Focus!
I've enjoyed shaving with my Parker SRX barber straight. I do admit to a little trepidation before each shave because, after all, it's walking the high wire without a net. That pre-shave concern is a good thing, however. It keeps me focused -- at least at the start. |
| The Parker SRX all-stainless barber razor. |
It must be the nature of my personality because I'm seeing the same tendencies that I used to have (still have??) with a double-edge razor (DE) when I now shave with the straight. That tendency is to become a bit careless as my shave enters its final phase.
It happened again this morning. I had a fresh half-Dorco-ST301 blade in the SRX and had completed a successful first pass. I was pretty much going to call it good, but I wasn't quite satisfied with the closeness on my entire neck, so I re-lathered and shaved that area again. With upward strokes, I got a bit complacent and created a minor cut near the curve of the skin where under jaw meets neck. @#$%@#%!!
Oops, I did it again....
I ordered a Parker PTB barber straight, which is scheduled by the post office to be delivered tomorrow -- but with the USPS, you never really know, so we'll see.
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| The Parker PTB barber razor. |
I ordered this razor, which has black resin (that is, plastic) scales and a sliding blade-insertion mechanism because I wanted to compare the lighter overall weight, the resulting different balance, and the insertion and blade-holding design of this razor to its Parker-brand cousin, the SRX.
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| The PTB with the stainless-steel blade-holding slide removed. |
Like the SRX, the PTB's metal parts are also made of stainless steel, so I'm expecting a durable and handsome product. It also uses half-DE blades, so there's no special blade to buy and I can continue to draw on my existing inventory of DE blades. I'll let you know about the balance and shaving character of it in the near future.
Garage Sale Additions
I'll be soon updating my garage-sale page to include two additional razors: the mild-shaving Merkur 15C open-comb razor, which is in like-new condition, and a vintage Gillette Travel Tech razor.
The Merkur open-comb razor is excellent for shaving hair of any length, so it's great for those who only shave occasionally or who sporadically shave the back of their neck between haircuts.
The Travel Tech is a 1965 model, has the same shave character as my earlier c. 1948 Techs, features a short steel handle, an unused vintage blade in its wrapper, and comes in a gold vinyl zippered travel case. The Travel Tech, like other Techs of its particular era, has a Zamak top cap, is in very good condition and could be a nice addition for collectors.
I'll be posting photos and suggested prices soon, but if you're interested before then, just send me an email.
Garage Sale Continues -- Make Me an Offer
Keep in mind that there is about $4 of packaging and mailing costs embedded in the prices of my garage-sale razors, and there really isn't a lemon in the bunch.
Happy shaving!
Intriguing! I may have to take the plunge and get a shavette. Be sure to keep us posted on which you prefer.
ReplyDeleteLast time I tried a shavette was 40 years ago as a teenager. All I remember was it not a good experience! Maybe its time to try again.
Appreciate our post! They are very informative!
To you and anyone giving a straight razor a try: review the videos on line, and, humbly, my articles including the one posted to sharpologist.com. Pay careful attention to initially putting razor to skin, angle of the blade to skin (keep the angle small), stretch the skin slightly, VERY LIGHT PRESSURE, short strokes, and give yourself lots of time -- both per shave, and time to learn passable, then good, technique. Have a styptic pencil handy for the inevitable nicks and cuts while you learn to use the razor. I would suggest 20 shaves to competence, perhaps 100 shaves to mastery. Learning curves will vary.
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