DE/straight shavers?

[Owens187]

Hanging hair? Isn't that a movie with Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee?

I thought that was "$5 Footlong" ?????? I'm confused...

[rickcharles606]

LOL, I'll dig up your address and send it out this week. I posted a few pics of before and after I polished it. Just wondering if there's anything that will take the few dark spots out of the metal. I assume it's just oxidation of the carbon content, take a look at the pics or the razor when it comes and tell me what you think. Thanks bro

[GoVegan]

I don't know if you can do this with straights but I do know people who replate their DE razors. I never tried it though because it seems like it cost as much or even more than buying another razor.

[Owens187]

I don't know if you can do this with straights but I do know people who replate their DE razors. I never tried it though because it seems like it cost as much or even more than buying another razor.

Nah, straights are not plated, just solid metal.


Rick, some dark spots(ie, "staining") can be removed, but it requires much more than you probably want to put into it. I mean HOURS of sanding with many different grits, and then repeated with the micro-mesh's, polishing compounds, and rouges. Usually it is places where rust sat on the metal for many years, and like you said, stained the actual carbon content of the metal. It usually goes pretty deep.

I'll take a look when I recieve it, and let you know what I think, as Its hard to see the extent of the staining in the pics.


EDIT: Another thing is, sometimes its better to leave some of the light staining, gives the blade an "antiquey" look, and can sometimes add character. For example, I just finished a 6/8" blade with real Ivory scales, and since the Ivory is over 100 years old and has gained a certain "patina" over the years, making the blade too perfect and shiny would have just looked "off". But like I said, This particular blade truly has character, and I love the way it turned out. I'll be posting pics in my Razor thread soon. :^D

[rickcharles606]

Alright, take a look and let me know what you think. I fully agree with you about the antique look of a blade. I've been looking for a new (to me) straight on ebay and half of them look great, but I don't know enough about them to know if it's a good deal or garbage. Since I've been shaving with the DE, I've been dying to shave with a straight....seems like the natural progression. I'm not sure if I want a new one or to buy a great shaving antique razor...what are your thoughts Owens? I like the idea of an antique because of the history they hold, etc....but a new one if taken care of will last forever.

[Owens187]

Alright, take a look and let me know what you think. I fully agree with you about the antique look of a blade. I've been looking for a new (to me) straight on ebay and half of them look great, but I don't know enough about them to know if it's a good deal or garbage. Since I've been shaving with the DE, I've been dying to shave with a straight....seems like the natural progression. I'm not sure if I want a new one or to buy a great shaving antique razor...what are your thoughts Owens? I like the idea of an antique because of the history they hold, etc....but a new one if taken care of will last forever.

Lol I actually went the other way - I started with straights, and then went to DE's trying to find something faster for my head shaving. So now I get the best of both worlds - Straights on the face, DE's on the head. Its awesome.


I think the only one I would buy brand new would have to be the top top top of the line Dovo, or Theirs-Issard. I would much rather have a vintage blade. When I hold a blade in my hand that is over a hundred years old, just wondering where the hell that thing has been, what it has "seen", who and how many have owned it before me, where it was neglected all those years aquiring all the gunk that I am now removing, etc etc, it just gives it such a cool mystique. Same with DE's, vintage over new anyday for me.

Plus taking a blade that looks like it spent 75 years at the bottom of the ocean, and breathing a whole new useful life into it, there is just something to be said for that.

Let me know what you are looking for - handle color/material, blade size and grind, etc.... I'm sure I have something that will accomadate you.

1. Maybe start a new razor project - "The RickCharles Project" :^D

2. The cool thing is youll be able to see it progress from start to finish, from junk to gold, so youll have some investment on the razors "rebirth".

3. As far as price.....with what you do for a living, I'm sure we can work something out, lol.

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And just to throw it out there, I have two sets of genuine Ivory scales left, if you want to do something really special, as Ivory scales are damn near non-existant anymore. I have only one pair of genuine Ebony left.

Other than that, I have cream(faux ivory) and black(faux ebony), in both acrylic and bakelite. I have on hand most razor sizes - 4/8, 5/8, 6/8, 7/16, 11/16. Hell I even have a 8/8, near wedge, Wade and Butcher CHOPPER, I mean, this thing is a freakin' meat cleaver! lol. Though after restore I think I'm gonna keep that one, dress it in some Ivory, and add it to my personal collection, just for the coolness factor of it alone.

Also, all of my steel is from either Solingen, Germany, or Sheffield, England. No cheap shit from me!

[rickcharles606]

Owens....I agree that an antique carries some history and mystic, so I'll probably go that route. As for sizes or styles...hell I don't know. I like the size of my razor, but I don't know what it is. I'll send it over to you and you can tell me. Regarding the "Rick Charles Project", I'd be down for something like that. PM me your number and I'll call you after Christmas and we can discuss it, or you can call me I'll PM the number. Thanks bro

[NonServiam]

Well, I picked up a straight razor yesterday in hopes of solving the rampant razor burn to my neck and the ingrown hairs. I didn't buy one of those really nice expensive ones, just a $10 one from a barber supply and a pack of Wilkinson Swordsman blades from the Wal-Mart.

Things were going pretty well until I hit my jaw line, neck, and chin. So about 25% of the experience was good. Then the blood started to run! I know these razors take practice, but damn't.

I finished my shave with one of my regular Gillette disposable razors. I think I might look into buying one of those old fashioned double edge safety razors instead. I could still use the package of blades I bought with a DE. I was just cutting them in half to fit them on the straight razor. A DE might offer me a bit more control/precision and less need for a blood transfusion.

[Rattlesnake]

Well, I picked up a straight razor yesterday in hopes of solving the rampant razor burn to my neck and the ingrown hairs. I didn't buy one of those really nice expensive ones, just a $10 one from a barber supply and a pack of Wilkinson Swordsman blades from the Wal-Mart.

Things were going pretty well until I hit my jaw line, neck, and chin. So about 25% of the experience was good. Then the blood started to run! I know these razors take practice, but damn't.

I finished my shave with one of my regular Gillette disposable razors. I think I might look into buying one of those old fashioned double edge safety razors instead. I could still use the package of blades I bought with a DE. I was just cutting them in half to fit them on the straight razor. A DE might offer me a bit more control/precision and less need for a blood transfusion.

NonServiam
This is a good educational channel to watch>
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/login.p...d34e296aee1b25

[rickcharles606]

Well, I picked up a straight razor yesterday in hopes of solving the rampant razor burn to my neck and the ingrown hairs. I didn't buy one of those really nice expensive ones, just a $10 one from a barber supply and a pack of Wilkinson Swordsman blades from the Wal-Mart.

Things were going pretty well until I hit my jaw line, neck, and chin. So about 25% of the experience was good. Then the blood started to run! I know these razors take practice, but damn't.

I finished my shave with one of my regular Gillette disposable razors. I think I might look into buying one of those old fashioned double edge safety razors instead. I could still use the package of blades I bought with a DE. I was just cutting them in half to fit them on the straight razor. A DE might offer me a bit more control/precision and less need for a blood transfusion.

Hey bro, did you get one of those shavettes? I've thought about getting one just to check out. I started with a DE, not only will it help clear up ingrowns, it delivers one of the best shaves ever. Another benefit of starting with a DE (while not a requirement) is that it helps you learn how to face map...or map the direction that your beard grows. When you first start with a DE or straight...you should probably limit yourself to using only WTG (with the grain) strokes, or with the direction of growth. Going against the grain causes severe irritation, especially if your blade angle is off. I learned tis the hard way, I always just thought my beard grew in one direction...north to south...I was wrong, lol. So I was shaving in what I thought to be WTG strokes, but in some areas (chin, jawline and neck) it was actually against the grain (ATG), which caused crazy irritation and ingrowns.

I now shave in three or four passes....I start with a WTG pass, then XTG (cross the grain) and finish with ATG, and use a few touch up ATG passes to finish. Lathering in between each type of pass. The first two strokes, help to reduce the beard and the ATG pass finishes the shave to baby butt smooth. I haven't shaved much with a straight yet, but beard mapping and the types of strokes are the same for straights and DE, so I thought I'd share my experiences with them. Hope it helps

OH, and for me...I let my beard grow two days, then used my hand to just rub my face when it's really rough..that's against the grain. Taking the time to really do this (most of us haven't done this before) will make your shaves go much smoother and without as much bloodletting. Some people use a cotton ball to do this too...YMMV

[GoVegan]

You might want to try a different blade first. I am not sure about the single edged blades but I have had terrible experiences with Wilkinson DE blades.

[NonServiam]

Hey bro, did you get one of those shavettes? I've thought about getting one just to check out. I started with a DE, not only will it help clear up ingrowns, it delivers one of the best shaves ever. Another benefit of starting with a DE (while not a requirement) is that it helps you learn how to face map...or map the direction that your beard grows. When you first start with a DE or straight...you should probably limit yourself to using only WTG (with the grain) strokes, or with the direction of growth. Going against the grain causes severe irritation, especially if your blade angle is off. I learned tis the hard way, I always just thought my beard grew in one direction...north to south...I was wrong, lol. So I was shaving in what I thought to be WTG strokes, but in some areas (chin, jawline and neck) it was actually against the grain (ATG), which caused crazy irritation and ingrowns.

I now shave in three or four passes....I start with a WTG pass, then XTG (cross the grain) and finish with ATG, and use a few touch up ATG passes to finish. Lathering in between each type of pass. The first two strokes, help to reduce the beard and the ATG pass finishes the shave to baby butt smooth. I haven't shaved much with a straight yet, but beard mapping and the types of strokes are the same for straights and DE, so I thought I'd share my experiences with them. Hope it helps

OH, and for me...I let my beard grow two days, then used my hand to just rub my face when it's really rough..that's against the grain. Taking the time to really do this (most of us haven't done this before) will make your shaves go much smoother and without as much bloodletting. Some people use a cotton ball to do this too...YMMV

You might want to try a different blade first. I am not sure about the single edged blades but I have had terrible experiences with Wilkinson DE blades.

Thanks guys... I'm not real sure what brand it is...it says "Magic" and made in Italy. It was just $10 so it's not the best. While I'm sure the Wilkinson Swordsman blades aren't the best as compared to other brands, it was all could find in my area.

I think it was more operator error than equipment, though a premium blade could have helped. Of course, it was my first time, and I made sure it was on a day off so I could take my time and not go to work with patches of toilet paper on my face.

With more practice I might could get pretty good with a straight razor. But given I'm one of those guys that's always running behind, I tend to shave in a hurry. Not something you want to do with a straight razor.

I went to Amazon and looked at some of their double edge safety razors. I saw a lot of the Parker brand right away and a few Merkurs. Saw some complaints about blade alignment on the Parkers, and I think I saw somewhere in this thread where someone uses a Merkur.

This thread is quite lengthy, if I had the time to thoroughly read the whole thread I would probably answer a lot of my own questions, but I just don't have the time right now. If work is slow tomorrow I'll try to tackle it then and see what I can learn from others here.

[rickcharles606]

Yeah, I've read tons of not so great reviews of Parker razors, but Merkur makes a fantastic product, and will be the next brand I purchase. I too always run behind, so that's why I began shaving at night..when the kids are asleep, etc. That way I can take my time and enjoy my shave. There are multiple reputable sites to buy shave gear from, one that I like to use is West Coast Shaving, check them out. I definitely agree that you should purchase a blade sampler pack, it will let you find the blade that best matches you beard type and face. Derby makes a good blade, so does Feather...I use both in different razors.

[GoVegan]

Yeah, I've read tons of not so great reviews of Parker razors, but Merkur makes a fantastic product, and will be the next brand I purchase. I too always run behind, so that's why I began shaving at night..when the kids are asleep, etc. That way I can take my time and enjoy my shave. There are multiple reputable sites to buy shave gear from, one that I like to use is West Coast Shaving, check them out. I definitely agree that you should purchase a blade sampler pack, it will let you find the blade that best matches you beard type and face. Derby makes a good blade, so does Feather...I use both in different razors.

Good advice. I rarely hear about any problems with Merkurs. There is definitely something nice about using an old Gillette though. This is a nice one I found on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-King-Gil...item2a0d37ec60

For some reason the prices seem sky high on these pockets sets right now. You used to be able to pick them up for less than $30-$40 most of the time but I haven't seen that happening much lately.

[NonServiam]

Maybe I should look into a straight razor. I am always plagued by these red sores on my neck from ingrown hairs after shaving. I've tried every remedy and shaving method available, and still no luck. Sometimes I even get these hairs that are like the size of a thorn. It looks like ten little hairs compacted together into one. I gotta pull those bastards out with a pair of tweezers.

Well, now that it's been over a year since I last posted the above quote, I finally started DE shaving. It all came in the mail this week. A Merkur HD 34C, Merkur blades (Feather blades when I'm more confident), Edwin Jagger shaving soap, and a Tweezerman's badger hair brush.

So far, I am ecstatic! No more red bumps on my neck and I can't help but to run my hand over my face during the day as I am so impressed with how baby smooth it is. As many on here have said, I actually look forward to shaving now! Maybe the "newness" will wear off, but for now the whole experience is really enjoyable and fun.

I'm curious to see how long the Tweezerman brush holds up due to it being so affordable. So far I'm pleased with the Edwin Jagger soap, but I have no other soaps to compare it to.