
What Else Do I Need?
The main items required for a straight razor shave are of course the razor itself and a strop. These are described elsewhere. In addition, there are other items which are either necessary or desirable for the best shaving experience. If you currently shave with safety razor or a shavette you will probably have most of these.
BRUSHES & SOAPS
Essential to any good shave are the shaving brush and a quality shaving soap or cream.
A brush is essential for two main reasons. Firstly, it helps to make a much richer lather than can be made with just your hands. This means that the beard hairs are covered in the lather and lifted from the skin, making it easier for the blade to cut through the hair. This enables you to get a close shave without irritating your skin. Secondly, the motion of the brush helps to exfoliate the skin by removing any dead skin and dirt that has built up in the beard. Dry skin can clog the blade making it more difficult to get an even action across the face.
Shaving brushes come in two types – there are those made with synthetic bristles and those made with animal hair, the most popular being badger hair. Brushes made with synthetic bristles are generally cheaper and can feel rougher on the skin. They also tend not to hold water as well as natural brushes so it can take longer to build up a lather. Some travel brushes, however, deliberately use synthetic hair as it dries more quickly. Badger hair conversely actually soaks up water instead of repelling it, and holds heat well, making it perfect for making the thick lather required for wet shaving.
Bristle and horse hair tend to be coarser than badger, but may be suitable if you are looking for a stiffer brush due to having a thick or wiry beard growth.
There are different types of badger hair used to make brushes – the difference between them is in the quality of the hair itself. The most common is pure badger. This hair comes from the body of a badger. It is coarser due to the thickness of the hair shaft and also because the hairs are often trimmed to make them fit into the base of the brush, removing the natural tip of the hair. It usually varies in colour from a pale tan to a darker brown along the hair. Brushes made from pure badger are generally at the cheaper end of the spectrum. Best badger brushes are made generally from hair from the underbelly of the badger where the hair is longer and of better quality. Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between pure and best badger brushes. It usually depends on whether the hairs have been trimmed to fit or placed in the base of the brush. Super badger hair is taken from the back of the badger. It has the distinctive dark mid- section and white tip. The hair is finer and has a tapered end making it feel much softer. The hair is generally placed tightly together into the base of the brush thus giving it a thick, dense feel. Silvertip badger hair is the rarest of all. It comes from the neck of the badger where the hair is very soft and pliable. Care needs to be taken with both the super badger hair and the silvertip badger brushes because the fragile hair can be easily damaged.
Whatever brush you choose you will need to take care of it if you are to get the best from it and ensure it lasts for many years. You should rinse the brush thoroughly in clean water after each time you use it to remove all traces of soap. Then gently squeeze or flick the brush into the sink to get rid of any excess water and allow it to dry in the open air. If possible hang the brush in a stand hair down so that any remaining water does not collect in the base of the brush.
The other essential item is a traditional shaving soap or cream. These are different from the foams and gels commonly used with cartridge razors, which are typically full of air and do not provide the necessary lather required for a traditional wet shave. They are generally alcohol based and use synthetic ingredients which can dry out the skin. A shaving soap or cream which contains quality ingredients and oils will soften the beard hair, protect and lubricate the skin and provide a smooth surface for the razor to glide over.
With soaps and creams much is down to personal preference. However, if within a hard water area you will find it much easier to produce a good lather with a cream than with a hard soap.
Shaving soaps and creams come in a variety of fragrances which can be combined with aftershave balms and aftershaves to add to the overall wet shave experience. We stock a number of shaving creams and soaps from a number of different manufacturers, all of which we know to be of a high quality.
Bowls, Mugs and Scuttles
Shaving bowls are used either to hold a hard soap or as a means of creating a richer lather than can be achieved in the hand. Scuttles and mugs are used similarly, also as a means of holding warm water to soak the brush in before lather creation.
Post Shave Treatment
After you have finished your shave, rinse your razor in hot water and dry it thoroughly, including between the scales. We describe measures to care for the razor elsewhere.
Rinse your face in warm water to remove any stray lather. When the skin is completely clean you should then rinse your face in cold water. This is both refreshing and has the added bonus of closing the skin pores and closing any small nicks. You can either finish your wet shave here or you can move on to post shave balms and aftershaves.
A lot of people recommend the use of an alum bloc – we stock a number of different brands – this is essentially an antiseptic and is especially good for those suffering from acne and other skin problems helping to heal blemishes. It causes a tingling or slight stinging effect on the skin. Simply glide the bloc over your freshly shaved skin whilst it is still wet and then let leave it out to dry.
Although the alum bloc can stop small cut from bleeding, the best remedy in the case of nicks is to use a styptic pencil or a post shave healing gel.
Aftershave balms help moisturise the skin after the shave and particularly recommended if you have dry skin or during the winter months when the cold air can further dry out the skin. They are more moisturising than aftershaves, which are alcohol based, have astringent properties, and help to soothe the skin. Aftershaves are usually best suited to those men who have more oily skin.
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We have always used the term "straight razor" but in truth most people know this type of razor as a "cut-throat razor" or, less frequently, as an "open razor". It really doesn't matter, all these terms relate to the same implement.
We have a variety of razor starter kits which include everything necessary to start your venture into straight razor shaving. They also make an ideal shaving gift. This section also includes some entry level razors which are good choices for a beginner. Alternatively you can put together your own choices and perhaps upgrade the razor or strop. Please just ask if you need help.
We ship Worldwide, and shipping is free to all countries for orders over £125, but there is a charge for orders of a lower value. Full details may be found in our Delivery and Returns Policy. Prices are determined in GBP. For your convenience you are able to see indicative prices in U.S. Dollars and Euros but payment will be taken in GBP and there will inevitably be some variation to the U.S. Dollar and Euro prices shown. We accept payment by all major credit and debit cards as well as through Paypal.
If you are just starting out with a straight razor then we have a wealth of information on the website for beginners. Please visit our Information section which includes advice about choosing a cut-throat razor, how to strop a razor and much more. We are also always happy to offer advice and assistance where we can. Please just ask.
Our aim is to help our customers keep their razors in use. Now and again every razor will benefit from being honed. As not all our customers wish to learn how to hone we offer a straight razor honing and stropping service where we will sharpen your cut-throat razor on our premises and return it to you. This service is available for all razors we sell, vintage razors and some other brands of new razor but there are brands of new razor that we will not accept. Please see our Sharpening Service section for more details. We also offer a service to fit scales (razor handles) purchased from us.
This term relates to the fact that once unfolded from the scales (i.e. the handle) the razor's edge is open or unprotected, as opposed to a safety razor where the edge is shielded to some extent.