smooth shaves. The neck region is still a little tricky maneuvering the blade easily, so I have to use the old Mach 3 there. In time, it'll become easier.

Any recommendations for a DE?
 
I've got a few days on my Merkur HD (DE safety razor) now and I love it! That first shave was a little dicey and I'm glad I bought a styptic pencil with it. :D

I bought a sample pack of blades but it will take me a while to get through them all and see which I like best.
 
That first shave was a little dicey and I'm glad I bought a styptic pencil with it.
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Haha, I know exactly what you mean! You definitely need to respect just how sharp those blades are- and just use the weight of the razor itself against the skin. :) It's amazing how light of a touch you can use and the hair just jumps off your face in fear. :D
 
flyangler18 said:
Haha, I know exactly what you mean! You definitely need to respect just how sharp those blades are- and just use the weight of the razor itself against the skin. :) It's amazing how light of a touch you can use and the hair just jumps off your face in fear. :D
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I love the sound the blade makes as it's gliding through the whiskers too. You can actually hear it slicing through each one and it makes a really cool sound. :D
 
flyangler, I bought a 1951 Gillette Fatboy off of ebay for $10. It didn't come with blades and I'm glad I'd picked some up when I saw them at the store. So far I love it. It's very sturdy and I can get a really close shave with it. What I like is that it doesn't clog up with hair as soon as I touch it to my face like the disposable razors do. I'm going to start buying the brush, cup and strop soon then go razor shopping.
 

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