Thread: SE Razor Suggestions

Hey there guys, I'm still relatively new to the world of Safety Razors. I recently decided what the hell, why not go out and go ahead and drop some cash on a fine Dovo single edge razor from the Straight Razor Designs website. I was wondering if you guys could fill me in on the specific differences between the types of blades that I could use with my new razor and which ones are gentler vs more aggressive etc.

Thanks in advance for any quick feedback you guys can give me.

Are you looking at the straight razors that use a replaceable blade "shavette", or a safety razor? If you are looking at the shavette you would probably have bette luck asking in the straight razor section. This is frequented more by folks that use the double edge safety razors.

Hello, LuckyCync:

Like Joker75 in his fine post, I, too, am confused. Are we talking about a double edge razor, a straight razor with replaceable blades, or a traditional straight razor?

Regards,

Obie

Do you mean single edge razors like Gems and so forth? The Micromatic has always had good writeups and seems popular in some forums.

Originally Posted by joker75

Are you looking at the straight razors that use a replaceable blade "shavette"

Heh, that'd be the one. I recently had a lengthy chat with a local barber who seemed to have some of his lingo mixed up a bit despite knowing a whole lot about pre shave oils and tips for lathering up. I guess I must have just picked up a few misleading terms by accident.

Just uh, ignore this please. ^^;

The Shavette is a great way to get a sense of what a straight razor is capable of doing before having to learn how to keep one sharp.

There are three skills you wil have to learn/re-learn; 1) Beard preparation 2) Shaving technique (this could take months) 2) Razor sharpening & care (this could take longer).

I would highly advise starting out with the shavette.

Originally Posted by LuckyCynic

Hey there guys, I'm still relatively new to the world of Safety Razors. I recently decided what the hell, why not go out and go ahead and drop some cash on a fine Dovo single edge razor from the Straight Razor Designs website. I was wondering if you guys could fill me in on the specific differences between the types of blades that I could use with my new razor and which ones are gentler vs more aggressive etc.

Thanks in advance for any quick feedback you guys can give me.

LuckyCynic,

If you are looking for a good Dovo entry level traditional str8 razor, you need look no further than a Dovo "Best Quality" or "Special." I would recommend getting a set which includes, at minimum, the razor and strop. You can upgrade to a 3" strop--highly recommended by me because its wide enough so you don't have to use an X pattern to strop your razor.

As for the shavette...I cannot give you much help there based on experience. I went directly from a DE to a str8 razor. Some SRP members use shavette's when traveling to avoid having their beloeved str8 stolen from their luggage, but otherwise rely on a traditional str8 razor for shaving when at home. I've read in other posts in SRP forums that the shavette, while good, is not quite like a traditional str8 razor shaving experience. In short, its a tolerable facsimile, but not like the real thing.

Just my 2 cents.

Whatever route you decide to go, let us know how it turns out.

Take care...

So guys, I've finally made my purchase, a quaint Dovo Shavette from Straight Razor Designs. The cost was fairly modest compared to a true straight razor and while I will have further expenses with buying replacement blades, I look at it like this.

A: I am getting experience with different types of razors. I can see for myself just how sharp a feather razor is compared to a personna. Should I ever get a double edge razor, then I already have a great grasp of types of blades to use. B: This is a good way for me to work on just getting the technique down without worrying about all the other peripheral skills that a true straight blade might require, IE, honing, stropping, etc. And finally C: Its quaint for travel and seems like a good purchase all around- if you have a straight blade already or not.

I've already shaved with it twice and while I have nicked myself here and there, I definitely see this as a satisfying skill to learn. I'm not worried about my lack of prowess with the blade quite yet- it still is very early and I have plenty of time to pick up my finesse with the blade.

parker makes a nice looking shavette