Well I'm sure this question has been asked many times which is the preferred method safety razors or straight edge? Being in the military I shave every day and can't ever seem to get close enough. And I spend a lot of money on the disposable so I think this will be a better option to get either a safety or straight edge what's your opinion on why? And what are some good brands and kits to get as a new user? Thank you for all your help


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Both double edge and straight edge razors are going to require some learning curve over disposable cartridge razors. You will find people in both camps, and it is a matter of what works for them. Straights require some prep and upkeep. You will need one that is honed properly, you will need a strop to keep the edge, and it requires some prep work. But once you have a setup and learn how to use them, they can provide very close shaves. If you have the time and discipline to use one correctly it is a fine way to shave.

Double edge razors require less prep and upkeep, and blades are inexpensive. They do have some learning curve as well, however, as they have a fixed head and blade angle will be unique for them all. They can, however, be cost savers. I like them far better than disposables and get great shaves from them.

A third option is a Shavette, which operates much like a straight but uses disposable DE blades. People can tend to feel strongly for or against them. They are not true straights, but they are my favorite way to shave as they don't require the upkeep of a straight.

I am not as well versed as many here on straights and will leave recommendations there to the better educated.

As far as DE razors are concerned, there are many that will work well for you depending on your preference. Are you into or wanting to get into soaps, brushes, etc? That's a whole other rabbit hole of recommendations. If you currently are using canned creams or gels and want to stay with them, that's cool too. Some of my favorite razors are vintage razors that can be had online at fair prices. The Gillette Tech and Super Speed are pretty mild and can be had cheap. A few bucks more will get you an adjustable such as a Slim or Fat Boy that allow you to adjust the aggressiveness of the razor to your preference.

If you want new, I have had good experiences with the Merkur 34c (though it is a very mild razor) and the RazoRock German 37 slant. Both are very fairly priced, with the RazoRock being a bit cheaper.

If you want to go the Shavette route, $13 or so will get you a Magic Shavette, and it will take any standard DE blade, broken in half. It's my personal favorite shaving tool.

All that said, you have to find what works for you: your cost point, the time you have to devote to it, etc. All can do the job, you just have to determine which is the best fit. And I didn't even get into single edge safety razors, which also offer many good options and great shaves. They use a bit heavier blade, and are fun to use.

Enjoy the journey!

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The DE razors have a shallower learning curve and with a bit of practice the result are awesome... and you can get up and running a lot cheaper too..

Good luck with it all and thanks for your service.

Hello amd Welcome! Straights are a bit tedious. Odd ball suggestion here, but go with injectors right off the bat.

Thank you!! And thank you for the reply! But injectors? Is that like a safety razor?


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It is! They deliver straight razor type close shaves in a safety razor. Once you learn how to use it, the heavy disposable blades last 10-14 shaves. Schick E, Schick G and Schick J are the models I like. The best thing you can do now though, is pick a razor style and master it. All safety razors are all a little tricky, but once you "get it" the shaves are amazing.

An example of an injector razor. Injector refers to the means of inserting the blade. It's one type of single edge safety razor. Great shaves.

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Thanks for the information and reply!! I don't mind taking time to learn the art, and I was looking into getting soaps and everything required for a nice close shave. I just don't know where to start


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Welcome to the Den from Central NJ @gutierrezpaul89. Not a SR guy, but some will be along I'm sure. Depending on your budget, you can get some starter gear from local drug stores, Target, WalMart et al. Are you in CONUS or deployed? If you're deployed that may make things easier or harder depending on where you are.
If you go the DE route, most drug stores carry Van Der Hagen items(razors,brushes, and a starter kit). There should also be Cremo shave cream or something similar. They should also have a 'house brand' DE razor blade. These are preferable to the VDH blades which by all accounts are not very good.
Hope this was helpful.
Thank you for serving our nation(Army Dad).

Thanks for the reply!! I don't mind spending what I have to for a good piece of equipment. I'm currently state side, but looking for something that overall will cost less.


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Try the drug store/big box route then. If you want, check Amazon. They have a ton of stuff.
Some razors to consider; Edwin Jagger DE89BL Merkur brand, Parker brand.
Brushes, Omega makes either boar or badger.
Blades, I'd go with a sample pack to see what works with your face.
Likewise, a sample pack of creams or soaps.
When it comes to starting out, you've come to the right place. There is a lot of knowledge here. Dive on in! HOOAH!

Hello and welcome to the Den! I have both DE and straight razors that I use. And actually have a shavette up for PIF for another couple of days. From my experience, straights are take some time and dedication to get it to work for you well. If you don't want to hone the razor yourself, most people can do that service for you for around 25-30 bucks average. All you would need is a brush, soap or cream, strop and of course the razor. It takes around 100 shaves or so to get proficient with the straight. Damn close shaves once you get the hang of it. If you want to try to get into the hobby of straight shaving, Whippeddog.com, has some fairly cheap equipment to get someone new into the hobby started. The straights are not pretty. Depending if you get the Sight Unseen or Sight Unseen Flawed, they can have; hone wear, patina (Darkening of the metal from age), some pitting, some problems to the scales. But, it gets your foot in the door and the razors have a good edge. Which is the main thing with straight shaving. Having a good edge. Now DE is definitely cheaper and there are lots of ways to go about that like others suggested. You can toggle with blade selection by getting a sampler of different blades...progressing from mild to aggressive. I started out DE and eventually fell in love with straights. But be warned, this hobby gets addictive fast. LOL! And thank you for serving the country!

lol I also have an addiction problem so this is a dangerous Territory, I always wanted a straight edge just because I like the old fashion look, I'm just not sure if that's a good place to start. I don't mind spending upfront because I know it will pay off! I also have sensitive skin is here any soaps you know of for that! Thank you for your help!


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I would say I have a mild skin sensitivity. Most of the soaps I use are Sterling, (sterlingsoap.com), they have pretty good soaps with lots of choices of scents. Essential oils, fragfrance/essential oils, or straight fragrance oils. And they have unscented. I've got good luck with Arko, Van Der Hagen Deluxe. Razorock also. Problem is there are so many to choose from but it makes it fun. I do find that after shave balms work best for my skin like Nivea Sensitive Skin more so than splashes. You could use straight witch hazel with the smallest to no alcohol to help. Most of what you'll find is that if something works for someone else, it may not be the best for you. Hence the popular term YMMV, your miles may vary. Being new here myself, I will say that you'll find a bunch of helpful and friendly people.

For an all-in-one stop, you might check out maggardrazors.com and look at their starter kits. Italian Barber has some as well.

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I use both and started with DE and later transitioned to straights. I was worried about the up keep of straights so it delayed me several years. If you want to use a straight razor start with a straight razor, I wish I had.

For a cheap start check out Whipped Dog, he sells 'sight unseen' razors for a good price and while ugly they are properly honed. It is critical you start of with a properly honed razor, nothing is more important. I recommend buying 2 razors along with a poor man's strop.

Once you master straight razor shaving you will find that you can make it very mild and kind to your skin, but that is true about DE razors too.

+1 here. Plus Larry, the owner, is a great guy who will answer all your questions and has one of the best customer service experiences I've had yet.

Welcome. There is a lot of experience in here. Lots of good advice and information.
Good brands/kits to get are as subjective as what is your favorite auto manufacturer. You didn't mention budget you would consider for starting off on this venture. I am retired military and I still shave every day. I own and use all types razors and brushes. Depending on the day I will either use a DE, SE or SR and pair it with either a badger or boar brush. I have a synthetic brush but it's not for me so it just sits on the shelf. Most sites sell starter kits where you can get everything you need. Check the marketplace for a list of vendors that support TSD or Amazon.
Before buying I suggest researching where you think you want to start. There are tons of useful videos. It took me about 3 weeks of researching before I made the investment. Once you decide what type of razor, I would suggest a new razor vice vintage. Until you know what you are looking for you will likely make a "mistake" purchase of a vintage razor that might give a very poor shave and experience. You can't go wrong with many of the name brands, but there are some non name brand manufacturers that produce quality razors. Research/reviews will tell you which ones are perceived as good and understand that you may have a different experience than the reviewer.
Once you decide on a manufacturer I suggest you start looking for a starter set that provides a decent brush (yes do research on the brush that comes with it). You should also get a stand, bowl, and soap or cream or croap (cream/soap).

Thank you for the information, I don't mind spending upfront since I know it will be worth it, I really like the look of straight edge but everyone says I should start off with a safety razor, what's your opinion? Also what brands are know to be good? And which ones should I stay away from? Thank you again for your response


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