Straight razors school plz

I'm tired of crappy multibladed razors. Can someone school me on straights or push me in the right direction? Note I'm bald so I have a lot more shaving than the hairy ones . I'd love to strop rather than switch blades.

 

just another option, have you thought of a double edged razor? Also are you thinking of a nice brush as well as a straight? any budget in mind?

 

Put it this way, I have multiple razors for my face. Some vibrate, some just totally suck, some are .... You get it and I use a headblade. But if I'm not carefully I get a bunch of cuts without knowing it. I blame this on multiple years of wrenching and cooking, I.e. working through pain. The thing is I can't sharpen them so don't know till they're dull. Anyway I'd like a blade I can maintain and work with. If I had unlimited budget I'd have a personal barber...

 

A lot of guys go with a whipped dog sight unseen straight for their first razor, won't be the prettiest of things but will shave fine. http://www.whippeddog.com/products/view/sight-unseen-razor

or you can check out some from http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forumdisplay.php/143-Hobbyist-Vendor-Classifieds

 

I was using a combination of Gillette Fusion/Headblade before switching to a GEM single edge.

I won't say the GEM gives a better shave than the fusion but it is a hell of a lot cheaper. "Sometimes" it is more enjoyable depending on my mood. Sometimes I get a crappy shave with it but that seems related to individual blades. I haven't really figured that out. But all in all im happy with the switch and have no plans on going back. I think I paid $3.99 for the razor on eBay (with $6.99 shipping!)

 

If you'rea headshaver you might want to consider a double edged razor, at least for the back of your head. If you're nicking yourself with a cartridge razor, you might not survive your first go with a straight. I don't use a straight, I drink too much if you want to try a vintage Gillette and some good blades shoot me a pm. If you're using canned aerosol shave cream, you're going to have to step up to something useful, I can cover that too. I don't have a spare brush, well not one I'm willing to give to some noob anyway, so you might want to get one of the cheapo's from the drugstore. It'll be fine for now.

 

Nice to see that generosity has migrated over here, from the other site.

Well done Jason!!

 

B&B boar essential is a great brush

 

I'd try a single/double edge blade setup before going full straight but a whipped dog sight unseen razor is a great way to try. I've given a couple as gifts. People were happy. For the price of the sight un seen you can get a decent DE setup going as well.

Sharpening a straight is different from blades. Similar yet different if you know what I mean.

 

thanks for all the advice and offers. I found a place local that sells shaving supplies and I'm gonna check them out. It's not that I go spastic shaving but I guess I just get pissed off that the multiblades dull so fast and gunk up then I end up with a line on my head . I swear they only dull when I have no refills and I'm half way through a shave. Guess I was mostly annoyed in the first post... thanks!!!

 

I found that my carts always got really dull right before payday, when I had a big meeting to go to and when they weren't on "sale".

I go back and forth with a straight and a DE, depending on how much time and energy I have. 2 years ago I bought 100 Persona Red blades, and I still have about 30 left. Besides a 10 pack of Crystals I bought for a friend so he could remain 'in sabbitcaus', they're the only blades I've had to buy.

 

Shaving ia a lot like any other skill. there is a learning curve, since the 1960's the big corps have replaced and substituted that with dumb razors- cartridges etc. When you pick up a DE or SE or straight you will have to learn how to use it. It will not be "better" right out of the gate. As one of the luminaries of B&B once said - "if I handed you an Obo would you expect to play at Carnegie hall the first day? " What makes a great shave? It comes down to good technique first- including prep, building a good lather and mapping your beard.
Last is the equipment, as long as it in decent shape you can get a good shave. If you don't want to make the switch fully the TracII & Atra cartridges without a lube strip are the lesser of all the evils.

 

Straights aren't for everyone. I get much better feeling from a Feather AC and a DE than I do any of my straights. That said, I can get decent results from a straight and am happy that I can hone it and keep it going without frequent replacement.

Good luck.

 

I'd like to teach the world to schwing
In perfect Harmoni

-New Coca Cola commercial

 

He thought it would be funny having that name, it's like the custom title he'll never be rid of. :thumb

 

There is so many SR shavers among knife nuts that maybe it deserves its own sub-forum here

 

Maxim,
My philosophy of fora creation is when we have enough interest and content we make it, the tipping point is not always clear but who knows what morning we wake up to a fresh born forum?