RazorsThere’s a rebel in every crowd, and sometimes what appeals to them the most are the things that were common a hundred years before. Shaving is something most of us deal with daily and never think about, but our grandfathers were aware of a better way. That’s available to us still, provided we are willing to learn the old skills of sharpening and maybe a few nicks as we practice.

The first time I checked out one of today’s straight razors I was very skeptical, but I learned very early in life that the mark of a sharp edge is the ability to shear the hair off your forearm smoothly, and I see no reason not to apply that knowledge to my face. Considering how many times I’ve cut myself with a safety razor that wouldn’t conform to my nooks and crannies and scars, maybe I’d do better with an edge I could actually see and control.

That’s what a straight razor offers. You can see the blade, adjust the angle, cut a straight line the full length of your sideburns instead of piece by piece, and it doesn’t wear out. If it gets dull, all you need to do is strop it a few times and the magical edge returns, sharp and new. Consider how much energy and material goes into a packet of razor cartridges and you’ll see that the old-fashioned straight razor takes a load off the environment. Or think about saving the money it cost to do all that unnecessary packaging and throwaway design.

Some of Our Favorites

Not sure you can maintain a straight razor’s edge? The DOVO Shavette takes full length disposable blades.

The DOVO Straight razor — no one told us a razor could look this good.

Thiers-Issard straight razors are so good that people kept them. Now they’re on Ebay as collectibles.

Read All of Our Razor Reviews Below


Razor

Rosewood Straight Razor Blade by Bear & Son | Slip Joint Pocket Knife Shaver 4 1/8 Inch

The Bear & Son Rosewood Razor gives knife lovers a new shaving option — a straight razor with a truly American...
JT Hats
55 sec read

Linder Straight Razor Shaving Blade | Racing Red Razolution, High Carbon Steel 888109

The Linder Racing Red Razolution straight razor from Linder’s traditionally styled product line offers a perfect shave for the skilled user....
JT Hats
57 sec read

DOVO Shavette Red | Straight Razor Kit w/ Holder, Extra Blades

Though my instinct is to recoil and wonder why anyone would want to revert to the Dark Ages of shaving, the...
JT Hats
1 min read

Dovo Solingen Large Black Straight Razor | Stainless Steel Solingen Steel

As we’ve seen before, an elite and close shave isn’t going to get much better (if at all) unless you’re using...
Ken
48 sec read

Thiers Issard Straight Razor | Stainless Steel Collectible Cutlery

The name Thiers-Issard embodies a sense of class and refined living when it comes to traditional shaving. Historically speaking, the company...
Ken
55 sec read

Straight Razor Shaving: 10 Reasons Why | Save the Earth, Some Money and Your Face

Shave with a straight razor? What is this, 1850? I admit I was skeptical the first time I tried it too....
Ken
4 min read

Dovo Straight Razor | Solingen High-Carbon Steel Straight Edge Blade

No, you don’t need to be a barber to shave with a straight razor. There’s a thriving community of straight razor...
Ken
29 sec read