Straight razor is a shaving device that resembles with a knife. It is a well balanced pivoted razor which folds its blade into its handle. It is a perfect razor for close and careful trimming near beards and moustaches. It carries various dangers of injuries if used by unprofessional and unskilled people.

Quality characteristics of a good straight razor:

• Stainless steel or carbon steel should be the metal components of the blade. These days stainless steel is preferred because it is cost effective and the sharpness if the blade lasts for a comparatively longer period. Some people prefer carbon steel because it offers the highest quality.
• Both modern razors and vintage razors are available in the market. Experts may use a vintage razor but they have to put up with rust, and other corrosive impacts whole modern razors are good to be used by beginners.

Benefits of using a straight razor:

• Straight razor gives a clear and controlled shave.
• The risk of infection is minimised.
• It is highly cost effective.
• Above all, it is an environmental friendly tool that can be disposed off without impacting the environment.

Preparation for shaving with straight razor:

• Begin with washing the face and taking steam for few minutes to soften the hair follicles.
• Apply shave oil to lubricate skin and hair.
• Apply shaving cream using the hair brush in such a way that all the hair follicle is lifted up above the skin.
• Now follow the right direction to shave the hair as per desired appearance after shave.
• Blades should be chosen wisely as medium temper and low temper blades can be sharpened easily whereas wedge blades are able to cut thick hair follicles more efficiently.

Points to be noted while buying a straight razor:

While buying a straight razor, the customer should be very cautious since a bad razor may cause troubles such as skin infection, irritation and cuts on the skin. Making use of a good razor gives a good experience and wise maintenance of straight razor may help the razor to last longer. Here are few points that must be considered while buying a straight razor:

• Check the quality of the steel used in the razor, the sharpness of the blade and ensure even finishing of the blade.
• Check out the concave at the hollowing places in the razor as it makes the razor light and easy to be used by the beginners.
• The width of the blade should be optimum. Excessive wider blades are not equally good at performance. 5/8 size blades are considered best as they easy to use and control.
• Blades do have either round point or sharp point. Beginners should go for round blades as sharp blades may give cuts on the skin while using.

Using straight razors is very easy but choosing the best straight razor is very difficult as every razor has its own characteristics. One may seek expert advice and guidance while taking up specifications of a particular razor.