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matthew19

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I'm looking to start shaving with a straight razor. What is the benefits compared to a cartridge? Is there a difficult learning process and what is good to start off with? Thanks for the help.
 
Wow! I would give DE a try first. A Straight razor will give a great shave but involves a steep learning curve. Many are drawn to it for their own reasons. I tried it but enjoy my DE far more, much less fuss and bother. But the only way to find out if it is for you is to try it. And you will get plenty of advice here.
 
I agree! For a safe start see link below, good value but the Derby blades could be approved upon. Most people start with a sample pack like the one I've given a link to also.

http://www.theenglishshavingcompany.com/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/DE87db5||@cTraditional%20safety%20&%20double%20edge%20razors@bEdwin%20Jagger|0|user||22|

http://connaughtshaving.com/samplepack.html
 
I "turned" a work colleague to double edge shaving last year, without giving him advice as to which razor to pick up, as his beard (very close and thick) is very different to mine (irregular, mostly tending to thin) - he went for the Merkur 34c (also known as the Merkur Heavy Duty, or HD for short), and has been absolutely delighted with it.

I've never shaved with one, so can't pass judgment, but the Merkur 34c appears to be a very, very popular first DE razor, which many shavers choose as their go-to razor from then on.
 
I can only echo what Ken has said, I got a Merkur 34c HD as my first razor, it's still my daily shave a year on despite me owning maybe 20 other razors over that year. The Edwin Jagger 89 / 87 is also a good starting DE razor, it's fairly benign for thoise who are nervous and I have one myself.

Straight razor shaving will take you a long time to pick up, maybe 6 months. You're going into the RAF soon and the last thing you need on early morning full kit inspections is to be slicing your face open as you rush to get everything ready.
It's kit and time intensive, you need a good straight razor (£Â£) strops and pastes (more £Â£) and time to strop, they are luxuries you don't have in your first months in the services.

DE shaving will take you 2 weeks to get reasonably proficient. If Halton is imminent I'd maybe consider a decent cartridge for Halton, that first 6/8 weeks will be hard enough without having to re-learn a new technique at ablutions time.

If Halton is a couple of months away, get a DE and learn to shave with it. Learn hand / face lathering. Take a small brush, and a tube of cream with you, don't be fannying about with hard soaps, dishes etc in training, you simply don't have the time. Every minute you can spend in bed is recovery time, you don't want to be up half an hour earlier than everyone else.
 
My first razor was a 34C. bought and sold 3 or 4 more along the way and now use it exclusively.

Never got on with straights. Yes, there's a cool and romantic attraction, but they are not easy to learn. Even after 18 months with a DE and all the experience in making lather and working with a fixed blade, I couldn't get a single pass finished with a straight. It was impossible to even get it to move on my chin stubble. I gave it a few weeks on and off (I needed a decent shave for work) but wasn't prepared to go that far backwards in my shaves and start over, and take longer to get back.
 
I'd go for the Merkur 33c...a bit lighter in weight than the 34c or the 38c Barber pole....As a recent convert from Cartridge razors you will tend to exert a bit of pressure on the razor when shaving....the 33c will tolerate a little pressure...the other two won't...not in my humble opinion anyway.....

I wouldn't even consider Derby blades personally....If going for a single blade type,I'd be more inclined towards the Gillette Yellows or Personna Reds.....As has been said ,a sampler pack from Connaught is a great idea to start with.
 
dont got straight to a straight razor


de/ shavvete(replaceable blade straight razor)


your biggest problem is lather right then blade angle


i started shaving with a shavvete a year ago and then with a straight in jully. i still cut myself ocationally


dont start with straight unless you like a challenge because you will have to learn to shave,strop,lather. ive been stropping my razor for 6 months or so now and i still ocationally nic the strop


id recomend you get a straight from here when you decide to get one. mainly because most sold here are excellent shavers and are relunctantly let go because of space or financial issues
 
Aye well, not to put you off or anything ...

To answer your initial questions: the main benefit compared to cartridge (or DE) is a lack of irritation. Some straight razor enthusiasts are adamant that nothing else will give as close a shave, which is true on a good day, but it always grows back just the same; more persuasively all committed users will tell you that nothing else gives as much satisfaction, and I'll go along with that one.

The learning process. It'll take a month or three before you get a good shave, and six months before you have the confidence to do that consistently. After a year, you'll impress yourself, and be able to to shave in a hurry if necessary. Give or take, of course. So it's a long project, and rest assured that you will cut yourself, and continue to do so every once in a while no matter how good you get. DE is good training because it will teach you to pay attention to grain direction and to use a light touch.

All told you'll probably want to put it on the back burner, but if you are looking for a first razor I'd recommend a vintage one from Neil Miller which needn't cost more than £50 and will be properly sharp. You also need a strop, and the razor will need honing on a periodical basis. Neil's the man for the former, you can do the latter yourself but once again it takes some learning, or engage the services of a skilled honer: Neil again. Outline spec for a first razor would be along the lines of 5/8 - 6/8 wide; carbon steel (not stainless); round point; half to full hollow ground. For an explanation of that have a look at the stickies at the top of this board. Hope that helps.
 
Arrowhead said:
Aye well, not to put you off or anything ...

To answer your initial questions: the main benefit compared to cartridge (or DE) is a lack of irritation. Some straight razor enthusiasts are adamant that nothing else will give as close a shave, which is true on a good day, but it always grows back just the same; more persuasively all committed users will tell you that nothing else gives as much satisfaction, and I'll go along with that one.

The learning process. It'll take a month or three before you get a good shave, and six months before you have the confidence to do that consistently. After a year, you'll impress yourself, and be able to to shave in a hurry if necessary. Give or take, of course. So it's a long project, and rest assured that you will cut yourself, and continue to do so every once in a while no matter how good you get. DE is good training because it will teach you to pay attention to grain direction and to use a light touch.

All told you'll probably want to put it on the back burner, but if you are looking for a first razor I'd recommend a vintage one from Neil Miller which needn't cost more than £50 and will be properly sharp. You also need a strop, and the razor will need honing on a periodical basis. Neil's the man for the former, you can do the latter yourself but once again it takes some learning, or engage the services of a skilled honer: Neil again. Outline spec for a first razor would be along the lines of 5/8 - 6/8 wide; carbon steel (not stainless); round point; half to full hollow ground. For an explanation of that have a look at the stickies at the top of this board. Hope that helps.
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+1

if what arrowhead said about what razor to go for is confusing, neil is a very nice bloke and will happily help you choose if you tell him its your first razor
 
Yes I agree with Andy too. Although I now consider myself a fully fledged cut-throat user I still like to use a DE, especially when in a hurry. I would recommend getting a DE, but only if you have a few weeks to get used to it. If you are joining the army then I'd wait a while as it sounds like you won't have much time to learn, and any cuts will get you in trouble!
 
Personally, I almost never use anything else nowadays, but then again there's usually no particularly pressing reason for me to be immaculately presented at any given time, so it tends to be a nice relaxed evening shave. You've got to be practical about it after all, and time pressure is the last thing you need when you're learning.

I'll be a devil and post a link to another forum: plenty of information here.
 
matthew19 said:
I'm looking to start shaving with a straight razor. What is the benefits compared to a cartridge?
Click to expand...

The benefits compared to a disposable plastic are great. I wrote about it in detail here: Benefits of straight razor shaving

In summary: better shaves (less irritation & closer shave), greener, cheaper (by a lot), and accomplishment/manliness.

Is there a difficult learning process and what is good to start off with?
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Yes. Although, unlike the rest of these folks, I went straight to a straight razor from the Mach 3 or 2, can't remember, they've come out with so many iterations. I don't remember it being difficult, but I've always been a knife enthusiast from a very young age and had a thorough understanding of how blades cut and the correct angles necessary to shave arm hair off with a knife. Either case, the minority of men will be able to pick it up really quickly, but the vast majority take a long time to master the skill. (sidenote: I also started using the same canned goo. Didn't switch over to brush & soap until a few years later, so you can shave with a straight & canned shaving cream. Don't recommend it, but if you do, just add more water).

I think the sooner you switch, the easier it is. The DE is easier to switch to because you've already learned the muscle memory associated with using a DE. A straight razor is a completely different ballgame. Nothing is the same.

As for DE v. Straight. If you really want to stick with a straight, you can buy a straight and finish with your cartridge until you get used to the straight razor. But if you want better shaves right now, then you should buy a DE. If your not going to stick with the DE, from a financial perspective I don't see any reason to buy one. As I've already said, you can still shave with that cartridge, its not broken.

But, if your just looking for a better shave with less effort, a DE is the way to go. The common analogy is manual v. automatic transmission. It's an apt analogy, but there are better ones.

If you do decide to buy a straight, regardless of which razor you buy, purchase one that is shave ready or send it to a professional for sharpening before use. Do not buy anything from Pakistan, Fromm razors, Venus razors, or the like. The Dovo Best is what I recommend at the moment. Rock solid history and can be had shave ready for $80 US + postage. Razor restorers might have something cheaper than that, but $80 is tough to beat.
 
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