Straight razors: halp.

Wife of Bath

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I want to get a nice straight razor and all necessary accessories for my boyfriend for his birthday.

I can't say I have much experience shopping or men's shaving accessories.

Can any of the strapping men of the GB give any recommendations? Products, brands that are good or to avoid, general price range to get a good razor? Suggestions appreciated.

:rose:
 
sorry, i wouldn't know where to get that kind of stuff.

but has he ever used it? i know if i tried using a straight razor i'd certainly slice my jugular vein and bleed out all over the bathroom floor, while my cat looks on with a frigid indifference. :(
 
There is a store called Art of Shaving that carries all that and the old school safety razors. I'd recommend getting something relatively inexpensive in the beginning as there is a steep learning curve and frusturation, so as fun as it seems, there tends to be a lot of returning to the new methods to shave. Old school barbers usually still do it, has he gone to one to check it out?
 
There is a store called Art of Shaving that carries all that and the old school safety razors. I'd recommend getting something relatively inexpensive in the beginning as there is a steep learning curve and frusturation, so as fun as it seems, there tends to be a lot of returning to the new methods to shave. Old school barbers usually still do it, has he gone to one to check it out?

I have been looking there, that was kind of my thought as well.

He does go to a barber who does it for him and he loves it. I know he really wants one. I do think inexpensive is best at first, just to be sure he actually likes it.
 
sorry, i wouldn't know where to get that kind of stuff.

but has he ever used it? i know if i tried using a straight razor i'd certainly slice my jugular vein and bleed out all over the bathroom floor, while my cat looks on with a frigid indifference. :(

I have my concerns...
 
I want to get a nice straight razor and all necessary accessories for my boyfriend for his birthday.

I can't say I have much experience shopping or men's shaving accessories.

Can any of the strapping men of the GB give any recommendations? Products, brands that are good or to avoid, general price range to get a good razor? Suggestions appreciated.

:rose:

Just break up with him, no need to kill him.

Dollar Shave Club is a better deal, close shaves, survivable.

I'm old. I've seen a lot of people try the straight razor over the years. Usually it is an image thing. They invariably cut the crap out of themselves.

It's a bad plan.
 
Just break up with him, no need to kill him.

Dollar Shave Club is a better deal, close shaves, survivable.

I'm old. I've seen a lot of people try the straight razor over the years. Usually it is an image thing. They invariably cut the crap out of themselves.

It's a bad plan.

Interesting.

He's old too. I think he can handle it…if not, I'll take him to the hospital.
 
Let me know when to issue my "I told you so". 8)

I will :).

I'm thinking I'll just kit him a kit and an inexpensive razor to start- if he loves it and manages to not destroy his face, I can get him a really nice handmade one for Christmas.
 
There's a quaint old man who runs a barber shop here who offers lessons in using a straight razor.
Maybe look for something similar for your man?
 
I don't know strait razors, but I do know steel. Avoid stainless. It cannot be sharpened as easily, and is easy to sharpen badly with a diamond hone.

If his taste leans vintage I would shop a gun store or pawn shop. A genuine vintage strait razor will be the right kind of steel for the strop. If he ends up finding it too hard to shave and goes back to Bic, he still has a cool piece. I'd get it professionally sharpened to start him out.

You could always ask a barber where they go.
 
Oooh, that's a great idea! I will do that. Thank you.

Mr Gordon (nobody ever calls him anything else!) says that once you learn to shave the old way, you'll only go back to other shaving methods when you can't hold the blade steady.
My son goes to him for haircuts... he's that strange breed of bachelor who loves his work and has no plans to retire till he dies. He's in his mid-80's now. Never married. Came out here from England when he was 22 and has been working his little barber shop ever since.
 
I don't know strait razors, but I do know steel. Avoid stainless. It cannot be sharpened as easily, and is easy to sharpen badly with a diamond hone.

If his taste leans vintage I would shop a gun store or pawn shop. A genuine vintage strait razor will be the right kind of steel for the strop. If he ends up finding it too hard to shave and goes back to Bic, he still has a cool piece. I'd get it professionally sharpened to start him out.

You could always ask a barber where they go.

Interesting. Good thoughts. I like. Thank you.

Mr Gordon (nobody ever calls him anything else!) says that once you learn to shave the old way, you'll only go back to other shaving methods when you can't hold the blade steady.
My son goes to him for haircuts... he's that strange breed of bachelor who loves his work and has no plans to retire till he dies. He's in his mid-80's now. Never married. Came out here from England when he was 22 and has been working his little barber shop ever since.

Aw, I love this! Thank you. Sounds like a few old farmers I know.
 
I left out about high carbon steel. I figure anyplace you find such a thing, they will have polished and oiled it.

High carbon steel I can never find at thrift stores. I assume by the time it gets donated, they have no idea what they are looking at and throw it out.

Good high carbon steel rusts, so is stains the blade. It is fine though. An SOS pad will smooth it up, and a fine edge gleams in contrast.
 
I've been shaving with a straight razor for years. In Canada a good place to start is a web based store called Fendrihan. Google them, great selection, great service. Bare minimum you need a razor, a brush, soap and a strop. I use a coffee mug to lather up the soap with my brush. I use a Thiers Issard blade from France. Unless your BF has an unusually large face get him a modestly sized blade. A badger hair brush will generate a nice lather and the soap, well that is the most personal choice of the bunch. Luckily it's the cheapest. Have him try out a bunch until he finds one that suits his skin type. The strop I use is an old leather one from England. Mine dates back to the 1940's! Get a leather strop that is long enough for him to get a long, smooth stroke to ensure a good finish on his edge each time. I strop my blade EVERY time I shave. Typically they come sharpened and ready to use out of the box, he simply has to maintain that fine edge with the strop. Make sure the razor is wiped dry after each shave to prevent rusting or staining of the metal and the brush must be allowed to dry between shaves. Don't leave the brush resting in the wet shave cup/bowl. I have a stand to keep both the razor and the brush upright between shaves. Now 10 guys will give you 20 different and conflicting opinions about EVERYTHING I just said. Shaving is a very personal thing. Pick something you can afford and go from there. Straight razor shaving is a joy and a hobby. I hope he likes it! Good luck.
 
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I want to get a nice straight razor and all necessary accessories for my boyfriend for his birthday.

I can't say I have much experience shopping or men's shaving accessories.

Can any of the strapping men of the GB give any recommendations? Products, brands that are good or to avoid, general price range to get a good razor? Suggestions appreciated.

:rose:

Instead of a straight razor, you may want to find a Safety Razor, which is the casing for the old, single edged, double sided razor blades (which are replaceable).
It's smaller, more compact. works much better, is far safer (hence the name) and is relatively inexpensive, though one may have some difficulty finding vendors for the replacement blades.

Seriously, a straight razor is basically a knife honed to a fine edge, and for the trouble, a WW2 GI issued K-bar would do just as well.
 
Never used one myself,but I know that a barber had to lather up a balloon and take the foam off using the razor without bursting the balloon .When he mastered this he was then allowed to shave a customer .
 
But a straight razor is the closest shave possible, when done properly. I would agree that the place to begin would be with his barbers, since they obviously know what they are doing and he trusts them. Trumper's is the place for all the accoutrements (though for the razor itself I would go for one of the manufacturers recommended here) once you are sure it is the right gift for him, since they only source the very best of all materials and their shop is an absolute wonder (and is online, of course), but it could not be called inexpensive. Do think about their Esence of Limes shaving soap, though, which is delicious. Generally, people interested in straight shaving are the old-fashioned careful types, but it really bears repeating that the best razor and brush in the world will not survive ill-treatment. Hang brushes properly, strop every time, dry carefully and he will get many happy years from your gift - my father kept his blade for fifty years, having it reconditioned every 7 years.
 
Never used one myself,but I know that a barber had to lather up a balloon and take the foam off using the razor without bursting the balloon .When he mastered this he was then allowed to shave a customer .

Good advice.

In 1972 when I started my sheet metal apprenticeship my hands looked like hamburger till I learned how to hold the metal sheets, afterwards I never got a cut or nick again. In fact, to this day I dry shave from touch alone, I cant recall the last time I used a mirror or lather. I never nick my skin, either, or cut my moustache or sideburns. I've used a knife a time or two. I'm blind so its a handy skill.

And keep the razor sharp!
 
All of this would be great if time stands still. I have to get to moving. I have stuff to do. Spending all morning in front of the mirror does not work.

Give me the triple blade and a can of goo. It may not be the best shave in the world but it will get me to happy hour.
 
All of this would be great if time stands still. I have to get to moving. I have stuff to do. Spending all morning in front of the mirror does not work.

Give me the triple blade and a can of goo. It may not be the best shave in the world but it will get me to happy hour.

For some of us, standing in front of the mirror all morning IS the stuff we have to do.
 
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