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Time To Move Up

Glen

Glen

Member
I've been wet shaving for a few years now but have just ordered my first straight razor, a Dovo Best Quality, honed before shipping, and an Illinois strop company strop, all from West Coast Shaving. That should get me off to a good start, looking forward to it. Spotted a thread about sharpening service on Ebay so will check that out for the future.
 
Nice pickup, I've got a couple of Dovo myself and love em to bits.
 
Well done @Glen - its a learning curve, but the quality of a straight shave is something to behold (y)
 
Snooze said:
the quality of a straight shave is something to behold (y)
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I would second, third and fourth that :)

If you have no straight experience go the hybrid route for a few shaves until you fully appreciate exacly what you are doing. Also make your lather wetter than a DE shave and be prepared to refresh the lather as you go. Don't try to shave with dry lather.

Seriously it will take between 10 and 100 shaves to get stellar results but even shave one will be such a buzz there will be no going back :)
 
I just ordered a shavette to have some experience with straight stuff. We students are poor so better to try with cheap stuff :D
 
Errol said:
Good on you Glen for having a crack at it. I have the same idea in the back of my head but just can't rustle up the gumption to have a go. One day
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One of our members, @Mark I think, occasionally offers Gold Dollar straights for a cost little above the name on the product. Might be worth seeing if anyone here has something cheap, but of good quality to try out rather than invest heavily in something like a Dovo.

There are also honers here that offer good deals on honing blades as they want new razors to practice with.
 
sealer said:
I just ordered a shavette to have some experience with straight stuff. We students are poor so better to try with cheap stuff :D
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I'd be scared to try a shavette over a vintage straight. To me, they appear to be less forgiving with a beginner's technique. Now, I say this without ever having used one, but I do know that my own technique has a tendency to get sloppy on occasion. I have the scars to prove it (literally), but it took some monumental feck-ups to get them, still.

Don't let me put you off, though. You have to try to say you do/don't like it. Plenty of videos on Youtube, that show good technique.

My most expensive straight was my first one, and I paid $105 for it. The others, I have paid $70 and $50 respectively. They aren't expensive*, and will last at least one more lifetime.

*Disclaimer: I hone my own blades, and I know that saves me a bit. It is still cheaper than cartridges ever were. I reckon I would hone 2-3 times per year, shaving a couple of times per week. Good stropping in this case saves me a lot of honing work.
 
I agree- I started off with shavettes (Feather AC) because I thought the stropping and maintainance of a straight was too time consuming. I cut myself more on the Feathers than I ever have with the straights! Maybe because I was learning but even now I find the straights so much more forgiving, despite being sharp. The Feathers are scary sharp!

The stropping isnt a big deal at all once you get used to it. Ive also started honing my own blades, again which is required infrequently and actually is enjoyable, in a zen / meditation kind of way!

But the shave from a shavette or straight really is amazing and quite addictive !!
 
"a shavette is a nasty mean spirited spoilt child who for reason believes it's own publicity that it is a straight"

I taught myself to shave with a straight about ten years ago, also taught myself to hone, and all I can add is shavettes scare the crap outa me! Give me a nice friendly vintage straight razor every time.
 
Thasnk you for all the support hahahaha
Well, the shavette arrived today, and I made a full first pass with it, and well, not even a blood point or anythig, but yes, it looks quite dangerous.... I finished with my razor, but for a start I was expecting having to go to he hospital with severe cuts, and not at all :D
cheers
Fer
 
Nah shavettes are pretty swell.
 
Well done. The first shave is always a daunting one. You survived intact (or so you say) to shave another day.

Next comes the dreaded "using the other hand!" I hope that you have ambidextrous tendencies. It will make your shaving much less contorted.
 
I think we all thought the same about the off-hand, but it is definitely worth learning. It makes XTG and ATG passes so much simpler.

Like anything, practice certainly helps. Once you have the muscle memory for it locked down, then it becomes second nature and you will be glad that you took the time to learn it.
 
bald as said:
:) Lock yourself in the bathroom with a butter knife - lather up and start using both hands to remove the lather. Or - leave the blade out of the shavette and do the same thing. It is after all muscle memory.

Steve
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That's a great idea!
 
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