Straight Razor for Shaving?

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Zaydok Allen

Zaydok Allen

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I'm not sure this thread will be considered appropriate for THR, but it seems given our stropping and sharpening threads it kind of makes sense. None the less, if the mods feel it should go, then lock it on up.

I shave every day, and I am getting entirely sick of how short lived all the 11 blade razor cartridges last. I mean I feel like I am going through one every 10 days at this point. Now part of that is my fault as I am always in a bit of a hurry and refuse to buy shaving cream. I just wet the blade and go to town. Well, I'm guessing the lack of lubrication is probably helping dull my blades up a bit faster, but it definitely feels like the steel being used is softer. I used to get three weeks out of a blade before it started getting annoying and needed to be replaced.

I've been considering switching to a straight razor, and obviously slowing down and using proper lubricant. It seems like it could save me some money in the long run, and given that you can tune up the blade to keep it going strong, it seems like the right idea.

So a few questions:
Do you use a straight razor and if so, do you feel it saves you money in the long run?

If so, how often do you strop? Sharpen?

What steels are being used in straight ravors? I looked at Blade HQ out of quick curiosity and all I saw was "stainless steel". Really? Come on.

Is this going to piss me off due to needing a lot of time I don't really have? Maybe the real question is if you use a straight razor, how long does it take you?

Is there a particular brand you prefer?

Considering I have to drop $40 about every 100 days, I don't mind spending a bit more. I mean I'm probably already spending $120-$160 a year. One year and it looks like it's paid for. Assuming you can get many years of service out of it..........

Like I said mods, if this isn't appropriate for THR please excuse me. I'll go try and dig up info on Google instead.
 
Before I grew out my beard - around 15 years ago - I used straight razors and belonged to a hobbyist group online. At least at the time, it was felt that the best straight razors were made prior to the development of the safety razor, and that if you wanted something as good as a razor from the 20's or so, you had to pay amazing money for something like Thiers Issard. I'm not sure if that was true at the time, but I kind of doubt it is now, anyway. I had very good results from the Dovo brand - I really don't know what the steel is, other than "Solingen" - and figure $100 to $150 gets you very good quality.

I recommend a "Dutch point" blade shape, and a 6/8" size. A simple hollow grind is probably best - some of the more complex hollow grinds may be worthwhile, but I haven't used them. I'd avoid wedge shapes.

I do know of people who use "shavette" style razors with replaceable blades and have good results. I don't quite get the point, myself, but it is a possibility - especially for folks who just want to try it.

I used a Norton double sided stone, 4000/8000, once every few months. The stone is 8"x3" and is perfect for straight razors, but costs more than a good razor!

I also used a traditional hanging strop, daily, with just a few strokes. Some people claim this is too much stropping, but I found it kept the finest edge on the blade, without significant wear. I also used a "barber hone" which is a smaller stone of 10,000 grit. Some people use this instead of a strop, but I thought it was too aggressive for that purpose, and instead used it as kind of a "maintenance" hone, extending the time between needing to use the big Norton.

I also preferred traditional shaving soap and a brush, rather than a can of shaving cream. This was partly out of traditionalism, but also partly to avoid the numbing effect of modern lather: if I'm doing it wrong with a straight razor, I really want to know about it!

Beyond that, I'm not sure if there is a cost saving. A good but not extravagant razor, some stones, a strop, and shaving soap with a bowl and badger hair brush can easily set you back $300 plus dollars. That buys a lot of disposable plastic razors! And no matter how fast and comfortable I got, straight razor shaving was never as fast as a safety razor. The straight razor ended up being kind of a "daily luxury"; ten minutes spent handling fine quality tools and keeping in touch with the spirit of my ancestors. If the alarm didn't go off, though, I'd grab the Gillette and get the thing done in 30 seconds, grandpa be damned.

<edit> I forgot to add that if you have never had a good straight razor shave, you are in for a surprise. Nothing gives a closer shave, and you'll be amazed at how smooth your face will be!

<another edit> I couldn't for the life of me remember the "cult" brand that was popular on the chat board I used to belong to, and now it's popped into my head. "Dubl Duck" had a sterling reputation with those folks, and while the company itself has been out of business for many decades, they still pop up on eBay for reasonable prices. Just be aware that you almost certainly will have to go through the whole process to get the edge up to par. (I would jump all over this one, if I was still part of that game.)
 
Last edited:
460Shooter said:
I'm not sure this thread will be considered appropriate for THR, but it seems given our stropping and sharpening threads it kind of makes sense. None the less, if the mods feel it should go, then lock it on up.

I shave every day, and I am getting entirely sick of how short lived all the 11 blade razor cartridges last. I mean I feel like I am going through one every 10 days at this point. Now part of that is my fault as I am always in a bit of a hurry and refuse to buy shaving cream. I just wet the blade and go to town. Well, I'm guessing the lack of lubrication is probably helping dull my blades up a bit faster, but it definitely feels like the steel being used is softer. I used to get three weeks out of a blade before it started getting annoying and needed to be replaced.

I've been considering switching to a straight razor, and obviously slowing down and using proper lubricant. It seems like it could save me some money in the long run, and given that you can tune up the blade to keep it going strong, it seems like the right idea.

So a few questions:
Do you use a straight razor and if so, do you feel it saves you money in the long run?

If so, how often do you strop? Sharpen?

What steels are being used in straight ravors? I looked at Blade HQ out of quick curiosity and all I saw was "stainless steel". Really? Come on.

Is this going to piss me off due to needing a lot of time I don't really have? Maybe the real question is if you use a straight razor, how long does it take you?

Is there a particular brand you prefer?

Considering I have to drop $40 about every 100 days, I don't mind spending a bit more. I mean I'm probably already spending $120-$160 a year. One year and it looks like it's paid for. Assuming you can get many years of service out of it..........

Like I said mods, if this isn't appropriate for THR please excuse me. I'll go try and dig up info on Google instead.
Click to expand...


I am 65 yo and have been shaving with a straight razor since I was 18 yo. My first razor was a hand me down from my Grampa. Eventually I picked up some $100-200 Dovo's that I shaved with for 25 years or so. I felt like I was never getting my razor sharp enough, initially using a black Washita and then graduating into a waterstone. I stropped a couple of times while shaving and sharpened my razor on the stone maybe every 2 months. Before I retired I could get by with shaving every other day. 20 years or so ago I started using a Dovo Shavette with replaceable double-edged blades broken in half and haven't looked back. I change the blades every other shave. My razor is always sharp and I get a much better shave.

Something I have found out is that you can get too sharp of a blade for your face. Japanese Feather blades were too sharp; Astra blades from Turkey work best for my face. I shave once going with the grain, then re-lather and shave against the grain. 5 years ago I had my shoulder rebuilt and went to a barber every 2 weeks for a shave. While it was nice and relaxing, he did not to as good of a job as I can do at home. It does take longer than using a cartridge razor, but a lot cheaper.

Recently I found some You Tube videos by Geo Fatboy. He gives excellent tutorials on all aspects of shaving with every razor imaginable.

Hope this helps. BTW, there is a learning curve! Watch Geo's videos first.
 
justplainbob said:
I am 65 yo and have been shaving with a straight razor since I was 18 yo. My first razor was a hand me down from my Grampa. Eventually I picked up some $100-200 Dovo's that I shaved with for 25 years or so. I felt like I was never getting my razor sharp enough, initially using a black Washita and then graduating into a waterstone. I stropped a couple of times while shaving and sharpened my razor on the stone maybe every 2 months. Before I retired I could get by with shaving every other day. 20 years or so ago I started using a Dovo Shavette with replaceable double-edged blades broken in half and haven't looked back. I change the blades every other shave. My razor is always sharp and I get a much better shave.

Something I have found out is that you can get too sharp of a blade for your face. Japanese Feather blades were too sharp; Astra blades from Turkey work best for my face. I shave once going with the grain, then re-lather and shave against the grain. 5 years ago I had my shoulder rebuilt and went to a barber every 2 weeks for a shave. While it was nice and relaxing, he did not to as good of a job as I can do at home. It does take longer than using a cartridge razor, but a lot cheaper.

Recently I found some You Tube videos by Geo Fatboy. He gives excellent tutorials on all aspects of shaving with every razor imaginable.

Hope this helps. BTW, there is a learning curve! Watch Geo's videos first.
Click to expand...
Thank you, and I will!
 
.38 Special said:
Before I grew out my beard - around 15 years ago - I used straight razors and belonged to a hobbyist group online. At least at the time, it was felt that the best straight razors were made prior to the development of the safety razor, and that if you wanted something as good as a razor from the 20's or so, you had to pay amazing money for something like Thiers Issard. I'm not sure if that was true at the time, but I kind of doubt it is now, anyway. I had very good results from the Dovo brand - I really don't know what the steel is, other than "Solingen" - and figure $100 to $150 gets you very good quality.

I recommend a "Dutch point" blade shape, and a 6/8" size. A simple hollow grind is probably best - some of the more complex hollow grinds may be worthwhile, but I haven't used them. I'd avoid wedge shapes.

I do know of people who use "shavette" style razors with replaceable blades and have good results. I don't quite get the point, myself, but it is a possibility - especially for folks who just want to try it.

I used a Norton double sided stone, 4000/8000, once every few months. The stone is 8"x3" and is perfect for straight razors, but costs more than a good razor!

I also used a traditional hanging strop, daily, with just a few strokes. Some people claim this is too much stropping, but I found it kept the finest edge on the blade, without significant wear. I also used a "barber hone" which is a smaller stone of 10,000 grit. Some people use this instead of a strop, but I thought it was too aggressive for that purpose, and instead used it as kind of a "maintenance" hone, extending the time between needing to use the big Norton.

I also preferred traditional shaving soap and a brush, rather than a can of shaving cream. This was partly out of traditionalism, but also partly to avoid the numbing effect of modern lather: if I'm doing it wrong with a straight razor, I really want to know about it!

Beyond that, I'm not sure if there is a cost saving. A good but not extravagant razor, some stones, a strop, and shaving soap with a bowl and badger hair brush can easily set you back $300 plus dollars. That buys a lot of disposable plastic razors! And no matter how fast and comfortable I got, straight razor shaving was never as fast as a safety razor. The straight razor ended up being kind of a "daily luxury"; ten minutes spent handling fine quality tools and keeping in touch with the spirit of my ancestors. If the alarm didn't go off, though, I'd grab the Gillette and get the thing done in 30 seconds, grandpa be damned.

<edit> I forgot to add that if you have never had a good straight razor shave, you are in for a surprise. Nothing gives a closer shave, and you'll be amazed at how smooth your face will be!

<another edit> I couldn't for the life of me remember the "cult" brand that was popular on the chat board I used to belong to, and now it's popped into my head. "Dubl Duck" had a sterling reputation with those folks, and while the company itself has been out of business for many decades, they still pop up on eBay for reasonable prices. Just be aware that you almost certainly will have to go through the whole process to get the edge up to par. (I would jump all over this one, if I was still part of that game.)
Click to expand...
And thank you also! You've given me some things to consider.

Time is always a factor for me. Single male, busy career, do every damn thing myself. So minutes count. This may be a little slower than I have patience for.
 
Other than a straight razor, have you thought about an electric razor?

They have some really good ones now that can be used in the shower. They can also shave as close as a razor, you just have to go a little slower.

With other attachments, you can groom yourself pretty well these days with them.
 
I had good success with wedge types. They can be a bear to sharpen though. I dabbled with a straight razor for a bit in my late 20s. I found the vintage blades marked Solingen Ger. or Sheffield, Eng. good quality. I bought a ton of these at fleas and sharpened them up and sold them online for huge profits back then. Eventually the good ones dried up.

On the end I abandoned it as it was quite a process and is, IMO, not something someone who shaves every day should do.

I would go with a double edge type “safety razor”. That is what I have used for 20 years after I picked up a WWII GI issue one at a flea market when I was 20. I too was disillusioned with the durability and cost of the Mach 3 cartridges.

Get blades from Harry’s and save lots of dollars over the overhyped modern commercial razors.
 
If you really want to save money on shaving, just get an electric razor. You can dry shave with it quickly... no additional cost on cream.

That's what I usually do, however when I need a very close high quality shave I'll use a DE razor. These are also a good ol'fashion and relatively cheap option, as DE blades are no where near the cost of those newfangled multi-blade contraptions of the modern razor, however they still give a perfect shave!

My chrome plated German Giesen & Forsthoff razor.. along with a German gun to keep it THR relevant. ;)
20210328_140249.jpg
 
Dad taught me how to shave with a straight razor. Started out as a kid using a butter knife & going through the same motions taking the lather off. He told me when I could scrape the lather off a balloon with grandpas old straight razor I could try it for real. I really enjoy the ritual of a wet shave & while I do have a nice razor & strop I use the shavette more often & it is a better shave than the safety razor I use most of the time. It’s one of the lost manly arts that needs to be kept alive.
PyMOXbul.jpg
 
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I have definitely considered it but it seems I’d want a $200 or more straight razor and I’ve not been able to pass on a knife to make the purchase.
 
I went through a straight-razor phase about 15 years ago. Bought a decent razor and hanging strop. Used it for about a year, until it needed more sharpening than the strop alone would handle. I set it aside 'til "later" and never got back around to researching the proper way to sharpen it.

I've actually been thinking about breaking it back out for about a month now. This post just may get me off the dime.
 
It`s day has passed. I`m talking in number of users.
Old guys I`m sure remember the days when getting a "shave" at the local barber shop was normal. Along with the hot towel.
I used one briefly in the early 50`s. The finished product was normally a face covered in small pieces of paper covering the nicked areas.
I realized it was not for me. Enter the Electric Razor.
Less blood loss. No time to play.
 
I've tried electric and just don't like them. If I'm in a hurry, I step out of the shower, grab my Harry's razor from Walmart and shave while my I'm still wet. No shaving creme needed. Just rinse off the razor a couple of times under hot water. Takes under a minute.

I can get a little closer shave with creme, but it's not a huge difference. Plus I'm retired and only shave every other day at most. Sometimes go as much as a week unless I need to be somewhere. A blade lasts me about a month.
 
I've never found an electric that I cared for. I think I tried a straight razor once. I just couldn't get comfortable with that blade on my face, much less with the thought that I was gonna run it down my throat. And this in spite of the fact that I'd picked up 2 or 3 straight razors at gun shows. I tried a safety razor once. I might have been doing it wrong, but it was horribly uncomfortable. So I went back to my Gillette that I've been using since high school.
 
Lot of good thoughts here.

I have owned an electric shaver for a long time and use it as a starting point to remove the longest stubble, then tend to finish off with a Mach 5 razor. I can't do a full shave with an electric. I end up with massive razor burn on my neck as I have neck beard growth patterns that leave the hair laying down. This leads to me moving the razor in the same place way too many times and then I look like I got punched in the neck.

I have pretty robust and dark facial hair (well, there’s a lot of gray now also), and definitely a 5 o'clock shadow type of guy, and in the past as a field going forester I could get away with looking like hell. I was promoted, and now deal with people that wear loafers to work and not muddy hiking boots. So I feel the need to step it up by my own choice. Hence this conversation.

After reading some articles and google searches, and being directed to a forum, I think I have ventured down the wroooooooong fork in the road. Yes, there are forums on safety razors and straight razors. The straight razors I can understand for some reason. I guess I see them as a knife like product and depending on make, model, and finish, as well as age I suppose, I can see the fascination. They also require skill to use. I am looking for a reasonable way to save money, and get a good shave, not join a culture. I mean really I don't care about any of the history, nostalgia, or any of it. A razor is just a simple tool to me, and nothing more. I wouldn't join a hammer forum either for the same reason, but I'm sure there's one out there. This isn't for me.

hso said:
This

I've shaved with a straight razor (and gave it up). It takes time and concentration.
Click to expand...

I think hso got to the root of the question very fast. If I don't like spending a lot of time shaving, a straight razor will be money wasted on someone like me. All the care and precision it takes just wont happen. I'm more the type, as indicated earlier, to do that stuff fast. I haven't paid for a haircut in 25 years. I just buzz my hair off, and in summer I go full Q ball style, just shaving the nuisance material off. It's nothing but an annoyance to me.

I think I am willing to spend a little bit more time and give a decent safety razor a try, as suggested above. It seems like it could save me money and get the job done almost as well as a straight razor.

I do keep a shortly cropped mustache and chin wig, so it may not take as long as indicated. Articles I read with a straight razor indicate 15-20 minutes to do it right. If I'm doing that even every other day, I'll get irritable fast.

Since this is now a mater of me finding a safety razor I like, and there’s not really anything to be discussed about a blade material and maintenance, I think this ventures outside the scope of THR.

hso, if you want to lock this one up, go for it.

Thanks all for the input. You all saved me some money.
 
460Shooter said:
I'm not sure this thread will be considered appropriate for THR, but it seems given our stropping and sharpening threads it kind of makes sense. None the less, if the mods feel it should go, then lock it on up.

I shave every day, and I am getting entirely sick of how short lived all the 11 blade razor cartridges last. I mean I feel like I am going through one every 10 days at this point. Now part of that is my fault as I am always in a bit of a hurry and refuse to buy shaving cream. I just wet the blade and go to town. Well, I'm guessing the lack of lubrication is probably helping dull my blades up a bit faster, but it definitely feels like the steel being used is softer. I used to get three weeks out of a blade before it started getting annoying and needed to be replaced.

I've been considering switching to a straight razor, and obviously slowing down and using proper lubricant. It seems like it could save me some money in the long run, and given that you can tune up the blade to keep it going strong, it seems like the right idea.

So a few questions:
Do you use a straight razor and if so, do you feel it saves you money in the long run?

If so, how often do you strop? Sharpen?

What steels are being used in straight ravors? I looked at Blade HQ out of quick curiosity and all I saw was "stainless steel". Really? Come on.

Is this going to piss me off due to needing a lot of time I don't really have? Maybe the real question is if you use a straight razor, how long does it take you?

Is there a particular brand you prefer?

Considering I have to drop $40 about every 100 days, I don't mind spending a bit more. I mean I'm probably already spending $120-$160 a year. One year and it looks like it's paid for. Assuming you can get many years of service out of it..........

Like I said mods, if this isn't appropriate for THR please excuse me. I'll go try and dig up info on Google instead.
Click to expand...
I shave with a single blade safety razor and not only does the blade last a long time, it's the best shave you'll ever have.
 
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