Straight Razor Questions

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jeepnewbie

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 12, 2013
952
156
Byron
www.facebook.com
I've been looking around for a straight razor at some antique stores. I came across 5 of them at the local antique store. Three in non savable condition with the blade broken in multiple locations. The fourth was a hair trimmer with a guard on it and replaceable blades. The Fifth one had some rust and some small nicks on the blade.
My question is would the fifth one be worth saving at $15? I wasn't able to get a picture of it, but the rust appeared to be surface rust maybe some soap scum. I'm sure I could get that off and not sure if the blade would be savable. The nicks are tiny and I'm pretty sure I could get them sharpened out, but not sure how the blade would be afterwards.
The hair trimmer comes with multiple blades still inside their boxes for $14. Would it be usable to shave with after removing the guard?
I would prefer a razor without a changeable blade. Where would be a good place to go buy one without doing it over the internet as I would like to see it in person. I'm trying to find a nice one under $25. Thanks for any input.

 

tarheel1

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 16, 2014
936
2
Good luck with that. Not sure where you can get one in your budget. I have been oogling a couple correct 10 years or so. I would love a Bismark or Bergischer. Lowe. They are the bottom two. Just have not wanted to spend the money on them.

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huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,219
5,338
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
jeepnewbie:
If I were you I would keep looking. Since the nicks in the blade are visible I believe that it would have to be reground (as opposed to simply honed) in order to be serviceable as a shaver, and typically this is strictly a job for a professional. Good honing, such as is performed by Mr. Lynn Abrams, usually costs around $25.00, so you can imagine what regrinding followed by honing might set you back.
Good antique straight-razors that haven't been abused ARE out there. I know, for over the years I have purchased five of them. Good luck!

 

condorlover1

Lifer
Dec 22, 2013
7,994
26,608
New York
Solingen from Germany still make excellent and well priced razors. If you have never used one before it would be wise to buy one of the 'clip razors' that are a straight razor but takes a modern iron razor blade. This has a lot less possibilities of you slicing off chunks of your face and will get you comfortable with maneuvering the razor around your face. If you are up to speed with all that then my apologies for teaching you how to suck eggs! As everyone else says avoid blades with 'dings' as they will have to be reground before you can even get them sharpened and all of a sudden that $15 razor has become a $60+ project. You might look around for a 7 day set which as the name implies is a box of razors with the day of the week etched on each blade. They were made in eastern Europe at one time and they do show up every so often priced at about $100 and that would be your best bet before venturing into the antique pure iron razor world. Good luck with your razor hunt!

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,249
108,349
My Double Duck has German Solingen steel, and I got it from ebay for $20. Only problem with it was a small hairline crack on the scales. Other than that, a little sanitizing and light strop, and it was ready to go.

 

menuhin

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 21, 2014
642
3
@jeepnewbie
I think under $25 can be difficult, and you may consider not to buy any straight razor with rust on it because there will be a lot of work. There are eBay sellers from Sweden who sell on regular basis old razors from Eskilstuna (Germans and Japanese fancy their steel, and they'll mark their product 'Swedish steel' to tell people that it's quality steel), and these razors have no big problem (no 'frown' bevel, no problematic hone wear) and most of the time the scales are intact. But they are at the lowerest 20€ range, plus shipping to the other side of the pond on top of that.

Also, you need honing afterwards, which is around $10-15 if you send it to someone to hone it professionally - which can be important for first time straight razor users because one has to know what is acceptably sharp (and what is therefore not).

A cheap used leather strop will then help you maintain its sharpness, perhaps even for more than a year or two.
I would say ~$50 will be right.
@chasingembers
A Double Duck at $20... It's a steal! :puffy:

 

dochudson

Lifer
May 11, 2012
1,635
12
Save yourself a lot of grief and get a 'sight unseen' from Whipped Dog it will be in serviceable condition and correctly sharpened.

 

thehappypiper

Can't Leave
Feb 27, 2014
303
0
Don't mess around or try to save money. Just get a decent straight.

http://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/

Unless you don't value your face?

 

menuhin

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 21, 2014
642
3
It's better to start learning with something reliable at the beginning.
At the end of the day, how well the shave is depends on one's shaving (and pre-shave preparation) technique and honing technique.

Some eye candies here to follow.

102_7949.jpg

http://www.coticule.be/rep1.html
http://www.tomonagura.com/jnats/

 

stefank

Lurker
Jul 28, 2014
12
0
I bought an old Solingen Bradrei razor in a flea market in Barcelona, Spain. it set me back about 40 euros but a new Solingen was in the 100-150 euros range in a store a few blocks away.I bought it because the blade was in pristine, ding-less condition. It only tooked some stropping and it was a good shave.
I bought a fine Arkansas stone for honing and had the pacience to hone it once, very, very carefully, since were I live NO ONE does the job and I wouldn't trust anybody either.

 

joshb83

Can't Leave
Feb 25, 2015
310
2
I've been wet shaving with a straight razor since I learned to shave. As a matter of fact it wasn't until I got to boot camp that I had to learn a disposable. Still not a fan of the shave. I have several straights and love and baby them all as much as my pipes. I have been part of a really great forum site in that regard as well, with generous guys as there in this site. All with years of experience and a wealth of knowledge second to none. Here's the site:
Www.straightrazorplace.com
In regard to the last blade, depending on the depth of the pits in the blade can depend how much it can be salvaged, because often if the bald begins to put on the face, the blade can be just as bad at a microscopic level and would need a good sharpening prior to use. EBay is a funny place in that regard, but for the price of 15$ you never know. Ask around on that site and get some ideas before you pull the trigger, in my opinion. I hope that helps a bit.

 

jeepnewbie

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 12, 2013
952
156
Byron
www.facebook.com
Thanks everyone, I'm still checking out all the great info that has been bestowed on me.
My father in law gave me two that he had put up that was given to him. One has a small dent in the blade and the other is pretty straight. My best friend had one he bought years ago to use but the blade wasn't sharp enough, he gifted me. It is amazing looking and can shave your arm hair a bit but not the face. I found a barber shop in town that uses straights and will stop in there to see where they have their stuff sharpened.

 

andrew

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,042
400
I found a barber shop in town that uses straights and will stop in there to see where they have their stuff sharpened.
More than likely they'll have their own sharpening stones and do it themselves. I have a barber by my house and he has all the stuff. Usually they'll love to see a new guy getting into straight razor shaving, after they give you a crazy kind of look. I'm lucky where a friend at work got me into the straight razor so he does all my sharpening, but just ask how much they'll sharpen it if they have the supplies. There's only one professional straight razor sharpener in my city and it's a city of around half a million, he charges 35$ per blade. He used to do it for 7$ apparently but I think with it starting to catch on there's money to be made in it.

 

joshb83

Can't Leave
Feb 25, 2015
310
2
You could always pick yourself up a barber's hone on eBay? About 20$ or www.srtaightrazordesigns.com will do it for 40$ and it comes back in no time.

 
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