Talk me into a straight

cruciate

cruciate

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756
Location
Nr Manchester
I'm feeling brave. After a year of DE shaving, and having no problems with the R89, I'm feeling like I am confident with prep, angle etc and now feel like trying straight shaving.
The problem I have is my beard is really tough. So tough that all blades snag a little. Feathers are the best but feel blunt on the third pass, Astra's greens give a good balance between sharpness and longevity.
So if I go down the straight shaving route I'm concerned that the blade won't be sharp enough to get through my whiskers easily, or will need honing on a monthly basis.
With this in mind I find myself thinking of (and I know this is a rude word in here) a shavette. Consistently sharp blades without the honing.

So, talk me out of a good shavette and into a real straight :)
 
No. Shan't.

You're worried a honed straight will pull and snag. They certainly will if you get angle wrong or stropping wrong anyway, and so you'll not know if it's your limitations or theirs.

Get an Artist Club and learn on that. Then when you know you have the skills with blade on face, transfer and see.

It's what I did and I'm glad of it. One skill at a time is enough to learn.
 
A tougher beard may require a less than fully ground blade - old and modern blades are available in quarter, half and fully ground and probably all points in between.

The difference is that the edge geometry changes slightly and will be less prone to distortion from contact with whiskers - therefore the need for honing is reduced. You will however still need to strop regularly.

Regardless of how tough your beard is, a straight razor will handle it once you have the technique so Rick's advice may be the right road especially as the Feather blades are known to be very resiliant - much more so than their SE or DE family. So the initial investment will be more than a typical shavette but should give you a better guide to how a straight works because you will not be using cut down DE blades.

Read some of the recents posts comparing straight to DE edges, especially Neil Miller's opinions.
 
I've got a tough beard and for what it's worth the most comfortable shave is with my c.v Heljestrandrand MK No 29 (the Swedish mini) super thin grind,(I'd get a 5/8 type) but they do take a bit of getting used to, what ever straight you plumb for IMHO.
 
You'll just have to try one.

Like you, I have a tough beard, and I have tried trad straights and not really got comfortable shaves with them. I keep having another go with them, but keep getting similar results.

However, the Feather AC SS that I own gets frequent use, and works well for me.

Ian
 
That's the route I chose Feather AC-SS loaded with Pro blades really good longevity from those Feather Pro blades, then I progressed to a straight razor, I found my technique was pretty good once I switched over, only difference being you need to stretch and pull your skin a little tighter in places with a traditional straight razor.

Jamie
 
Thanks for all the advice. I have to say I thought that at least a shavette would be cheaper, but clearly the artist club ss is full straight price.
Do many ever come up 2nd hand? Or are they so good that people don't part with them?
I suppose it's worth the initial investment, and from what I've read its better to do the feather than something that takes a SE blade such as a dovo.
Worst case scenario, if I don't get on at all with it, resale values will be strong. :)
 
I would definately second UKRob's advice, as for the shavette route, not something i would fancy. I have seen other posts where people have used them and comments along the line of a cut with a straight is a cut but unless your stupid or real unfortunate its not bad but a shavette slip and you slice the skin off would worry me. I would email Neil at the Strop shop as to whether he has a cheap and functional not necessarily pretty vintage straight available would be an option. I have seen some really good ones crop up on his site before now, i bagged a near wedge Bengal for less than £40 and its a joy to use.
 
I'd have to say that you owe it to yourself to give it a go...

I started off about a year ago, and now I'd never go back. For me, even as a beginner, I get the most comfortable shave that I have ever had, and the whole process is just fab.
 
Do you want to borrow my spare Artist Club RG for a month? I've been thinking for a while its destiny might be as an enabler for people who want to try.
 
Wow, that's really generous.
I would be extremely nervous taking loan of something so valuable, particularly trusting the post office with it.
I'm going to price some things up, look around for second hand ones and get back to you.
Thanks again for the offer. Humbling. :)
 
Just seen this on connaughts site:

http://connaughtshaving.com/feacrr.html

Unless I'm mistaken this is a chuffing bargain?
I thought I liked the look of the SS more, but I can't ignore this surely?
(I was reading this thread on here about the difference between the two: http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/forum/thread-13643.html )

SWMBO would have to be kept in the dark over this!!!

(Can't believe since starting this thread I've gone from thinking about the dovo at £25-30 to a feather at £99 and believing its a bargain!! You guys are serious hardcore enablers. Get victims to spend 4 times their budget and make them believe they've done WELL!)
 
:icon_lol: SHMBOB needn't know,but if she's like my Mrs,(shes a nosy ........I'll be polite so and so) and you do Sneek it past, der Führer, you ain't got no stroping, honing, just wash it,change the blade,and your off, if she does spot it...... I've got this ages ago off a bloke in TSR...only payed a tender :icon_razz:
 
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