Straight Razor Noob

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by TraderJoe, Feb 8, 2007.

  1. TraderJoe

    TraderJoe Pink Floid

    Ok, all this talk about straight razors has me interested.

    I tried the Feather AC, didn't like it.

    I'm more than happy with my DE(s), but I'll be the first to admit that part of the allure of wetshaving is the variety.

    So, help me get hooked up.....

    Can I get a total rig (Razor, hone, strop) for about $80?

    :sad027
     
  2. berzerkeleyan

    berzerkeleyan New Member

    I'm not sure if you can get a new rig for $80, but maybe one of our veterans here can put together a good vintage set for you. You're also probably able to get away without the hone for a while, provided you get a shave-ready straight.

    What was it about the Feather AC that you didn't like? It might portend how you'll feel using a regular straight.
     
  3. SSLSTudio...

    SSLSTudio... Forum Debugger

    You can but in your case I wouldnt advice it.

    I went the Tony Miller way and got the Dovo, 4 sided paddlestrops and no Hones. when a straight is that new you wont need to hone it for quite a while.
    The Yellow diamond paste on the paddles act as a hone anyways thats the point of the Tony Miller paddlestrops in Theorie you wouldnt need a hone to hone it but use the same stropping technique on the yellow parts. mind you you will need like 60+ strokes to get the same effect a MEISTER will get with a few strokes on stone hones. basically what your doing with the Tony paddlestrops is once there is a good starting edge on it you can maintain it pretty much from there on . for quite a while

    I think both compliment eachother and those diamond pastes and for example Norton's or Belgium Coticule all offer different qualities to the end hone result.

    in your case you didnt like the Feather AC. which brings me to ,why not get one of Bill's straights I have seen he has a few under your budget. and it will arrive shave ready you could atleast try two shaves to see if you like it.
    if you dont then no money overboard re-sell it.

    for the amount you are writing here Ebay is the route to go. to get the hone and strops.

    As soon as you find out this is something you can enjoy buy the Lynn Abrams DVD as fast as you can...
     
  4. TraderJoe

    TraderJoe Pink Floid

    Good point, I'd be willing to go without a hone for a little while (assuming I can get one shave-ready)

    I was only very rarely able to get a smooth shave, painless shave....and it always left my skin raw (thin)
     
  5. TraderJoe

    TraderJoe Pink Floid

    :D I was hoping he might have one availalbe
     
  6. Scorpio

    Scorpio Big Hitter

    You may also look at some of Joe Chandler blades. You could probably can do it for around 80 including a strop. Until you get more experienced with straights and learn to recognize what to look for when buying a vintage via ebay I recommend either Joe or Tony for a shave ready blade. Then get a strop from Tony. I have several razors honed by Joe. If you get a chance PM joe and get to talk to him on the phone. He helped me choose my first straight and he was very helpful and patient with me and my noob questions. I was very pleased with the razor he recommended and it is stil my best razor. Best of all it was priced very reasonably. Just my 2 pennies.

    Raf
     
  7. berzerkeleyan

    berzerkeleyan New Member

    This is the route I would also suggest. But I would recommend a 4-sided paddle strop from Tony, so that you can hone up your razor as needed, rather than a regular hanging strop.

    You mention the Feather AC leaving you raw. Straights -- at least the ones I own -- are nowhere near as sharp. So you should be fine there. However, I've been at straight razor shaving now for six weeks, and I still can't get a shave equal in quality and comfort to a DE. I'm sure it'll take me another four months before that happens (though I am really close with the Feather AC). I write that just to reinforce the need to exercise patience when learning to use a straight.
     
  8. msandoval858

    msandoval858 Active Member

    Or you can do like I did and just go to Raf's house and make him show you all this stuff :rofl
     
  9. Baron

    Baron New Member

    I've got to get into straight shaving... I almost went straight to a straight but decided to start with DE instead... cheaper cost of entry
     
  10. Joe C

    Joe C New Member



    You will, however, have to hone it initially. Most razors don't come from the factory shave ready, no matter what their advertising says.
     
  11. berzerkeleyan

    berzerkeleyan New Member

    And that's why Tony Miller is one way to go. He has his razors honed prior to shipping them to customers. So they're shave ready out of the box. His was my first straight razor. It was quite sharp and poppin' hairs the moment I took it out of the case.

    Of course, you could have Joe C hook you up with a nice vintage. :)
     
  12. crackstar

    crackstar Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    it's a little over a year and a half that I'm using a straight, but my barber still hones it for me.

    Jeff
     
  13. SSLSTudio...

    SSLSTudio... Forum Debugger

    Tony had it honed by a guy that is better at honing straights then he is so you already pay a bit more for the straights at his website but they all come shave ready.

    I have bought a straight razor that needs to be send to Lynn, he will hone it for me as im sure there is no shave ready edge on it been sitting since 1922 in barbers talc.
     
  14. LX_Emergency

    LX_Emergency Member

    You could send it to me as well. I'm a bit closer if you're in the Netherlands or anywhere else in europe. I don't think I'm as good as Lynn though. Simply don't have the experience he does.
     
  15. Joe C

    Joe C New Member

    I was going to suggest that, actually.
     
  16. coolsimon

    coolsimon New Member

    Honing....my aspirations

    well sending them out is great, i may have to do more of that...seeing im in the right continent now..lol
    Last night i did hone a couple and i was moderately pleased with the outcomes, im sure the only reason I do it myself is that my tight nature..lol..:rofl ( its a scottish thing)
    In respect to the honemeisters around they do an awesome job, but there is a satisfaction level when you find that your efforts have paid off

    ;) simon
     
  17. Smedley

    Smedley New Member

    I'm thinking about getting into the straight shaver world as well. Don't know if it would work out for weekdays, I am not a morning person and all that stropping time every morning would kill my time to get to work. I have everything except the strop, the four-sided paddle is the option I am going to go with for starters. Also sending my razor to Lynn to be honed up first.
     
  18. madmedic

    madmedic Resistance Is Futile



    Big Mistake.... I have one of Bill's razors.....an absolute work of art. My problem is that I started with DEs and I now have become used to the shave achievable with a Futur/Feather combination....hard to beat. I also have a new Dovo (unused) and another vintage shave ready (also unused) straight. If I want to use these...I will have to take time off, and accept what I now consider to be sub par shaves...until I reach an acceptable standard.
     
  19. Scorpio

    Scorpio Big Hitter

    Brian,

    I started much the same way with the ultimate goal to be able to shave with a straight. Well, now I only shave with straights and the shaves are exceptionally close, much closer than with a DE. Of course it did not happen in a day or two but when it did happen it was exhilarating. I never looked back. Everything I did before was with this goal in mind. I was right. The shaves are great. So I wake up a few minutes earlier just so I can shave this way, it is worth every minute. I still make it to work on time every day.

    Raf
     
  20. Will

    Will Nevermind

    Joe,

    I hope you like Str8 shaving but if not I will probably buy your rig of you anyway. Go for it bud.
     

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