Tag Archives: straight razor shaving

Our Top 3 Customer-Reviewed Straight Razors

July 18, 2016 By in TIPS & FACTS, Wet Shaving Tags: , , , , , , , 5 Comments

While it’s true that there is no single straight razor that will work for everyone, we can learn and benefit from the experience of our peers. Straight razors, after all, can be quite the investment.

Having been in business for nearly a decade, we have conversed with many a wet shaver, getting feedback and learning about their favorite grooming products.

If you are eyeing a new straight razor, we highly recommend reading the following reviews of our top 3 customer favorite straight razors. Even if you don’t end up with one of them in your shave den, there are veritable nuggets of wisdom to be gleaned from each review.

We wish you the best of luck in finding the perfect straight razor, and remember you can always contact us here for additional guidance.

Dovo Best Quality 5/8” Half Hollow Carbon Steel Straight Razor – Black Celluloid

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Features

  • Stiffer, more forgiving half hollow Swedish blade
  • Top and bottom tang jimps for enhanced grip
  • Durable celluloid scales

Customer reviews

“Before I bought this razor I bought some stainless steel wedge for 10 bucks online just to see if it would work. Obviously it didn’t. So I saved up and bought this one, my first real razor. It’s sharp, easy to hone and strop. It is a comfortable weight and shape, and always does exactly what I want it to. I had never been into straight shaving before but with this razor, a $35 strop, a $12 brush-bowl-soup kit, a Norton 4000/8000 waterstone, and 2 $5 bottles of Nivea for Men Aftershave Balm, I’ve had 2 years of the best shaves of my life. I still consider myself a beginner in the world of honing and wet shaving, but this razor IS the right choice. Also, be careful with it, don’t cut yourself, watch lots of YouTube videos, and don’t put it away wet.”

-Paul

“Nice Straight Razor. Smooth Dovo quality clearly felt in this razor, great first razor to jump into straight razor shaving. There are better Dovo razors but this is a great starter for the price and quality. It will last forever and be a great travel razor when you upgrade.”

-Michael L.

SHOP: Dovo Best Quality 5/8” Half Hollow Carbon Steel Straight Razor – Black Celluloid

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Thiers Issard Wheat Field 5/8” Singing Hollow Straight Razor – Ebony

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Features

  • Singing hollow 5/8” carbon steel blade
  • Mirror-finished blade
  • Ebony wood scales

Customer reviews

“I absolutely love this razor. Having previously been using an $80 Dovo, there is no comparison. This blade is extremely sharp and holds its edge very well. The temper is perfect and this blade really does sing. I could not be happier with this purchase.”

-Mark B.

SHOP: Thiers Issard Wheat Field 5/8” Singing Hollow Straight Razor – Ebony

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Dovo Special 5/8” Full Hollow Carbon Steel Straight Razor – Faux Tortoiseshell

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Features

  • 24k gold etching on a high-carbon Swedish steel blade
  • Full hollow grind
  • Non-slip jimps on the tang

Customer reviews

“I purchased my Dovo ‘Special’ Imitation Tortoiseshell, Full Hollow Carbon Steel, 5/8″ straight razor in 1979 because I was moving to a remote tropical island and did not want to bring anything “disposable” with me.

Together with a badger bristle brush, a strop, and a fine Arkansas stone, this is all I have ever used to shave with in the intervening twenty-three years. The Dovo shaves as well today as it did the first time I ever used it.

Unlike disposables and “safety” razors, I have never once nicked myself with the Dovo and I laugh out loud when I hear celebrities on TV say that their electric razor “shaves as close as a blade!”

I am now fifty-six years old and this Dovo has lasted me half a lifetime and shows no sign of giving out on me, although most of the gold has worn off of the blade and there are a few dark spots on it.

I keep it in a case when I’m not using it, strop it once or twice a week and hone it about once every three or four months. I wish that I could say that I have held up as well over the years as my Dovo razor has!”

-Bob Taylor

“I got this razor shortly after I began with straight shaving. Even though Dovo razors are advertised as shave-ready “out of the box,” I have not found that to be completely accurate. I always make sure a new straight razor I order is hand-honed. With that assumption, this razor is quite good. After some frustrations with my first straight, I ordered this one, hand-honed, and realized what straight shaving was supposed to be like. The faux tortoiseshell scales look distinctive and add to the pleasure of using this razor. Of all my razors, though, this one has proven most prone to rust and is the only new razor I have ever had to use 1200 grit sandpaper on to remove rust. I don’t know why but it’s worth noting: lightly oiling a blade with Ballistol prior to storage is a good idea.”

-Lawson Stone

SHOP: Dovo Special 5/8” Full Hollow Carbon Steel Straight Razor – Faux Tortoiseshell

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Common Shaving Problems: How to Prevent Ingrown Hairs

October 21, 2015 By in Skincare, TIPS & FACTS, Wet Shaving Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Attractive young guy is shaving his beard

Dragging a sharp blade across your face can have consequences. Ranking high amongst these is the ingrown hair, the annoying younger brother of the pimple. While giving up shaving is the best resolution, it’s not the most practical solution for most of us. So how do you keep your countenance looking good without sacrificing the razor? We’ve got your guide to keeping ingrown hairs at bay.

What are ingrown hairs?

When you shave, your hairs become very sharp and as the tips grow out, they can curl back into the skin, piercing it and causing inflammation, bumps, and soreness. Ingrown hairs tend to be more common for those with curly hair.

How do I get rid of ingrown hairs?

Add exfoliation to your skincare routine

What skincare routine, you ask? If you don’t have one yet, now’s the time to start, because when it comes to ingrown hairs, prevention is the best defense. Exfoliate daily with a gentle scrub (like Billy Jealousy Liquidsand Exfoliating Facial Cleanser) to remove dead skin cells that clog pores and hair follicles. And once a week, opt for a strong facial polisher to really get rid of the gunk (like Billy Jealousy Assassin Deep Exfoliating Scrub). If you have sensitive skin, start slow and increase the frequency with your tolerance.

If your skin is particularly reactive, only exfoliate the night before shaving.

Before shaving

Wrap a warm towel around your face and neck and wait for your hair to soften from the hot water. Alternatively, shave right after you shower so your hair is weak (that’s a good thing when you’re shaving) and your pores are open.

During shaving

The way you shave is a big part of the razor bump equation. Use a fresh, sharp blade, since dull blades can tug on your skin and cause more friction, leading to razor burn and ingrown hairs. Also, since fresh blades offer a crisp cut, there’s no need to do several passes over the same area, which can anger your skin.

Shave in the direction your hair grows to reduce spikiness.

After shaving

Relieve freshly-shaven skin with a rich aftershave balm or serum. Zirh Soothe Post-Shave Solution contains aloe vera to moisturize irritated skin, and retinyl palmitate (a form of vitamin A) to speed up cell turnover and reduce healing time, thus preventing clogged pores and ingrown hairs.

What if I already have an ingrown hair?

First we suggest giving your skin a breather. Stop shaving for a few days and let your skin go through its regular repair processes. During this time, remember to moisturize and feel free to try a cream formulated expressly for ingrown hairs, like The Art of Shaving Ingrown Hair Night Cream, which exfoliates skin as you sleep.

If you wear a tie or a high collar, loosen them both. Stiff collars and ties can rub against your neck, causing more irritation and slowing recovery.

If after this waiting period the pesky ingrown is still there, you can take matters into your own hands.

To remove your ingrown hair at home, warm up the area with a wet towel or steam your face over a bowl of hot water. Then use a pair of tweezers to lift the hair out of the skin.

You can also consult a professional aesthetician, who has all the tools to quickly pull that thing out with minimal damage.

Ingrown-Hair

SHOP: 1. Billy Jealousy Liquidsand Exfoliating Facial Cleanser, 2. Zirh Soothe Post-Shave Solution, 3. Truefitt and Hill Ultimate Comfort Pre-Shave Oil, 4. Billy Jealousy Assassin Deep Exfoliating Scrub, 5. The Art of Shaving Ingrown Hair Night Cream.

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Video: The Royal Shave

January 12, 2015 By in BARBERSHOPS, TIPS & FACTS, VIDEO Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

There’s nothing quite like getting the Royal Shave with an experienced barber – we should know, we named our company after it! Whether you’re considering a professional wet shave for the first time or are a veteran of the barber’s chair, we think you’ll enjoy this video of a full straight razor shave at Geo. F. Trumper barbershop in London.

In the video, the master barber also offers excellent tips on how to shave effectively with a straight razor.

For our full range of Geo. F. Trumper grooming products, visit RoyalShave. You’ll find all the essentials for a safe and pleasurable straight razor shave!

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