Straight razor

Types of straight razors

Always buy a straight razor from Europe: Böker, DOVO, Muhle and Thiers-Issard. Then you simply have quality. The European manufacturers produce beautiful, durable razors. These razors last a lifetime. If you maintain your straight razor properly, you can pass it on to your grandson later.

What should you pay attention to when buying a straight razor?

The width of the blade or shaving foil

For each straight razor, the width is noted in inches (an inch is 2.54 cm). A 5/8" or 6/8” (= inch) wide shaving foil is the common size of a straight razor. A 5/8" razor is suitable for light to normal beard growth. If you have heavy/stiff beard growth, you will benefit greatly from a 6/8" razor. The heavier the beard growth, the heavier the razor should be.

The length of the shaving foil

The shaving foil or blade of the most common razors has a length of approximately 7 cm. These blades are suitable for shaving the entire beard. If you have a beard, it is important that you can shave the beard contours closely. In this case, you will benefit greatly from a razor with a shortened foil of approximately 4 cm. DOVO is one of the few manufacturers to have a number of razors with a shortened blade.

The head or tip of the shaving foil

A straight razor with a rounded point at the end is less likely to cause cuts. Some razors have a square point or a barber tip. These are a little less forgiving. But they are much more suitable for close shaving of the beard contours.

Metal alloy of the shaving foil

Most razors are made of carbon steel. Carbon steel or carbon steel is easier to grind and polish. This makes it very suitable for the novice shearer. Carbon steel rusts faster than stainless steel. So maintain it well and store it dry. Stainless steel is also widely used for razors. Stainless steel is harder and therefore more difficult to sharpen. The advantage is that it stays sharp for longer and requires less maintenance because it hardly rusts. Stainless steel razors are slightly more expensive than carbon steel blades. Many straight razors are full-hollow-ground.

Instructions for shaving with a straight razor

Use the razor safely and carefully! Practice around the sideburns and cheeks at first. Place the shaving foil flat on the skin and then carefully create the 30 degree angle. Do not shave (super) smoothly, especially in the beginning. After a few days you can carefully shave the chin and neck area. First soap and prepare the face thoroughly. Hold the razor lightly and smoothly with your fingertips. Hold razor between thumb and 3 fingers. Hold the razor at a 30 degree angle to the skin. Use a slightly smaller angle on the cheek, chin and upper lip. Also use the correct angle (30 degrees) at the curves of the chin. Press the razor very lightly on the skin. First shave with the beard hairs. While shaving, stretch the skin with the other hand. Shave with gentle, small and even strokes. Start with the sideburns and cheeks, then the neck and finally the chin and mustache area. Don't forget to rinse the razor while shaving.

Straight razor maintenance

You should maintain your straight razor before or after each shave. First, the straight razor must be aimed. You aim with the canvas side of the ironing strap. By aiming, the metal particles of the fold are smoothed out again at a micro level. Lightly stroke the knife back and forth across the canvas side approximately 20 times. After straightening, you need to polish the razor over the leather side of the ironing strap or tension strap. Polishing makes the fold of the knife smooth and clean again. This keeps the razor sharp and comfortable for a long time. Using gentle, light movements, stroke the razor back and forth over the ironing belt 20 times. After about three-quarters of a year, the razor is blunt. This of course depends on how often it is used, type of beard hair and shaving technique. Then it must be sharpened with the sharpening stone.

Learn more about straight razors .