A week and a half ago I picked up some very nice vintage straight razors. Not, yet, being ready to use them, I also bought a Parker SRX that came with five Shark blades. Thought I'd start there with both a razor, and blades, that were, shave ready. Clearly, my technique needs work, this I understand. And, I think the blades are aptly named, I've seen shark attack victims bleed less. Chrissy, in Jaws, was in better shape. I'm not giving up, at least not yet, but my questions are, are there better 1/2 blades to use than the Sharks? There's a lot of tugging. Or, have I simply not prepped enough? With DEs, I'm a minimalist, Cremo, Gillette Tech, Astra, or Personna Crystal blade, shave, rinse, go. All advice, or laughing at my expense, is appreciated. lol
As someone who only learned straight shaving since Christmas, I have some experiences which may be valuable to you and some areas where I have nothing useful to add due to inexperience. 1. Shaving with an open blade takes time to learn and I would imagine almost everyone cuts themselves at first. I know I did. I'm probably at about 50 shaves now, and I'm getting consistently good results with most shaves yielding no blood or other damage. Many of the more experienced members here quote roughly 100 shaves before you become proficient. 2. I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH SHAVETTES, however from what I've read, they aren't the easiest way to learn. I imagine once you master one of them, straight razors may feel simpler to use. I have been informed that straight razors are more forgiving. 3. Prep is important. Make sure your face has seen plenty of water and maybe leave some lather on for a minute or so. The lather used for shaving can be quite wet compared to DE shaving where thicker lather doesn't hurt. Make sure you are using a good tallow based soap or cream (but I'd go soap - slicker in most cases). And as you've already suggested, no pressure, no sideways movement of the blade, correct angle (spine should be around 2 spine widths away from face) - all technical aspects which you will learn and improve.
A straight razor is probably easier to learn on than a shavette provided that it has a good edge on it. Shavettes take very light pressure (as in almost none) and a steeper angle than a straight, so I'm told. Keep your strokes very short, pressure very light, get a good stretch (you'll have to do this with your off hand), keep the straight razor angle nearly flat on your face, and go slowly. Re-lather if the lather dries out/gets sticky, this is important. You'll get there! Cheers, Steve
I started with a shavette, after 10 days of warzone in the bathroom i chznged to a coticule sharpened dovo, and it was such a relief,...
I find it easier to shave with a straight than those shavettes. I do have three shavettes in my 14 razor rotation, so I have learned how to shave with them, but real straights are much more forgiving. Angle and light touch. The magic combination.
A shavette is definitely harder to learn on than a straight. But, plenty of guys do it. I was one of them. Differences in blades don’t seem to matter as much in these razors, but you can try anything that flips your minnow. But, the most important thing I can offer up as advice is to stretch your skin. Keep your working surface taut. Short, light, deliberate strokes on a stretched face are the answer. Good luck.
Before I started with a straight razor, I used a vintage Weck razor. It looks like a straight, and uses a long razor blade. It also came with a guard that you can remove. Using the gaurd is a pain as you have to flip it around to use the other side of the blade, but it really helps teach you the correct angle. I have to agree with everyone else, a real straight razor is much more forgiving.
I learned on a shavette...so I can tell you straight up. If there is tugging...you need sharper blades than what you have with the shavette. Feather AC are much sharper. Also your shave cream needs are very different for single edge wet shaving than safety razors. Of the "canned goop" that you can use gel is the best minimum to go with. Nothing is as slickery as it will be. (And you need the slipperiness) I like the lather shave soaps and badger brushes provide and the ease with the way they rinse off. (Stirling user) Also play a bit with the angle of attack . The closer to your face the back of the razor is the less tugging you will have...but the closeness of the shave is lessened the closer the back of the razor is. Regular straight razor shaving will tug a tad more than shavette. Mostly due to the steel being thicker than disposable blades. But the forgiveness of a straight is much better than a shavette. That first stroke going down from your sideburns towards your neck...if it isn't smooth and good...STOP. something is wrong. Do not continue. That's supposed to be the best and easiest stroke to accomplish. It's downhill from there for tugging etc. The tough spots like chin and upper lip I find that the part of the shavette or straight to accomplish good shaving is the edge closest to the heel of the edge...not the toe. Just seems to be better. And even though I know better...I usually don't nick my face but for some reason I seem to get my ears about every 3rd or 4th shave. Just a bare half a drop worth...just being careless and trying to go too fast. Styptic pencil fixes it.
John db,you dont happen to be a reincarnation of Van gogh?? But before a laugh, if i use a spanish point i have to be carefull as well And a nice explanation!
DE bladed shavettes don't behave much like a true straight for me. I gave up straight shaving some years ago after shaving like that for a couple of decades. Before walking away from it I briefly tried a shavette but did not like it at all. Then following a period of not using straights I came across the Feather Artist Club system mentioned above. The Feather DX and the Kai Captain give a fairly good approximation of a Straight shave in my mind. The system reignited straight shaving for me and I now shave both with AC razors and true straights, finding it quite easy to switch between the two. If you want a stepping stone try the Kai Captain or the Feather DX. If you want to straight shave, get your vintage razors restored and honed by a reliable restorer and buy a decent paddle strop.
I found that shavette type razors are harder to shave with than a true straight razor. Still today, if I try shaving with shavette, I will cut myself, but if you do well with a shavette, you will surely find a straight razor easy to use.
After many years of shaving with straights, I continue to learn that prepping the face is very important. Lather your face, rinse and re-lather, if you have to or just work that lather on your face with drops of water for at least a minute or more. Wash your face with soap, add Noxzema or Proraso, Prep or Vitos, etc. and then lather. Stretching and getting the angle right is the next most important thing. I am now to the point that I can shave with one pass except for the chin. The chin requires 2 to 4 passes depending on the razor and how well I prep.
Before I had my first straight shave, I practiced with my Rolls Razor. The shaving angle is the same and it got me used to being extra careful around my chin and nose. All in all, I'm glad that I used the Rolls before jumping in with a straight. It shortened my learning curve.
Back in February 2014, I got a Spilo Magic shavette with Shark blades in a pif. I tried it for one shave. I had watched videos, and I was very careful, but I sliced my chin really good. I decided then and there I was a safety man. So a shavette almost ruined it for me. Three years later, a friend gave me an H. Böker 5/8 that I had restored by @HolyRollah . @Drygulch gave me his beginner loaner set that I used for a week, and I was hooked. Now I have 11 straights, a Weck, and two shavettes. I don't cut myself either. I rotate through them on Saturday Straights Day.
