Shaving in the traditional way has got a charm to it that no one can deny. The preparation, building the lather, the cool, dangerous sensation of sharp steel blades sliding across your face, all works together to bring in a sense of manliness in every shave.
However, not everyone is aware of how to use a straight razor the proper way. So, we have prepared this guide on using cut throat or straight razors correctly. If you are looking for the best men’s cut throat razor kit, with everything that you need for a close and clean shave, you can always find it from us.
The Gear You’ll Need
The essential gear you’ll need for using a cut throat razor is:
- A straight/cut throat razor
- A leather strop to keep the razor clean and sharp
- Shaving soap/cream to make that thick lather on your face to help make the shave smoother and safer.
- A brush to help build a thick lather
Apart from these, you can consider investing in a honing stone. Because unlike regular razors, a cut throat razor lasts a lifetime and you need more than just a leather strop to keep it sharp. After a period of time, it will lose its sharpness and you’ll need a honing stone to keep it sharp.
Stropping Your Razor
You must take care to strop your straight razor before every shave to get the best possible shave. Stropping helps keep the blade aligned and straight. To do that, attach one end of the strop to an immovable object like a bedpost and hold the other end with one of your hands to make it taut.
Now, use light pressure and run the blade on the leather side of the strop with the blade flat against the leather. Run the blade up the strop with the blade facing you and at the end of the motion flip your razor and run the blade down the strop with the blade facing away from you.
Preparing Your Face
For the shave to be painless, you must use plenty of hot water on your face before you shave. You can have a shower, splash hot water on your face, or hold a hot towel. This is to soften your beard which makes the shave easier and painless.
After you do that, make sure you apply a shaving cream of your choice and use a brush to build a rich lather. Swirl the brush lightly for several minutes to build a lather and follow with the shave. For a shave using a straight razor, the lather must not be allowed to dry.
Holding and Using the Razor
Hold the throat cut razor with your dominant hand. Place your thumb against the shoulder on the underside of the shank. Your index, middle, and ring fingers should be placed on the top of the shank on the opposite side. The handle is placed between your ring and little finger, and your little finger will be resting on the crescent-shaped tang.
Now, you’re ready for your first straight razor shave! Stretch a portion of the skin on your face with the other hand and run your cut throat blade with the other hand over it to get a close shave. It is recommended to use a 30-degree angle while running the blade. Otherwise, you can cut your cheek. Use very little pressure and apply even strokes. The strokes should be applied in the direction of hair growth.
This is, in brief, how you should use a cut throat razor for a clean and close shave. In contrast to the usual razors, cut throat or straight razors are built to last a lifetime. But you should take proper care of it to keep using it. If you are looking for a complete men’s cut throat razor kit, you can find it from us.
