supershaving

[Vitamian]

The straight razor should be the ultimate form of expression. It combines artful technical audacity along with a certain artistic bent of manipulating an unforgivably sharp blade on the facial area. And why shouldn't it be fashion?

Indeed, as the above paragraph implies I started this post as, well, a post about straight razors and its users.

The shaving fetish--nothing sexual here, lest someone mention some rash S&M fantasy--might even rival your collective denim fetish.

[evisu 2000]

honestly i'd give up my fusion for a straight razor! what are some good ones and where can i get them?

[RAISED BY WOLVES]

Solid place to get started...though I think there are some people on here who may say otherwise. I got one from them a while back (before they started manufacturing them with their (ugly) logo). It is a beautiful thing to look at and works like a charm.

http://www.theartofshaving.com/taos6/product.php?product=68020&group=10

One of these should do you OK as well.

http://www.theartofshaving.com/taos6/group.php?group=7&cat=2

The $100 one is excellent.

[evisu 2000]

thanks!890

[naturaljax]

I don't remember who, but someone once posted a set they bought that ran them upwards of $200 I believe, and man it was beautiful.

I hope they post again, it was really interesting.

[Vitamian]

As I understand it, most modern straight razors can't compete with the vintage ones--it has to do with the steel quality.

Either way, I'd suggest getting a nice vintage one--anything from the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, and the U.S. are going to be good quality, but there are some that are exceptional quality. The most coveted ones are by the firms such as Puma (no relation to the shoe company) which can go up to $500 each.

However, a vintage one has to be properly honed first.

Here are some places that deal only with straight razors and shaving questions:

www.straightrazorplace.com

www.badgerandblade.com

[englandmj7]

Solid place to get started...though I think there are some people on here who may say otherwise. I got one from them a while back (before they started manufacturing them with their (ugly) logo). It is a beautiful thing to look at and works like a charm.

http://www.theartofshaving.com/taos6/product.php?product=68020&group=10

One of these should do you OK as well.

http://www.theartofshaving.com/taos6/group.php?group=7&cat=2

The $100 one is excellent.

Count me as one of the AOS dissenters........Their stuff is OK, but most of it is rebranded (Thiers-Issard, who makes their razors, is awesome nonetheless) and overpriced. You can get excellent creams/brushes/razors for cheaper from the UK's Three Ts (Trumper, Taylor of Old Bond St., Truefitt & Hill) who have all been around for over 100 years.

Good thing though, is that AOS has plenty of brick & mortar US locations, so you can try stuff out in person there.

If you want a great straight, it doesn't get better than a Dubl Duck, imo. You can find them on e-bay for pretty cheap.

As I understand it, most modern straight razors can't compete with the vintage ones--it has to do with the steel quality.

Either way, I'd suggest getting a nice vintage one--anything from the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, and the U.S. are going to be good quality, but there are some that are exceptional quality. The most coveted ones are by the firms such as Puma (no relation to the shoe company) which can go up to $500 each.

However, a vintage one has to be properly honed first.

Here are some places that deal only with straight razors and shaving questions:

www.straightrazorplace.com

www.badgerandblade.com

SRP and B&B are awesome resources. Several members on each sell their own razors, strops, and provide honing services for reasonable prices. Also, these are two great, trustworthy webstores to consider buying from:

http://www.classicshaving.com

http://www.qedusa.com

[Vitamian]

Indeed, Art of Shaving is simply rebranded stuff that is not at all worth the large prices they charge. They have made themselves into the "go-to" high-end shaving monopoly, which is terrible for both choice and information since some of the stuff is rather dodgy.

They also tend to hawk shaving brush sets with a fancy handle for Mach III cartridge razors.

If straight razors are a bit "beyond" the normal horizon, then a safety razor should be a nice alternative.

[evisu 2000]

damnit this shit is more complicated than buying a pair of apcs.

[eastcoastrider27]

I'd shave with a straight razor if I didn't have to worry about properly honing and sharpening it.

Instead I just use a regular DE safety razor. Although I think I may get a Schick injector sometime soon.

[blank]

There's a place in town where I get my haircut and to finish the cut they do the back of your neck and your sideburns with the straight razor. It's the smoothest thing I've ever felt. Nothing compares.

[HEWSINATOR]

I used to spend way too much time on shaving forums before I spent way to much time on SuFu.

Never tried a Str8 , but pretty well only shave with a Merkur HD Double Edge.

[eastcoastrider27]

There's a place in town where I get my haircut and to finish the cut they do the back of your neck and your sideburns with the straight razor. It's the smoothest thing I've ever felt. Nothing compares.

Oh no doubt. If your barber doesn't use a straight razor on your neck and burns you gotta tell him to step his game up.

[sriracha hot sauce]

I get my hair lined up with a straight razor, does that count?

[Vitamian]

There's a place in town where I get my haircut and to finish the cut they do the back of your neck and your sideburns with the straight razor. It's the smoothest thing I've ever felt. Nothing compares.

Most of the barbers are required to use a disposable straight razor these days for fear of AIDS, etc.

Also, the razor they use for hair is usually a "shavette" and considering how smooth these ersatz straight razors are, the real ones are the quite the bees knees for both hair removal, or blood letting.

[blank]

yeah they use a disposable razor

it stil rules

[Vitamian]

I used to spend way too much time on shaving forums before I spent way to much time on SuFu.

Never tried a Str8 , but pretty well only shave with a Merkur HD Double Edge.

I like a Merkur with Feather blades.

Either way, shaving fora are not exactly money savers.

[Vitamian]

If you want a great straight, it doesn't get better than a Dubl Duck, imo. You can find them on e-bay for pretty cheap.

SRP and B&B are awesome resources. Several members on each sell their own razors, strops, and provide honing services for reasonable prices. Also, these are two great, trustworthy webstores to consider buying from:

http://www.classicshaving.com

http://www.qedusa.com

I was never aware that Dubl Ducks were cheap on eBay. They seem to have their prices inevitably raised by the collectors and serious users.

Also, if anyone ever finds themselves in Milan, the vintage store, G.Lorenzi is very much worth it. They sell old and new shaving supplies as well as a variety of other interesting finds.

[xcoldricex]

i have a feather razor i bought in osaka somewhere... i can't find it so i never had the chance to try it

[RAISED BY WOLVES]

Count me as one of the AOS dissenters........Their stuff is OK, but most of it is rebranded (Thiers-Issard, who makes their razors, is awesome nonetheless) and overpriced. You can get excellent creams/brushes/razors for cheaper from the UK's Three Ts (Trumper, Taylor of Old Bond St., Truefitt & Hill) who have all been around for over 100 years.

Good thing though, is that AOS has plenty of brick & mortar US locations, so you can try stuff out in person there.

If you want a great straight, it doesn't get better than a Dubl Duck, imo. You can find them on e-bay for pretty cheap.

SRP and B&B are awesome resources. Several members on each sell their own razors, strops, and provide honing services for reasonable prices. Also, these are two great, trustworthy webstores to consider buying from:

http://www.classicshaving.com

http://www.qedusa.com

England,

You are one of the people I had in mind.

I got a straight razor and brush from them as a present. The razor is German, and is not AOS branded, and the brush works well, wether used with it, or with a mach3 when time is short. now that I know how much they cost though, it definately seems steep. Especially all the "special handle" bullshit.

I'll keep all these other sites and recs in mind.

[cheapmuthafukr]

id like to try a straight razor, but my vintage open comb DE works well for me. its actually my great grandfathers.

[mizanation]

can't get myself to get into real shaving. i still use my beat up mach 3. i have however, moved on to lathering up my own foam with a very nice brush i got in japan. made out of the hair of two animals and synthetic hair. good stuff. i use it to lather up the soap to wash my face too.

maybe i just don't get the whole shaving thing.

[Swych]

Dr Evil once wrote, "At the age of 14, an Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There's nothing like a shorn scrotum, it's breathtaking I suggest you try it."

[mizanation]

i remember an eminem verse that went like, "i cut you with the razor that i shave my nuts with!"

don't lie, everyone has a nut razor.

[denimdestroyedmylife]

I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving

[Vitamian]

i remember an eminem verse that went like, "i cut you with the razor that i shave my nuts with!"

don't lie, everyone has a nut razor.

Unless you wish to be a eunuch, I wouldn't suggest a straight razor for that function.

[mizanation]

^^^ hahah, yeah.

[wild_whiskey]

The real difference in shaving generally comes from the brush, not the straight razor. I myself cannot get into the straight razor game. I like cartridges. But using a fine badger brush makes a huge difference in the closeness of shaving.

[mizanation]

ww, what do you use? regular soap or something else?

[eastcoastrider27]

I used to use Trumper violet, then switched to Nancy Boy's cream (which is money), and I just ordered some Musgo Real and Proraso yesterday to try out.