Straight razor newbie and not convinced

Johnus said:
You might want to try one more thing before you give up. The Feather St8 (or one of its clones) with a ProGuard blade. A safer was to learn without all the Hassle of maintenance. I find that with this setup WTG shaving is all you need to do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Can you send me a link to where these are available? Daniel mentioned Kamisori (and training wheels:oops:) and your suggestion as well...maybe...just maybe...I might be convinced...I'm not one to give up, especially when their are people out there who seem so enthusiastic about the alternatives...I'm constantly trying to convince cartridge shavers to look into DE, so it would be hypocritical of me not to explore all the possibilities I suppose.
If you guys can show me the way, then I will be eternally in your debt (or I'll be eternally in debt because I'll keep buying straight razors!)
 
Last edited:
Greybeard said:
Can you send me a link to where these are available? Daniel mentioned Kamisori (and training wheels:oops:) and your suggestion as well...maybe...just maybe...I might be convinced...I'm not one to give up, especially when their are people out there who seem so enthusiastic about the alternatives...I'm constantly trying to convince cartridge shavers to look into DE, so it would be hypocritical of me not to explore all the possibilities I suppose.
If you guys can show me the way, then I will be eternally in your debt (or I'll be eternally in debt because I'll keep buying straight razors!)
Click to expand...
We're talking about the same thing lol.

Check out the Feather Artist Club S/S Non Folding razor. It's the shape of a kamisori, many find them easier to hold and work with.

With these particular razors you have the option of using a feather blade called a ProGuard, there are fine guards running across the bevel of the blade which really help minimise the potential to cut you, whilst remaining a wickedly sharp blade

If you look on eBay you'll find plenty of Japanese sellers, its not something we currently stock but that may be changing, we only sell feather ac blades at the moment
 
You might want to try a clone. If you still don't enjoy it, you're out a lot less...
79f2c4ad8377ff3e15974a52f0388f63.png



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
fatboy1971 said:
@Greybeard what straight are you using?
Click to expand...

What straight razor am I NOT using, you mean...I have a Boker Piccadilly...no idea if it's supposed to be any good but it was made in Solingen and Boker are known for their blades so i assumed it would be OK. Got it a few years ago, tried it for a while but just couldn't get into it. Started to try it again a few days ago and remembered why I didn't like it the first time.
 
nothing the matter with Boker blades, the problems are ,quite literally, in your hands!, if you're not prepared to devote the time to learning the techniques, you won't learn the techniques, there is no magic or knack involved, put the time in and learn to use a straight or don't.
 
Straights and motorbikes are similar. If you are hesitant or tentative or cocky they tend to bite. However given a small but steep learning curve they are exhilarating. Go back to square one for a month. Left cheek one day with your straight then finish with your DE or SE. Right cheek the next day. Don't try the whole shave at one time, just teach your muscles how over a month and eventually the muscles will respond and you will use the safety razor less and the straight more one morning. Soon you will understand the angles around the chin, the method to shave the top lip and If you are not prepared to learn you never will.
 
bald as said:
Straights and motorbikes are similar. If you are hesitant or tentative or cocky they tend to bite. However given a small but steep learning curve they are exhilarating. Go back to square one for a month. Left cheek one day with your straight then finish with your DE or SE. Right cheek the next day. Don't try the whole shave at one time, just teach your muscles how over a month and eventually the muscles will respond and you will use the safety razor less and the straight more one morning. Soon you will understand the angles around the chin, the method to shave the top lip and If you are not prepared to learn you never will.
Click to expand...

That sounds like an interesting approach, Bald...I might actually give that a go. I get your point about straights and motorbikes...it's a bit like rugby as well...if you're too tentative in a tackle you're more likely to get hurt. Not that I play rugger nowadays (only in my school days!)
 
Greybeard said:
What straight razor am I NOT using, you mean...I have a Boker Piccadilly...no idea if it's supposed to be any good but it was made in Solingen and Boker are known for their blades so i assumed it would be OK. Got it a few years ago, tried it for a while but just couldn't get into it. Started to try it again a few days ago and remembered why I didn't like it the first time.
Click to expand...

Horses for courses GB , not everyones cup of tea , the way I look at it is just as in life in general if you are not enjoying it don't do it. It's no big thing, pass it on to someone and enjoy your DE shaving.
But what do I know......tis just my opinion.
 
It's much more difficult shaving with a straight than with any other razor but that's part of the joy of it!

I tend to shave with a straight at the weekend when I have more time.

As everyone has said though, it's just practice, practice, practice and making sure you're starting with a straight that has been honed by someone who knows how to do it (so you have a good reference point as to what a shave ready straight should feel like).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom