Skip Navigation
Remote View
Straight Razors @sub.wetshaving.social
HomeAwayFromHone @sub.wetshaving.social

I wish I tried straights sooner, they really got me into shaving. But especially into having more straight razors:

I think two straights is quite justifiable, you might use up an edge and need to shave before you have time to hone. And two identical ones is a good way to compare hones--same razor, different edge. I have a pair I use like that.

More? Well, you'll find there is quite a big difference in how a wedge shaves from how a hollow shaves. And there are many grinds in between. Plus there are framebacks! Some framebacks are thin like a hollow but don't quite have the same flex, others shave pretty much like a wedge. Not to mention interestingly shaped tapered blades, lancets, monkey tails...

And maybe you have a 6/8 and wonder how an 4/8 or 8/8+ width would be? They're certainly going to be different and it's very subjective which is better! But then maybe you like a wide hollow and a narrow wedge? The reverse? Only one way to tell...

Perhaps you wonder how American, English, French, Swedish, German and Japanese razors differ? I sure did...

Maybe you were curious what they were like in the 1920s vs. the 1960s. Or the 1800s. Or the 1700s.

Or you'd like scales made from bone or ivory or tortoise or mother-of-pearl? Or something cool etched on the blade? Or a modern custom from Koraat or HG or Artrazor or Gipson or Ali's Blade or any of hundreds of worthy artisans keeping this craft going?

I've always been a minimalist. I've never felt the appeal of collecting anything. It started out as trying to find which one works best for me so I could get a really good one of those, but I kinda liked them all. I ...think I collect straight razors now? It just sorta happened 🤷‍♂️

6 comments

  • Where are you with your collection now?

    • Having tried a variety of things and reached my goal of setting the bevel on 100 blades, I've slowed down adding to it. I still idly peruse listings and pick up one or three now and then because it's a deal or just cool, but am not so sad when I get outbid.

      I like honing but I don't want to wear out my blades just because and, on balance, I find it's less hassle to list razors for sale than to deal with the customer service aspect of trying to hone other people's and then deal with their expectations and timeframes.

      So I have more than fifty and less than a hundred in various states of repair. There's a vague intention that I'll narrow it down to a couple dozen I really like but absolutely no urgency in getting there. That really is part of the appeal---they're older than me, often enough older than my country and will still be there if I don't do anything with them for a month, a year or a decade. And will outlive me. Compared to the usual deadlines it's a nice perspective. Besides, they don't take up much space.

      I also like the idea of providing an approachable entry point for people getting into straights so I like to have a few I can give to friends to try or list for a modest price. If I run out of ones that need work I'll pick up some more to hone on but so far I seem to be at a reasonable equilibrium.

      How about you, how have you approached the sheer variety of blades available?

      • Wow, that's impressive!

        I've started with DE razors, then moved into shavettes. Then I tried a cheap straight from China, which was predictibly shitty, and finally aquired a used Parker straight, and a used straight with a smiling blade from the URSS. I got a rather bad cut in a finger recently, and I 'm trying not to move too deeply into straights for the moment. Besides, I have lots of DE razors I don't use, and collecting without using I find pointless (for me).

        I'm not very gifted wrt handicrafts, and restoring used razors is something I want to keep away from. I even find maintaining the straight without it rusting difficult (I surely messed up with the Parker).

        I heard really good things about Wade and Butcher, Filarmonica, Friodur and Koorat blades, but for the moment, that's not really something I want to go into - not before I have the impression that I can maintain a razor without ruining it.

6 comments