Razor and shave

Left to right - Manion M5 adjustable, 1965 Gilette Slim adjustable, Weishi
butterfly TTO, Dovo 6/8" Flowing straight razor, assorted DE blade packs.

If you've read my About K3NYJ page, then you're aware of my fondness for the not-so-bygone days of old school shaving. It holds a special place in my heart. Some of my fondest childhood memories were of my grandfather's small basement barbershop, the good men who would patron there and the humor and skill with which my grandfather operated. His trade was part of an honest and well-respected professional tradition. Thanks, Pap, for being an inspiration to me, as your grandchild and as a man. You were a cut above the rest.

In recent years, straight and safety razor shaving has had a growing resurgence in popularity. Perhaps this is a desire to share in an experience of our ancestors. It could be an interest in learning the time-honored skill involved in the art of wet shaving itself. Maybe it's for financial reasons, as the expense of straight/safety razor shaving is quite cost-saving overall when compared to the price of modern cartridge razors. Or perhaps it's simply the want to step outside of mainstream practice and be bolder with our everyday appearance than some others.  Whatever your reasons may be, they are endearingly your own. You may now find yourself among many others who have, by hobby, profession or passion, found their way to the practice of single-blade-edge (SBE) wet shaving. Welcome! There is a entire community of people, just like yourself, to offer guidance, opinions and product reviews that will help you make the best of your everyday shaving experience. If you're new to single-edge shaving, I suggest starting small without rushing into it... read, research, explore tutorials, learn the skills and invest modestly in the basics to begin. Where you go from there is entirely up to you.

Left to right - Manion M5 adjst razor, 1965 Gilette Slim adjst 
razor, Weishi butterfly TTO, Dovo 6/8" Flowing straight razor.

In the photo above, I show a few of the tools I use routinely for shaving daily, though not all. I do quite a lot of shaving. I am shaved bald and, aside from a Van Dyke beard, I'm also clean shaven. I've been SBE wet shaving for about ten years now. Prior to this, I shaved with commercial cartridge razors. I found that I was spending about $15.00 a month on them, which is quite a lot when you look at the annual cost. Add to that the cost of shaving cream, and I was spending more than $200.00 annual. Plus, I was adding to the bulk of our landfills with items that pollute, are not recyclable and have a very long decay rate.

I first began SBE wet shaving with a 3/8" straight razor that I'd purchased at a local antiques shop for about $12.00. The blade was/is in remarkably excellent condition, with no blemishes or rust whatsoever given it's 1907 manufacturing date. The blade's edge and shoulders were equally well-preserved and only lightly worn, though the cutting edge was rather dull at the time of purchase. Even the black celluloid scales were in great shape. What a find for my first razor, and it would not be the last! I shortly after purchased a Norton 4000/8000 wet stone and new leather strop to re-edge this blade, and began to learn and develop my sharpening skills. From there, my fandom was solidified and has grown. I'm a wet shaver through and through now.

Given this passion, I feel compelled to share my experience with others, post reviews of SBE razors and related products that I own or have used and, perhaps, offer some insight along the way to those new to this art. In the weeks and months to come, I'll likely also add video reviews of many of the razors I own and perhaps look to the community to help place the history of some older razors that I've struggled to place, and other razors that I may add to my collection that I chance upon along my journeys. So, check back from time to time. I thank you for visiting today and I wish you all the best.

Best regards,
Patrick, K3NYJ

Disclaimer: All content presented on this site are subjective and solely representative of personal ownership experience and individual understanding of said products and related subject matter described herein. Any and all representations, descriptions and commentaries posted herein are offered from opinion and should not be regarded as expert affidavit or testimony, or as a manufacturer's statement in any way. Please consult with product manufacturers and their approved sources for complete details, specifications and applicable warranties of all products described herein. All photos presented herein are property of this site's moderator and are not public domain.