Advice for a new buyer
- Thread starter SFaz
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Traditional straight, I'd say! 
Calling our resident SR-master @Fergiebilly. He may even have one or two for sale which will be absolutely ready to get to work with!
For reference, I started with straights, prior to DE's/SE's and have never used a shavette. Just make sure you look into the intricacies of using one; start WTG and only on your cheeks and persevere. It doesn't come in a day and a lot are deterred by that. It may also feel marginally blunter than a typical production blade, but trust me when I say when you get it right it'll do the job! Look at getting yourself a strop as well for maintaining that super-fine edge and you should be good to go!
At the end of the day, 'vintage' SRs are good at holding their value. If you were to not get on with it in 50 or so shaves, you'd almost certainly make your money back. Also, don't worry about honing/finishing stones to start. As Billy will tell you the usual progression in hardware acquisition is strop, pasted strop, finishing stone and honing stone. I've had no need for anything past a pasted strop and even then I don't use that often.
Hope this helps!
Calling our resident SR-master @Fergiebilly. He may even have one or two for sale which will be absolutely ready to get to work with!For reference, I started with straights, prior to DE's/SE's and have never used a shavette.
Just make sure you look into the intricacies of using one; start WTG and only on your cheeks and persevere. It doesn't come in a day and a lot are deterred by that. It may also feel marginally blunter than a typical production blade, but trust me when I say when you get it right it'll do the job! Look at getting yourself a strop as well for maintaining that super-fine edge and you should be good to go! At the end of the day, 'vintage' SRs are good at holding their value. If you were to not get on with it in 50 or so shaves, you'd almost certainly make your money back. Also, don't worry about honing/finishing stones to start. As Billy will tell you the usual progression in hardware acquisition is strop, pasted strop, finishing stone and honing stone. I've had no need for anything past a pasted strop and even then I don't use that often.
Hope this helps!
- Thread Starter
- #3
That's brilliant, thanks. I want to have the razor in hand and after a lot of research and advice, get to it. Last straight shave I got was from a barber in Sligo and I had patches of hair left all over. Patience is the key, I think!Traditional straight, I'd say!
For reference, I started with straights, prior to DE's/SE's and have never used a shavette.
At the end of the day, 'vintage' SRs are good at holding their value. If you were to not get on with it in 50 or so shaves, you'd almost certainly make your money back. Also, don't worry about honing/finishing stones to start. As Billy will tell you the usual progression in hardware acquisition is strop, pasted strop, finishing stone and honing stone. I've had no need for anything past a pasted strop and even then I don't use that often.
Hope this helps!
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Glad I could be of assistance! Very much so - I did oodles and boodles of research but nothing quite gears you up for use. If you're used to DE shaving already I'd say there are some transferable skills and some not-so-transferable ones. The angle of shave will tend to be shallower, you'll be looking to stretch the skin more than usual and, like you say, patience is key! Make sure your lather is super slick and you'll be halfway there. Don't be put off by bad runs out with a SR - it happens to everyone even with DEs, SEs and cartridges alike!
I recently just started on a straight, about a week noe. Previously used a DE and shavette. The straight seems a lot more forgiving than the shavette. It does take some time to get use too over the DE but bare with it. I have only done a few shaves with it, and finish with a quick going over with my DE.
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I have a Few Mint Shave Ready SRs..They have Superb Shaving Edges..PM Me if You are Interested..
Billy
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What Benz3ne said...
I came in with a slight variation of the same question a few months ago here. I followed most of the advice on the thread, bought a good vintage blade from Fergiebilly and have been thoroughly enjoying the whole thing since. It would be fair to say my enthusiasm was a bit stale before this having been using a DE for a long time without really considering new products/ technique etc. Coming back into the forum has definitely assisted as there is a distinct learning curve which I am still very much climbing.
One thing as a recent SR starter I'd recommend is to sort a strop out as soon as possible. I took Billy's advice and didn't keep using my razor without stropping it between shaves. Losing the keen edge of a freshly honed blade at the beginning will make the process of learning and sticking with it much more difficult. Unless your technique initially is otherworldly you will lose the edge over a few shaves and with it, your enthusiasm unless you keep on top of it with a strop.
I wouldn't ever shave twice with a SR now without stropping it between times, I can now tell when I've done a decent job on the strop or not.
As mentioned in the thread above, Westholme strops are great. I don't have a lot to compare with but I'm very happy with mine - you will have a bit of a wait for it once ordered though.
I came in with a slight variation of the same question a few months ago here. I followed most of the advice on the thread, bought a good vintage blade from Fergiebilly and have been thoroughly enjoying the whole thing since. It would be fair to say my enthusiasm was a bit stale before this having been using a DE for a long time without really considering new products/ technique etc. Coming back into the forum has definitely assisted as there is a distinct learning curve which I am still very much climbing.
One thing as a recent SR starter I'd recommend is to sort a strop out as soon as possible. I took Billy's advice and didn't keep using my razor without stropping it between shaves. Losing the keen edge of a freshly honed blade at the beginning will make the process of learning and sticking with it much more difficult. Unless your technique initially is otherworldly you will lose the edge over a few shaves and with it, your enthusiasm unless you keep on top of it with a strop.
I wouldn't ever shave twice with a SR now without stropping it between times, I can now tell when I've done a decent job on the strop or not.
As mentioned in the thread above, Westholme strops are great. I don't have a lot to compare with but I'm very happy with mine - you will have a bit of a wait for it once ordered though.
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- #8
Thanks @Gasquolet I've had a quick glance at it. I'll be referring to it now...once all of the items have been bought and arrive!
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I've been shaving with straights exclusively for almost two years now and would never go back. I even have a ‘travel' set up for when I'm away from home. I found progressing from DE's to straights fairly straightforward, but I did my research and read the help available online and in forums such as this and on SRP. I was never tempted to use a shavette as that defeated the main point for me, which was to move away entirely from disposable blades, and, aside from being an open blade, they are different to a real straight, being much more aggressive. I started with a Revisor Classic 5/8, sold that then moved on to a vintage Henckels, then a 6/8 Bengall. Last year I ordered a Portland Razor Co. Hydra 6/8 and now am back to vintage with a beautiful Slater Bros Venture hollow ground circa 1900, with original ivory scales. You just don't get that kind of a journey with anything else. Go straight.
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One more thing!
Selection of soaps with straights I reckon are more important, as is good prep generally I guess. I found a good hard tallow based soap like Tabac or Mitchell's superior in terms of cushioning than products such as Proraso etc. But you need a good stiff brush for these, something like a Vulfix Grosvenor or Semogue .
Selection of soaps with straights I reckon are more important, as is good prep generally I guess. I found a good hard tallow based soap like Tabac or Mitchell's superior in terms of cushioning than products such as Proraso etc. But you need a good stiff brush for these, something like a Vulfix Grosvenor or Semogue .