Anyone use a Straight razor/Artist Club razor/Shavette razor?

[Doc Dan]

Hahaha! Well, I don't mean to tempt anyone. It is really good soap. There is one scent I am having trouble finding called Amber Rose that I would like to get.

[jpm2]

It sounds like you have a good handle on the value of proper sharpening, the type of edge required for a good shave, stropping before and after the shave, a good soap, and good shaving technique.
Now that you have 2 good shaving razors, do you ever plan to sharpen one yourself?

[Doc Dan]

That's the plan. I've been advised to get 100 shaves in before I buy a couple of cheap razors to learn on. Stones are costly, good ones, anyway. I do plan on it, though.

Right now I am working on getting a really slick soap that I like and working on my technique. I think once I get my technique perfected I can use nearly any soap. Right now, I have two Ariana & Evans soaps with the Kaizen base that I really like. They are so slick it is hard to believe. I have a 3rd scent on the way.

[Doc Dan]

Anyone ever use Geo F Trumper Rose Shaving Soap? That stuff's scent is decadent. Great soap and pretty slick, too. The smell is wonderful. I shaved with some, today, using my H.Diamond 1000.

[Doc Dan]

@Sal . Are you still using a straight razor? What kind?

[jpm2]

Concentrating on the 1st 100 shaves is probably good advice.
Stones for straight razor sharpening can be expensive but doesn't have to be.

Tried some poraso soap for the 1st time today. It lathered good, kept it's consistency fairly well. Wasn't quite as smooth and cushiony as mitchels, but still ok. The mint was barely noticeable. If it was the only soap available, I wouldn't complain. Good soap for the price, under $2/oz.

[Doc Dan]

I am going back and visiting Arko and La Toja. I like these with a safety razor, but with a straight I've not found them slick enough and they don't seem t glide as well as other soaps. They are okay, but I have better. I've ordered some Spieck and we will see how that does when it gets here.

So far, there is no comparison between the Ariana & Evan Kaizen 2e base and anything else. It is really good.

[Doc Dan]

I just ordered a Gold Dollar 208, cheap Chinese straight razor. I am going to use it to learn to hone my own razors. Now, I have to get some stones. Anyone have recommendations?

[Doc Dan]

These are no well finished German, French, or Japanese razors. This one was only $7.80 USD. It isn't warped and will be a good razor to learn to sharpen on.

[jpm2]

I've found several different paths to an excellent shaving edge, but for me they all end up at a black arkansas, then strop.
Without knowing your stone type preference, I suggest at a minimum, a set of 3 splash and go water stones ~1k/~4k/~8k and maybe 12k. The black ark as a final stone is mandatory for me... and of course strop.
I prefer 4x2 stones in hand for better pressure control.

I have 2 gold dollar razors. One was ok with little to no geometry issues. The other was both warped and twisted. I got tired of the gymnastics involved with sharpening the entire wonky edge on that one and chopped it down to a shorty. Both shave ok but haven't used them in over a year.

[Doc Dan]

Mine seems to be okay. I'm just using it to learn to hone my own razors. I don't want to take a chance on ruining one of my good razors.

I ordered some lapping film and it should be here in a day or two, then I can get started.

[jpm2]

Lapping film is one of the few abrasives I haven't tried. I'll be interested how it works for you.

Both my GD razors are capable of good shaves, but prefer the vintage stuff.

[Doc Dan]

Lapping film is one of the few abrasives I haven't tried. I'll be interested how it works for you.

Both my GD razors are capable of good shaves, but prefer the vintage stuff.

I would prefer to buy the vintage stuff for practice, but $7 for a razor to practice on sounds a lot more reasonable. I am just going to learn to hone on the GD. I figure it is better to make my mistakes on a $7 razor than on one of my expensive straight razors.

Today, I tried Ariana & Evans Kaizen scent soap. Like the other scents from this maker the shave was slick and drama free. I have learned that I need to open the jar and let it sit uncovered for hours, or the soaps done smell their best. After I did that, the citrus notes came out on top, then mellowed to honeysuckle and some other things. Not bad. I still prefer the Barbiere Sofisticato though (and the Peaches and Cognac), as far as smell.

[jpm2]

Yea I practiced with the gold dollars and zenport, shave with the vintages. For shaving, I prefer vintage.
The chinese razors require a little more effort to get the same quality shave as the vintages. Plus they are heavier and don’t handle as well.

[Doc Dan]

Where is the best place to find good deals on vintage straight razors?

[jpm2]

My vintage straights came from whippeddog.com
Good prices if you aren't looking for like new condition. They come shave ready. He also carries new Dovos.
He usually puts up 6 or 8 at a time and they go pretty fast. He's out of straights right now. I check every few days.

[Doc Dan]

I see them on eBay and etc., but I've not tried to bid on any. I probably will after the first of the year. I just bought my wife's anniversary gift and Christmas gift so those have taken away my mad money.

[jpm2]

I look at them occasionally on eBay but never bought.
It’s unbelievable the amount of things that can be wrong with a straight razor to make it unusable, most of which you can’t tell from a picture.

[Doc Dan]

The last few days I got out my Japanese H. Diamond 1000 and used it with some La Toja cream and them Ariana & Evans Barbiere Sofisticato. I love these barbershop scents. Anyway, I was amazed again at how good and comfortable this razor is to shave. I got out my Thiers Issard yesterday and today and used the Barbiere Sofisticato and then Peaches and Cognac. I got a very fine shave, I mean really good. I still think the HD is more comfortable, but the TI will more easily shave closer. It might be just me, but each time I switch them up I come away with the same conclusion. Their personalities are so very different and both give great shaves.

[jpm2]

I have a similar experience with the clauss and boker razors.
Freshly sharpened and stropped exacty the same, the clauss seems to shave just a little closer. Not in the sense that I can detect the difference directly afterwards, but 12-24 hours later the boker shave seems to have slightly more growth. After several shaves with each, and just stropping inbetween, they seem even out.
The strange thing, the clauss is always the first one that starts to tug and needing a touchup on the stones.

The gd208 is a different animal entirely, I think due to more chromium in the mix. There's nothing it does as good as the vintages, except corrosion resistance. I could use it if necessary, but really don't like anything about it when it comes to honing and shaving.