straight razors

my dad passed away about a month ago and I acquired his straight razor collection. I don't know a thing about these. What are some good brands to look for? Thank you

Post some pics of the razors....and close ups of the blades. That’s all I shave with...Straight Razors !

I’ll see them tonight ...when I get home

i can't really post pics from my phone. I will look at some of them and get names off the blades

Names will help...but the condition of the blade is Paramount !

Any C-Mon Cadillacs ?...Or Dubl Ducks ? ...or Filarmonicas ....

I will check them out tonight when I get home from work

Do they get worn out? I have several of grandpas I always wondered if the blade gets too worn to work good. Or why he had several?.
Dennis

Sometimes the handle has as much value as the blade.

They usually don't wear out. The hollow grind prevents that. Its nicks and rust that are killers. I suggest hopping on the badger and blade forum to get more info than you need.

A buddy of mine has used straight razors exclusively for the last 15 years or so. He keeps several so he can sharpen them as a batch rather than having to keep up with just one all the time.

Excessive spine wear is a bad thing. The blade has to be tight in the scales.....and the blade has to close in the center of the scales/ handle. To check the pins ....open the blade and grab the shank and pull it up and down....to see if there is any play. It should be nice and snug

Now explain the badger thing. Alotta folks probly don't know that.
My Dad said he never saw his Dad shave himself.......Grandma always shaved him with a straight razor. He was a well-behaved man!......

Gary, Shaving brushes are made with badger hair.


Charlie

I knew that! Dad told me that many years ago.

Shaving brushes are made with both Badger Hair and Boar Hair......Huge difference in price. You can get a Boar Brush for 12.00 ...that once broken in ,makes a ton of Suds. Badger brushes can hit the 300.00 range...but a Good Badger Brush with nice backbone will run 150.00 - 200.00 and are silky smooth on the face. And just recently....they have made a Synthetic Brush too.

Boar Brush on the left 15.00......Simpson Polo 8 Badger Brush on the right 200.00....both get the job done.

hey Nessie these are the brands of most of the razors that I have

Geo. wostenhome and son
dandercide
Palmer
Wellington
W.H. Morely
A. Witte
M. Jung
Waterville
J.Swiss
Winplex
Fox Cutlery
H. Boker
Geo. Worthington
Case
T. Noonan and son ( Boston )
Griffin
Joseph Elliot
Friedmann and Lauterjung
Gebre Korte
George W korn

7-8 of those I’ve had . Boker, case, Fox, Elliot,wostenholm, Noonan, Griffin, Lauterjung.....all nice steel...Now condition is key ! Got any Stones ?

good to know. they are all pretty nice condition. some have a little discoloration but edges are keen. no chipping or nicks. about all appear to be unsharpened. There is a small stone with the bunch. it is a black stone about 2x3 or so

Get me a pic of that Boker ....

Don't sell them. I have a few, one Böker King Kutter 11/16th from the 20's I use sometimes.

Not planning on selling any of them

No pics ?

Can't post pics from my phone Nessie. could maybe text you some sometime

Interesting thread, thanks. I'm interested in giving it an honest try. It's environmentally responsible. We're trying to become a "no waste" family.

There will be blood. Wasn't that a movie?

I shave with a straight razor too, a friend of mine got me into it about twenty years ago, maybe a little more. There's definitely a learning curve to it, especially learning how to tackle the area around your chin an Adam's apple. Short, smooth strokes. Try not to overthink it.

I don't shave now days....Didn't have the confidence to try a strait razor when I did.

When Stationed in Cleveland I went to an OLD Barber. The first time he cleaned up my neck with a strait razor was a near heart attack for me at 23.

His hand was shaking like a Dog trying to pass a Peach Pit.

When he made contact he was steady and smooth.


Tried to get a barber to give me a strait razor shave for my Wedding...He wanted to use a disposable razor...
Nope, I can do that...

Nice. My only reluctance is that I like to shave in the shower and don't need a mirror. I'm assuming no learning curve is going to get you there with a straight razor?

Lol, reminds me of my dad, shakes like a dog crapping razor blades. Pounds down a moose on the move at 270 yards right into the heart.

I’ve been looking for a good straight razor. I’ve been using one for about five years now but it’s the kind that has the replaceable razor, it was a gift from a friend. I would like to upgrade to an actual blade but I can seem to find one and honestly wouldn’t know how to care for one. The first time I shaved with a straight razor I knew I would never buy another disposable again

DoVo or Boker are good brands to start with. A bottom end DoVo with phenolic scales shaves just as well as a top end DoVo with the exotic scale materials and gold wash on the blade. Above a certain price point you're just paying for aesthetics. I started with a DoVo Best Quality full hollow grind, 6/8 blade width with black phonolic scales.

Just an added tip: If you shave daily, consider owning at least 2 razors. It's recommended that a razor should "rest" for about 48 hours between shaving sessions... Something about the edge blah, blah, blah... Of course it's a good excuse to sell more razors too... Who knows.

You'll need a good strop... In my opinion 3" wide, minimum.

And like Nessy said about brushes... Boar bristle and badger bristle are pretty much the industry standard. I have both. I actually prefer the boar bristle for its lathering ability... It's a bit pokier when new but once it softens a little it feels fine and lathers well. The badger is soft from the beginning... But the bristles bend easier (less "backbone") which can be a minor annoyance.

Everyone has their own preferred lathering agent... Soap, creams, etc...

Having said all that... I sport a beard now and only use a razor to trim up... Just enough to keep from looking like a complete barbarian.

Mike