The 5 Questions you Need Answered Before You Start Straight Shaving At Home

No. 1 Why did you want to start?

We recognize that there are a lot of reasons one might get into straight razor shaving. Some of us enjoy it as a practice, as something we can always improve in. Others enjoy it as a zero-waste shaving method and a way to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Straight razors have an undeniable aesthetic, so many of us simply enjoy it for the cool-factor! Whatever your reasons for starting, remembering your own “why” will help you persevere during the initial learning curve.

No. 2 Do you have time for this?

Shaving with a straight razor isn’t something you’d want to rush, and that’s a good thing! Many of us live fast-paced digital lifestyles driven by instant gratification and tight deadlines, and a traditional straight shave is a welcome counterpoint to that. Shaving is an opportunity to relax and take time for yourself, to slow down, be present in your body, be mindful, and enjoy developing a new skill. And if you don’t have time, don’t sweat it; your new razor will always be there for you when you’ve found the time.

No. 3 Do you have everything you need?

All you need to get started wet shaving is a razor you love, a strop to keep it sharp, a quality shave soap, and a brush to lather it with. Starting with quality tools and supplies will ease the learning process and make your shave more enjoyable to begin with. If you need help choosing your first razor, check out our “No Such Thing as a Beginner Razor” article. As your technique improves, it may be worthwhile to start adding other products to elevate the experience. Pre-shave conditioners and aftershave treatments all help protect your skin and make the shaving process more enjoyable,  but they aren’t necessary at the get-go.

No. 4 How do you keep your razor sharp?

Strop your razor before every shave, and have it honed once or twice a year and when it gets damaged. This will keep your razor shaving comfortably and increase its useful life! Since the blade is non-disposable, extra care should be taken not to damage it: close it before setting it down or handing it to someone, only use it for shaving hair, and keep it in its own case separate from other items.

No. 5 Where can you get more information?

We appreciate that there’s always something more to learn or explore when it comes to straight shaving. We address our most frequently asked questions on our company blog and tutorials, but don’t hesitate to reach out if you can’t find the answers you seek!

If you are a seasoned straight shaver reading this, please leave some words of encouragement for the recent adopters below. At Portland Razor Co. we believe “what one person can do, another person can do.”

How to Grip Your Straight Razor

In this article, we’ll cover the basic grips used for shaving with a straight razor. This is a starting point for developing your own comfort and style in handling your new razor, and is not an exhaustive list.

Keep our Anatomy of a Straight Razor graphic handy if you need help keeping your tangs and spines sorted.

Safety

Remember that the tang and spine are the safest place to grip the razor. Never hold a razor by the scales! The pivot can always come loose and holding only the scales may cause the razor to swing open or shut unexpectedly. Finally, always close the razor before setting it down. This protects the razor from incidental damage, and nobody needs an open razor blade lying around.

In all of the grips described below, your pressure should be relaxed but firm like a handshake. Keep your wrist straight (straight lines are stable lines) and avoid unnecessary movements. Relax, and initiate movements with your shoulder, following through with the wrist. Do not push or move the razor with your fingers.

1. Basic Grip

This is the starting point for most straight shavers. With the razor’s scales opened 270 degrees and the edge down, grip the tang with two fingers in front of the scales, two behind, and your thumb underneath. This allows you to apply pressure on the tang but also the scales between your fingers, giving maximum control and balance.

2. Pinch Grip

From the basic grip, simply roll the razor between your fingers until the thumb and forefinger pinch the sides of the tang, rather than the top and bottom. This grip is great for upward, against-the-grain strokes on the face.

3. Reverse/Push Grip

Grip the tang with thumb on the spine. This grip is more advanced but is especially useful for barbers shaving other people, and leg shavers. Pushing the blade away from you can be difficult while you build muscle memory, but this will allow you to shave in more comfortable positions and in the direction of hair growth more easily.

Experiment with variations of these grips to suit your hands, razor, and the surface you’re shaving. Remember, this is not an exhaustive list and there is no right way to grip the razor, just whatever works for you! If you’ve tried using a straight razor before, what grips do you find useful? When do you use them? Let us know in the comments below ↓↓↓

FAQ: "Help! I Chipped My Straight Razor! Can you fix it?"

If you’re reading this article, you probably have a damaged razor. Don’t panic! It’s really no biggie, even if it makes for an uncomfortable shave. A quality straight razor can be restored to shaving-sharp without much heartache. Minor damage like chips & dings can be resolved with a basic honing service, but even major damage like a bent or broken point can at least be made functional again.

Why do Straight Razors Chip?

Shown here is a straight razor with a classic case of “sink bite.” Though a pain to shave with, the edge can be easily restored with proper tools and techniques.

Straight razors are highly specialized tools and differ from your average kitchen or utility knife in a few key ways. Harder steels, thin blades with deep hollow grinds, acute bevel angles, and polished edges excel at shaving hair. These characteristics produce finer edges, but they are also more brittle, meaning the blade is more likely to break than bend. You wouldn’t want to chop an onion or shuck oysters with a straight razor, for example (at least, not one you want to shave with later)!

The most common source of damage we see is from what we call “sink bite.” This occurs when the user rinses with the blade open and bumps the edge against the faucet. Other common sources of frustration are the lids on Barbicide jars, other items in your toiletry bag, countertops, fingernails, combs, and dry shaving (did you know that when dry, human facial hair has the same hardness as an equivalent thickness of copper wire?).

How to avoid chips and dings.

Fortunately, most damage can be avoided by adopting a few simple practices:

• Don’t touch the edge.

• Close the razor to set it down, rinse, or sanitize*

• Test sharpness by shaving hair, not by touching, strumming, or finger-nailing the edge

• Strop your razor properly. Click here to view our tutorial

• Prep your hair for shaving. Dry hair is tough, wet hair is soft!

*Our Cascade Steel is stainless, so rust is not a concern when rinsing and sanitizing the razor. Vintage razors and modern blades made of carbon steel should be kept dry and oiled to prevent rust.

How to Fix Chips & Dings

Even straight razors with major damage, like the large chip pictured here, can be made safe to use again.

While a chipped razor is a pain to shave with, it isn’t the end of the world. Quality straight razors are designed with maintenance in mind, and restoring the edge is fairly straightforward. The only way to remove a chip or ding from your razor’s edge is to hone it out on a stone. While similar to knife sharpening, honing razors is a nuanced skill that requires more specialized tools and techniques than your pocket knife does. Skilled DIY’ers are encouraged to check out our tutorials, take our honing class, pick up a quality hone and give it a shot. For everyone else, you can send us your razor for a honing service for restoration.