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Straight-razor shaving may seem like a lot of trouble, but it’s actually a surprisingly practical option. That’s because straight razors give you complete control over a blade, while safety razors offer only partial control (while cartridge razors offer no control at all.) This level of control means that straight razors are especially great for shaping and edging beards.
I’ve been writing about grooming for three years, and the advice I hear from barbers about straight razor shaving is always the same: practice, practice, and more practice. It takes a little time to become accustomed to the technique of using a straight razor, especially if you’re starting from scratch. As practice, master stylist Yvey Valcin and master barber Julien Howard suggest trying to inflate a balloon, cover it with shaving cream, and “shaving” the cream off with the razor. “If you pop the balloon, you’re probably going to cut yourself,” Howard says. Practice until no more balloons are harmed, which Valcin says can take around three months. To help you find that straight razor to practice and eventually graduate with, I talked to Howard and six other grooming experts to find the very best options. You can also partner up your new blade with picks from my guides to the very best shaving creams and aftershaves.
What we’re looking for
Traditional versus shavette
For hygienic reasons, barbers have to switch blades for each new client, so they will rarely use traditional straight razors with one fixed blade. Instead, they’ll use a “shavette,” which is basically a blade-holder that accommodates a disposable, single-edge metal blade; Ruscetta will often recommend shavettes to beginners. A shavette still offers the same quality of shave as a traditional straight razor and is actually lower maintenance since the disposable blades don’t need to be sharpened. You have to replace the blade, but the up-front cost of shavettes is relatively low, and their refill blades are pretty cheap (a box of 100 will cost $5 to $6 on average).
If your heart is set on a traditional straight razor, though, I’ve included a few options. You won’t need to buy refill blades for these razors, but you will have to get them professionally sharpened about once per year (or you can buy the equipment yourself). If you’re wondering how to sharpen a straight razor at home, Ruscetta says to use a “combination Norton stone with 4,000 grit on one side and 8,000 grit on the other.” You’ll also want to buy a leather strop, which Ruscetta says is an essential. “Every time you use the razor, you get microscopic bends in the razor,” he explains. But the strop “straightens out” those tiny bends, and you can really feel the difference when you shave. He says any standard strop should work; just make sure it’s at least an inch thick.
Weight and blade size-slash-shape
As with safety razors, a bit of heft to your straight razor can actually be helpful. Because a well-balanced and slightly heavy razor improves control and steadies the hand, a razor that’s too light can actually make it more likely that you’ll cut yourself. It is for this reason that Ralph Wilburn, senior barber at Fellow Barber’s Chelsea Market location, always recommends going with a metal razor, no matter the brand. “I like them made out of metal because they have a little weight. Some are fully plastic, which I personally think is too light” he says. “You need a certain amount of pressure, and the weight of the metal helps.” That said, at least one barber told me they prefer a lighter straight razor, so it may come down to personal preference.
Then there’s the size and shape of the blade to consider. Straight razor blades come in different sizes (sometimes referred to as thicknesses), measured vertically from the cutting edge to the spine of the blade. A typical blade is five-eighths of an inch, but they can range smaller or larger — always in eighths of an inch. The shape (or grind) refers to the blade’s actual thickness as well as the way it is formed out of metal. Grinds vary from “full wedge,” which is the thickest and which in cross-section looks a lot like a doorstop or a carrot, all the way down to an “extra hollow,” which is extremely thin and looks more like a tulip in cross section. Thin blades are more flexible (imagine a piece of very thin wire versus a very thick piece) and give a closer shave but may have trouble cutting through thick beards. Alexia Donovan, director of client services at the Barber Surgeons Guild, suggests beginners use thicker blades because their weight makes them a little less flexible, leaving less room for injury. Blade thickness is less relevant for shavette-style straight razors that can take a variety of different blades, but it’s very important to consider when buying a traditional straight razor.
Straight handle versus folding handle
Both traditional straight razors and shavettes are available with two different handle styles, straight or folding. Some of the barbers I spoke to say that using a straight handle gives them more control. Others prefer a folding handle because it keeps the sharp blade covered when not in use, protecting both the blade and your hands (especially important if you keep your razor in a drawer).
Blades included
If you’re buying a shavette razor, you’ll need blades to go with it. But if you’re lucky, your new shavette will come with a few free blades to get you started. I’ve noted which ones include blades below.
Best shavette straight razor overall
Shavette | Weight: 1.06 ounces | Handle: Folding | Blades: Not included
German company Dovo is famous for its traditional straight razors, but this Dovo shavette in particular received the most praise from my sources. As I mentioned above, shavettes are practical for both beginners and expert straight-razor shavers, so I’m not surprised that barbers love it.
Valcin, who’s used the razor for over five years, told me “it allows you to shave very close, and do perfect lineups.” The razor glides nicely over hot-towel shaves and its stainless steel handle (and aluminum blade holder) should make it last for years. Howard likes that it’s German-made and says that the clear plastic piece “adds a little guard, like a safety razor.”
As I’m not able to grow a beard of my own, I enlisted the help of my roommate to test out our experts’ recommendation. He has a thick, coarse beard that he likes to keep groomed, usually with a clipper. As he was a newbie to straight razor shaving, he also appreciated the clear plastic piece, which I suspect is what prevented him from nicking his skin as he shaped his beard up. Although he admitted it would take some practice to become as dexterous with the blade as he would like, he was surprised at how easy it was to figure out how he should be using the blade, and how easy it was to maneuver.
Dovo does make this shavette in a less-expensive, plastic-handled version, but both I and the experts think it’s worth investing a little more, as most of our experts favor metal shavettes for their durability and weight. This one comes with two inserts — one for standard-length, and one for shorter blades.
Best (less-expensive) shavette straight razor
Shavette | Weight: 2.3 ounces | Handle: Folding | Blades: 5 Parker blades included
For less than $30, you can get this shavette from Parker. Like the Dovo, it’s an all-metal, stainless-steel shavette, but it has a little more weight to it (as you can see from the specs above.) Ruscetta — who uses this razor on all of his clients — tells me it locks blades into the handle better than any other shavette he’s tried. “The blade snaps in between these two pieces, and it really holds it tight,” Ruscetta says. He points out that, in general, it’s really well constructed and the details are carefully considered. For instance, the two posts that align the blade are made of attractive and long-lasting copper. Valcin, who prefers the Dovo but is also a fan of the Parker, tells me it affords him great precision with his clients.
Best (even-less-expensive) shavette straight razor
Shavette | Weight: 0.48 ounces | Handle: Folding | Blades: 100 Lord blades included
And for even less than that is this shavette — at just $14, it’s a more than attractive price for a beginner. It was recommended to me by Wilburn, who’s “used this on clients for years,” he says. “It’s fully metal, so it lasts forever.” As a bonus, this already well-priced shavette comes with a box of 100 single-edge blades from Lord, one of our experts’ favorite blade manufacturers.
Best Japanese shavette with a straight handle
Shavette | Weight: 1.5 ounces | Handle: Straight | Blades: Not included | Only compatible with Feather-brand blades
I know that shoppers can get particular about the origins of their products (see our Made in Japan, France, and Korea series), and Japan is known for creating extremely sharp knife (and razor) blades that hold their edge for a long time. So if you’re keen on buying Japanese, you should consider Feather, the Japan-based razor company that our experts mentioned second most often after Dovo.
Three of our barbers named Feather as a generally superior maker of shaving products, with each of them favoring a different model in Feather’s Artist Club SS line of shavettes, which they say is very popular in their profession. The brand is famous for its ultrasharp double-edge blades, which are longer than the standard single-edge blades most shavettes use and will only work with Feather razors. Some might see this lack of flexibility as a downside, but our expert barbers say the slight inconvenience is worth it for the level of quality you get. This straight-handled razor has a stainless-steel head that is naturally antibacterial and a silicon resin handle that is easy to clean and provides extra grip. The resin handle means that most of the weight is in the head of this razor so it will naturally add pressure as you shave, which helps lift hairs to get the blade closer to your skin.
Best Japanese shavette with a folding handle
Shavette | Weight: 1.5 ounces | Handle: Folding | Blades: Not included | Only compatible with Feather-brand blades
If you think you’d prefer a folding shavette but you like the resin handle or made-in-Japan craftsmanship, I tracked down this model. It’s also from Feather’s SS Artist Club line, and Brian Porteous, owner of Heritage Barbershop in Portland, Oregon tells me he “uses this for any straight-razor shaving I do in the shop,” he says. Porteous prefers the folding version because it’s safer to store and tuck away, and he likes that the metal head is heavier than the rest of the razor. He’s also a fan of Feather’s Artist Club blades, which he says are thicker than other blades.
Best traditional straight razor
Traditional | Weight: 3.5 ounces | Handle: Folding | Blade: 5/8-inch stainless steel full hollow ground blade
For a traditional straight razor, I’m recommending Dovo again. Arthur Iskhakov, owner of Barber’s Blueprint in New York, says it’s the absolute “top brand.” For those looking to buy their first traditional straight razor, Iskhakov would recommend a razor like this one with a five-eighths-inch blade, which he says is essentially the standard blade size for a good straight razor.
Best large-blade traditional straight razor
Traditional | Weight: 2.5 ounces | Handle: Folding | Blade: 6/8-inch carbon steel half hollow ground blade
Ruscetta loves traditional straight razors, too, and while his favorite manufacturer of all time is the now-extinct Dorko, he agrees Dovo is one of the best companies currently producing them. He prefers a slightly larger blade because he feels “the weight gives a more comfortable shave” and recommends this model with a hefty six-eighths-inch blade.
Some Strategist-approved aftershaves to try, too
Our Experts
• Alexia Donovan, director of client services, Barber Surgeons Guild
• Julien Howard, master barber
• Arthur Iskhakov, owner of Barber’s Blueprint in New York
• Brian Porteous, owner of Heritage Barbershop
• Angelo Ruscetta, master barber
• Ralph Wilburn, senior barber at Fellow Barber
• Yvey Valcin, master stylist and founder of Yvey Salon
Additional reporting by Liza Corsillo.
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