Any of you guys use straight razors?

I have been using a straight razor for a while. This last generation of cartridge razors have gotten stupidly expensive for a throw away item. It got to the point that a new pack of replacement cartridges were more than I was willing to pay. I had a growing desire to move myself farther away from throw away products so I switched to a straight razor. It didn't really save me any money in the short term because this actually led me to collect a few razors but I will never have to buy another razor or razor cartridge as long as I live.... and I can get enough saves out of a puck of shave soap to replace several aerosol cans of shave cream, and much much less ends up in the land fill.

You can get set up fairly decently to start using a straight razor for around $100 bucks even better for around $150.... and never have to buy anything again shaving related beyond an occasional puck of soap. Of course if you go high end you can spend a ton of money but you can get quality products and buy used and have a good life long shaving kit for a decent price.

Here is the way I went about it.
-Used razor strop in good shape $30
-Puck of shaving soap $5-$10
-Boar brush new $15
-Use KeenKutter razor in great shape $25 shipped off ebay ( I had to hone this myself to make it shave ready)
-Used Henkels Twin razor of ebay for $17 shipped (I had to rescale and hone)

Total investment $97

If you do not have a razor hone or a hone appropriate for razors you will need to get one. You can gt a nice antique barbers hone of ebay for usually around $25-$30

I know that sounds like a lot of money up front for a shaving kit but I can shave for the rest of my life with this and never toss another cartridge or old blade in the trash.

Yes as I said. This has led to a small collection and a restoration hobby so one can argue that I didn't save any money. But every razor I buy I purchase that the low end of what its worth and I do any restorations myself. I can sell every razor in my collection for more than I paid for it.

For those who aren't quite brave enough to shave with a straight razor my husband swears by the good old safety razor. Very durable and blades are much less expensive than modern cartridge blades, and last more than a week per blade for someone with a small beard (not shaving entire face).

There is a bit of a learning curve to using a straight razor for sure. Your likely to nick yourself the first few times and it takes a few times to learn the technique well enough to get a really good shave. But now that I have it down I don't think I would ever go back even if they gave cartridge razors away. I used to hate to shave but now I actually enjoy it. There is almost something zen like about it. Very relaxing.

There are a lot of guys using the double edge safety razors who really like them. Using one of those also reduces the trash for sure.

Ray

I shave maybe once a year. when I do, I use a straight razor. because I do it so rarely, it takes me twenty minutes or so, but it's fun.

both of my razors belonged to my grandfather, so I didn't have to buy them. for a strop, I use a piece of leather I cut out of an old suit cover that was headed for the landfill. I did have to buy a very fine whetstone. my dad bought me a shave brush and mug that he found in an antique store for cheap.

my girlfriend uses a safety razor for her legs and armpits. says it works great. seems silly to me, but she doesn't like hair.

Nice post Ray. Did you teach yourself proper honing and stropping? How was the learning curve? I've been hesitant to buy a razor off Ebay, as i'd like to at least start with a good edge while i'm learning how to maintain it.
I've been on the double sided safety razors for a while now, but even they add up. I'm ready to take the plunge.
So many things to sharpen, I've just started to get a grasp on the scythe...

Kari Gunnlaugsson wrote:I've been on the double sided safety razors for a while now, but even they add up.

they last a lot longer if they are cleaned and dried completely after each use. my friend regularly gets a year out of one blade.

Huh...mine last about four or five shaves, but i usually let things slide for a few weeks in between so that's a month or two...

They're also just not as cool, are they?

Kari Gunnlaugsson wrote: Huh...mine last about four or five shaves, but i usually let things slide for a few weeks in between so that's a month or two...

They're also just not as cool, are they?

there may be substantial variation in quality. I've never used them, so I can't say.

as far as cool factor... the important part is to not use a disposable or electric razor. beyond that, it's a matter of taste. my dad's old Mercur safety razor was pretty badass, though he claims to have no recollection of it. the straight razor I use is pretty great, too.

My husband loves his straight razor. When he does use a modern razor, he complains that it gives him razor burn.

Kari Gunnlaugsson wrote: Nice post Ray. Did you teach yourself proper honing and stropping? How was the learning curve? I've been hesitant to buy a razor off Ebay, as i'd like to at least start with a good edge while i'm learning how to maintain it.
I've been on the double sided safety razors for a while now, but even they add up. I'm ready to take the plunge.
So many things to sharpen, I've just started to get a grasp on the scythe...

Hey Kari, For me sharpening/honing was the largest learning curve. I grew up sharpening things but a razor needs such a keener edge than a knife or they will pull the whiskers which gets uncomfortable. That part of it took me a while to really get the hang of. Part of what helped me in that area was getting my hands on a a good super fine grit finishing hone. I could not afford a Belgian coticule or an Escher stone (a few hundred dollars) so I bought one of the Gray chinese natural hones with a slurry stone. Those are supposed to be int eh 12K grit range. I think I got mine for about $16 or $18 or so. Its not fancy and doesn't come with all the respect of the expensive stones but it does a good job for me. I did pretty much teach myself with a lot of guidance and trouble shooting from the guys at Straight Razor Place.

As far as buying one off ebay, you do have to be careful. There are a lot of scam artist on there who use poor photography to hide dings in the edge and such. If I they don't have a good clear pic where I can see any flaws in the blade I pass on the auction. Scales can be easily replaced if your even a little handy with tools and sandpaper but if the blade is wore beyond use or has nicks in the edge you don't want it as a user. I am also a member on a razor forum called Straight Razor Place. A while back they had a couple threads going on how to spot damaged razors in ebay auctions and what to look for when buying an ebay razor. They also have a decent list in their archives on which brands to avoid due to poor quality. If you really want to try a straight razor I would go there an really educate yourself before buying one from ebay. Another good option is to buy one form one of the members classified there. Those guys are always horse trading razors and they all use their stock so a razor from that classified is a safe bet.

Thea Olsen wrote:My husband loves his straight razor. When he does use a modern razor, he complains that it gives him razor burn.

Funny you mentioned that. I also stopped getting razor burn when I switched to a straight razor.

there's a paste that can be applied to a strop to take the place of a hone. fine diamond dust is involved. paste on one side of the strop, the other side left alone for actual stropping. never tried it myself, but I read good reviews once upon a time. might reduce the price of getting set up a bit.

That's quite the razor site, thanks. They're serious. I'll do some homework there and then start looking for a blade. There's some sixty to eighty dollar new stuff online, but it's hard to know if it's crap or not.

How often do you need to hone, or will it go for quite a while just on stropping?

I am starting to build up quite an assortment of Victorian affectations, I may have to be cut off after this before it gets out of hand. Oops that's a bad idiom to use, hopefully the razor doesn't cut anything off

Here's a razor thread; no idea if it's relevant though... https://permies.com/t/8458/frugality/Months-Out-One-Razor#77010

Kari,

I generally can get 12-15 shaves out of a blade between touch up honings before it starts to tug. At that point just a little touch up (5-10 strokes) on the finishing hone brings it back to life. Some guys get more. I shave my face totally clean and I have a VERY stiff rigid beard. A guy who left a beard and mustache or had softer hair to cut may get twice that many shaves between edge touch ups.

You do have to strop between every shave. I usually strop about a 100-150 strokes after a honing and usually about 50-60 strokes between shaves.

Once you have the bevel set and a good hone established it becomes a matter of maintenance. Once everything is right there should not be a need to do a full re-hone unless it got dropped or something and damaged the edge.

Ray

tel jetson wrote:

Kari Gunnlaugsson wrote:I've been on the double sided safety razors for a while now, but even they add up.

they last a lot longer if they are cleaned and dried completely after each use. my friend regularly gets a year out of one blade.

That's impressive, does he resharpen them?

he washes them off real well, then drags them against a towel to dry them. looking at the link Ludi posted, giving them a strop of some sort might work even better.

I recently gave him a pack of safety razor blades to try instead of disposables from the dollar store. it could be a couple of years before he gets around to trying them, though.

I only shave with the fancy 3 blade razers which seem to last me for months. I only shave when coming out of a shower, with a little bit of soap, and I only shave maybe once or twice a week (usually when the beard starts to itch or I have to meet with people for business) One razor seems to last for months for me. A straight razor might be a good idea since I would assume they would cut through long whiskers better, I know that I can get one here in Costa Rica since the barbers use them. I might give it a try.

I just started learning to use a straight razor last night. I felt it was about time to stop buying disposable razors and use a straight razor, so that I am not participating in the gick of disposable razor manufacturing, production, and waste.

As you can tell in the photo at the bottom of this post, I cut myself plenty of times. There is a learning curve that I am, well, learning.

I think it might have helped if I watched a video on YouTube first...

looks like you got a close shave, despite the blood you shed, Dave. I guess it might be wise to add a styptic to one's shave kit, particularly when getting started...

I think my favorite thing about using a straight razor is the ritual involved. turns what would otherwise be an unrewarding chore into something that feels a little luxurious.

as far as saving money and resources, I would be interested to see an analysis of taking good care of disposable razors vs. using a straight razor. admittedly, not a trivial undertaking. my guess is that a straight razor would come out on top in the end, but it still involves a fair amount of embodied energy and environmental impact. that's a pretty good sized hunk of steel compared to a disposable or safety razor, and the accoutrements involved aren't without their own impact.

I don't shave every day (or even every year), so the risk that I'll actually wear out a straight razor is pretty slim unless I'm clumsy and drop or otherwise damage it. even with daily use, I'm guessing the biggest threat to a razor is accidental damage or poor honing, but those are real risks that safety razors and disposables are far less exposed to. used and maintained properly, I bet a straight razor could last several lifetimes of regular use.

I used a straight razor for shaving, and it went much better the second time around! It took me about half an hour to do, instead of an hour, like the first time. I also managed to shave the back of my nexk, too.

I've spent most of my 66 years trying very hard to never be beholden to anyone for anything; community relationship building notwithstanding. The recent Covid 'crisis' has caused me to think about some of the little things in life that I tend to take for granted.  I don't like a beard on me.  A couple of days of scrub doesn't bother me, but I have a tough, wiry beard, and once it gets to a certain length, it becomes unbearably scratchy.  It's also hot in the summer.  

I grew up using a double edge disposable blade razor.  Buy a really nice razor handle and then shave until the blade is too dull to give a good result, and then recycle the blades out to the shop for all the things you need an otherwise sharp and thin blade; scraping paint from window panes, peeling masking tape, etc.  I fell into the habit of using disposable plastic razors because I'm naturally lazy.  Didn't take me long before I started to think about the plastic waste [duh] and bought a cheap electric razor.  Got tired of the cheap electric razor and splurged on a very nice, albeit expensive model with an immediately recognizable German name.  It's nice, but it never gives the clean, tight shave as you would get from a blade.  That, and the heads last a few months, and then they need to be replaced (more waste), and they're $35 a pop.  On top of that, all of these are from a place far, far away, made by people that don't necessarily have my best interest at heart, and that, depending on the world's political situation at any given moment, are prone to supply interruption. They're also energy-rich. Even my 'German' engineering comes from there.  The goal is no waste (plastic or money,) no supply interruption, non-electric, good clean shave.  Throw in the desire for a sense of accomplishment, and there you have it.  Old School straight razor.  

I asked around, asked a LOT of guys, couldn't find anyone who actually uses one.  Plenty of "my old man used one, grandpa used one," but no current live users.  I did the usual YouTube thing and found some interesting information, including a number of 'experts' with very full beards attempting to inform me on the proper means and shaving methods.  Hmmm...

Did some research and found one online for about $100.  Solingen steel, Swiss-made, nice composite handle.  A rather pretty, elegant tool with classy engraving.  Should last my life, my son's life, and perhaps his son's life.  

I've been [very carefully] experimenting.  Bought a real badger bristle lather brush, several different types of soaps, including some local homemade soaps.  I bought a quality strop.  Took a nice long hot shower, soaked face [like I said, steel wool ain't got nuthin' on my beard.]  

Some observations:  Canned drugstore brand name shave cream doesn't cut it; it's made for safety razors.  I bought a tube of premium shave 'butter,' it's got coconut oil and lanolin' and some other goodies, you need this for comfort and..um...safety; the lubrication makes it a lot easier.  I have a close friend who makes all-natural soaps & creams working on it.  Angle: low.  Didn't put a protractor to it, but I would estimate about 15º.  Work in short, slow, smooth strokes; hesitancy leads to cuts.  Forget anything that you ever saw in a movie where the guy is wiping the blade across his manly face with enthusiasm.  I am terminally right-handed, the left side of my face presents the biggest challenge. Still working on the technique.  Blade: Never touch it; looking at it cross-eyed will not only dull it, but it will also deform it.  Strop: Before and after, every time.  Storage: Not in the bathroom where you would think, too humid and the blade will rust; keep it somewhere else after stropping and wiping it with a tissue and a little gun oil.  Safety: I don't have any young children around, but you can imagine what a boy would think if he saw it; very bad news.  I haven't gotten to honing yet.  

I'd be glad to hear any other perms chip in with their experiences.  I searched all the forums and strangely couldn't find a single post that's related to this.  Must be a lot of hirsute permies around.  

I too have tried all the ways. Standard disposable, higher quality disposable, electric, & straight razors. Currently, I have gone to beard after accidentally not shaving for 3 weeks while working from home at the beginning of Covid stuff. My go-to has been the electric razor, only for the convenience. It allows me to shave in the car. When I want a good shave I would use my nicer disposable razor. After a few uses I sharpen it with one of these things. It works alright, certainly better than not.

There is also this thread on shaving

So iam 20yrs old and been straight razor Shaving for 8 months. I've never used anything else. I hit puberty pretty late so I never needed to until a while back. What got me into it is iam an old soul. I find anything old fascinating. I use my right hand to shave both sides of my face, I just turn my palm away or to my face depending on which side iam shaving. Hope this helps!!

Hi Eric,

I have one handed down from my grandfather ...who was a barber.   I checked the prices at Lehman’s, they were pretty hefty.   I would check the junk stores.  Of course, don’t buy until you give it a close exam.  To be clear, I seldom use the thing.   I only shave if I have to be presentable for a job.

I have considered taking that plunge, but haven't done it myself. Kudos on you for the adventure.

I got kind of scared watching videos of a guy getting a pro shave with a straight razor and he had obvious blood on his neck after... To be honest that turned me off of the idea for a while.

BUT I have often checked the sharpness of my chisels by shaving the hair off my arms... so I feel fairly comfortable getting a shaving edge on a piece of straight steel.

I shaved with straight razors for a few years. It was fun and interesting.

The most difficult part for me was learning to hone, sharpen and keep a good edge on the blades. Once you get that down it is fun and relaxing.

I went back to a safety razor because it is faster and easier.

Lew Johnson wrote:I got kind of scared watching videos of a guy getting a pro shave with a straight razor and he had obvious blood on his neck after... To be honest that turned me off of the idea for a while.

Thanks for that reminder. I have a 'feature' on my face that makes a straight razor a little tricky.

 This might be a little off topic but you mentioned you used a double-edged razor.
That's what I use and they make a hand crank blade stropper for them:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1311&_nkw=twinplex+razor+blade+sharpener&_sacat=0

Double edged razors are cheap.
The sharpeners work great.
Kind of cool how it works and flips the blade.
Same blade for over a year.
shaving once a week.
I think it would last longer but I had some used ones stashed in the back of the blade box and wanted to try them too.
...and it seems a bit safer.

Grandma told me gramps used to sharpen the double-edged blade by
setting them against the side of a glass and spinning it.
I tried it, didn't work too well.  Might work as a last polish.
That's why I bought the twinplex.

The biggest downside to a straight razor in my opinion is that you can't pack it in a carry on, it has to be in checked luggage.

Using one here. I don’t shave much and only use coconut oil for “cream”

T Simpson wrote:The biggest downside to a straight razor in my opinion is that you can't pack it in a carry on, it has to be in checked luggage.

I honestly didn't think of that. Good point.  

Thanks for the replies.  Craig Howard, I think I will try your 2xedge razor stropper.  I've worked my way through two complete shaves with the straight razor, with only two or three minor cuts, and I'm beginning to understand why 'modified' beards like goatees, Van Dykes, and curtains were prevalent in the 19th century; they're covering the hardest geography on most guy's faces to work with a Southside Peacemaker (thanks friend from Chicago for that one.)  

I had an age and medication issue with my right (dominant) eye that's going to take a few months to heal, for now I'm effectively one-eyed. This makes working the left side of my face almost impossible.  

It's nice to know it's sleeping in a drawer, ready for duty if I ever need it.  Fun and educational exercise, valuable experience to file away, but I think I'll get a good quality safety razor and try Craig's stropper.  

Can anyone recommend a brand of straight razor that they particularly like?  I have been meaning to switch for awhile now....

Glad to hear my post was useful to you, since it was kind of off topic.

If you buy one on ebay.
Make sure the leathers look good.
Maybe ask the seller to make sure they aren't dried or cracked.
Seems like most of the sellers on there think they are selling a novelty that is just for show.
Not like they think you are going to use it.
They just show the outside.
Eww look it's vintage, ha. and it has the original box.
Like this one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324611993285?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item4b9461eec5:g:Aa4AAOSw3RBglpCz&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAACoPYe5NmHp%252B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkPrKr5t53CooMSQt2orsSvhAqMt0wg86xg8aAkgjQJC8EXir17k7160ByrLaUbuQQCCGoZOg3FECzqDc8gUDX%252FMkNe7muIpROrln3Zs%252BDQk9fRlfqP6LWFKtM6tl%252BIp43mme96qAvVS4ikk4inEvEc04MtBdFvd3%252FH9Bhy7Im7xO3Kdd%252B9DaOMGayTZv8NjjYHBp2mFDq4xPZN7KdCEonrk7zmC5LFGLK2PXJZrmpU1TBsUg9oxr5oCqyTwVwie4BxGUKXnC1PHMwd3%252FN9Muf9IRa4psg%252FDg%252FczQJXS0gIn2BidHBI20AxMsObD8Ig2GVprrCX2uPu5FHdQTHUWQ6gRtgeyHKL%252FRNyvfpWwT2iQuU6LxLj%252FXYfRzFibcy74W9vS%252BMyrX%252BzoP06DqTZ5t7XtkQ7MHU0O%252BNYc%252F0fCdPIdOUiMOIC0s149CjDL3tLKy0WqqzBxzjjnEfPHKm5ynzTiKTbdmIhwNqThya6x%252F%252F6GKnzFwqHG%252BXzwJjrcDcfUiOcpqd%252BvgYqUUUUNIjEK8%252BSTGMZ0LmORu1hr27TghI4NsyzfmlxUxwG7pkIPJQ3uIFguq9%252BPAXJmyEm%252FQ95Zvd4AGAZTfw4WemuApUJ6XgoJExnEvZMr1ayCi8pfBFhT4VvDf2pWcjAm1hCqw8y58uVmM%252F21iS2omVXc7nK6wlk0ztmcXRBvJMGexm4b9vM5%252BLHG2xki7yNc8YF8LKZXYFrap3gfguq6m6Xnkiw5GFQbyeITfYEkCEHDwrgwrET19BgwIyixoSbmqjWTEjwRFJZYmiKEc8XEKaiATS%252FZIdDYiRhuemrx6R%252FH9oK8CYl1RJOF3yv4lNSqYtbyeKfhoSpJU%252BipZKsKRyKhfAffq1ww%253D%253D%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2334524
Damn, I don't know how to shorten that link but the seller did a good job of showing the leathers and they look smooth.
Prices have come down about $10 since I bought mine.

I also bought some stropping paste like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/131373779736?hash=item1e967ccb18:g:0gsAAOSwvDNdnOD6

Just used some of it to lap a VW diesel injector together today too,
so it has other uses, ha.
But if you search strop paste you'll see there are many kinds

Michael Littlejohn, see my original post.  The DOVO came highly recommended by several on line and personal references.  I'm thinking that you want to make an investment here.  Judging from the number of these that are being sold as "practical antiques," they last a long, long time with proper care.  My son's already eyeing mine up...