The Art of Shaving razors are some of the finest razors you can find, and one of the most traditional items razors among them is the straight razor. The first known straight razors, as we know them today, were manufactured in the late 1600s. A few hundred years later, the safety razors became popular and straight razors fell out of fashion. Then the disposable razors were developed and the safety razors took a back seat to them. Currently, the razor you choose depends heavily on what your father used and what your friends use to keep their whiskers at bay.
Anatomy of a Straight Razor
The straight razor is gaining in popularity and there are a few things you will need if you are considering shaving with a straight razor. The basic parts of a straight razor are the handle or scale, and the part that is sharp. The handle can be made out of just about any material you could ever want. The other part is usually metal and has a point, a toe, an edge, a heel, a spine, a shoulder, a shank, and a tang. You would think this was a lesson in anatomy.
Straight Razor Equipment
The other equipment you will need for this type of shaving is a strop and a whetstone. The strop you will use every time you shave and the whetstone you will use every few months to resharpen your blade. The strop is usually made of leather and has a place to hang it from on one end so that you can hold the other end and keep it taut while you run the straight razor back and forth on the leather.
The blade is positioned flat on the leather and perpendicular to the line of the strop. Running the blade back and forth about fifty times will align the edge of the blade so all the metal is lining up in the same direction. The Art of Shaving razors, particularly straight razors, can give you the closest shave you have ever experienced. But it might take you some practice before you get that closest shave, so be patient.
