6 Best Straight Razors of 2020

There’s something about going back to your cultural roots that can take even the simplest and most straight forward of tasks and make it special. Whether you’re looking for a superior shave, or remember your grandfather’s morning shave routine, there’s something about straight razors that stands out.

Straight razors take care, attention to detail, and precision. They exemplify some of the best traits we want to have in ourselves. More than that, a good shave with a straight razor takes time. It forces you to slow down and take some time for yourself.

They teach you to slow down. They teach you to be patient. They teach you to approach yourself and the world with care.

Don’t believe us?

Think back to barbershop days and the simple pleasure of getting a professional shave. Think about the men who used straight razors for generations. Think about the difference in lifestyle.

No, a straight razor won’t transport you into Mad Men or the life of a Victorian English Lord, but you can bring a little of that mentality into your modern day-to-day.

Straight Razor Buying Guide

There is a wide selection of straight razors available right now. But, it’s not as difficult as it may seem to figure out which one is right for you.

These quick buying tips will help narrow the field to not just the best straight razors, but the ones that are best suited to your shaving preferences and budget.

Traditional Razor vs. Shavette

There are two main types of razors that are both called straight razors. Traditional razors are a single, well-crafted blade that needs regular maintenance but generally doesn’t need to be replaced. Shavettes, on the other hand, use replaceable razor blades in the shape and style of a traditional razor.

From a shave quality perspective, both can offer a similar kind of shave. If you opt to go with a shavette, it’s important to buy high-quality blades, clean them, and replace them as soon as they start to dull.

Traditional blades, on the other hand, require stropping every time you shave and take a little more upkeep to stay sharp. But you’ll be able to shave for years with a single blade. They also are potentially a little easier to use, since shavettes can suffer from poor blade attachment if you don’t do it just right.

Ultimately, which one you choose depends on whether you would prefer virtually no maintenance, but some ongoing costs, or a razor with virtually no ongoing costs, but some maintenance.

To Strop or Not to Strop

This is also a debate between traditional razors and shavettes. Stropping, the action of refining your straight razor’s blade on a leather strop, is required for traditional straight razors. It’s not optional.

Stropping is the main thing you’ll do to keep your razor sharp. It is possible to sharpen a razor yourself if you have the skill. You can also get them professionally sharpened if you prefer. But stropping will mean you don’t need to sharpen your straight razor very often.

If you don’t want to keep a strop in your bathroom and don’t want to have that extra step before you shave, a shavette might be a better idea.

Carbon vs. Stainless

There are really only two metal types that are used for the blades themselves, whether you go for a shavette or a traditional straight razor. Carbon steel and stainless steel.

Carbon isn’t quite as durable as stainless steel. It needs to be sharpened a little more often, and the blade itself may not last as long. However, Carbon steel can be sharpened to a much finer blade. That means you’ll get a closer shave.

Carbon steel may be a better choice if you have sensitive skin, hate shaving the save section of your face twice, and don’t mind sharpening or replacing your blade a little more often.

Stainless, on the other hand, will produce a slightly duller blade. That may mean it’s a little more irritating for your skin, and that you may have to touch up some parts of your face as you shave.

However, stainless will need sharpening much more rarely since it’s harder and will hold the blade’s edge longer. This is a good option for men who don’t have sensitive skin. Men who prefer tools that get the job done consistently and continuously, over tools that need maintenance, but do the best possible job.

Cost

The last thing you should be considering is the cost of your shaving tool. Either way, you should expect a straight razor to cost a decent amount of money upfront, and to have very low maintenance costs for years thereafter.

A shavette is usually going to be a slightly cheaper option. Since the blades are replaceable, the manufacturer doesn’t have to worry about creating a really durable solid blade. That cuts down on costs significantly and makes them the more affordable option of the two.

That said, a shavette will probably cost as much as a traditional razor in its lifetime, because of the cost of blade replacements.

A traditional razor will usually cost a bit more. While there are cheaper blades out there, most traditional razors will start at about $100, and go up from there.

You’ll also want to consider the aesthetics of your razor. Exotic wooden handles are more costly than plastic and acrylic handles, but they also generally look and feel better than the plastic kind.

Additional items, like a storage case, included strop, or the other items you need for an effective shaving kit, will also increase the price of your razor.

You should plan on having at least some of those items, namely the strop before you start shaving. Even if you can’t get them all at the same time.

6 Best Straight Razors Comparison Table

6 Best Straight Razors: Detailed Reviews

Now that you know the basics and have some tools to figure out which razor will work best for you, it’s time to look at the razors themselves.

We’ll go over the pros and cons of each razor, and also try to highlight the most important features in our summary of each. We’ll also provide an editor’s rating for every product. Some editor’s ratings may receive additional comment if there’s a reason for the razor to be rated higher or lower than it normal.

Benefits of a Straight Razor

Of course, connecting to the past is a pretty ephemeral benefit of using a straight razor. It may contribute to your aesthetic, your perception of yourself. But there are a lot of other, more concrete, reasons to make the switch.

Cost

A good straight razor represents one up-front cost with very little maintenance costs. As opposed to other shaving methods, using cartridge razors, electric shavers, and even the closest comparison, safety razors, a straight razor comes out on top almost every time.

That’s because a well-maintained straight razor can literally last lifetimes. You might even have a straight razor or two already, hidden in the boxes your grandfather and great grandfather passed down.

Once you have the basic equipment, you’re basically set.

Now, we will talk about the cost differences between a traditional straight razor and the new kid on the block, a shavette, a little later.

Skin Benefits

People usually don’t think of straight razors as being one of the best options for sensitive skin, but they are.

There are two main reasons. First, shaving will irritate your skin. No matter what you do, you’ll cause some degree of skin irritation while you shave. But a single very sharp blade is much gentler than multiple blades.

Cartridge blades drag an average of 3-5 very thin, but not necessarily very sharp, blades across your skin, causing much more irritation.

Safety razors are better but often aren’t as sharp as a well-maintained straight razor.

And electric shavers, while somewhat gentler than cartridge razors, are still more irritating than their safety or straight razors thanks to their many blades and cutting actions.

The second reason is cleanliness. It’s easy to keep a straight razor clean and sanitary. But most other razor types are harder to maintain. Cartridge razors in particular trap dead skin cells and all the bacteria that feed on it.

Those bacteria are spread over your face, causing fresh acne, every time you shave with a less than sanitary tool.

Self-Care

The last is that a straight razor is an investment in you. Self-care isn’t just for women, or about eating junk food and chocolate or playing your favorite video game. Self-care is about taking responsibility for yourself and your needs and doing the things you need to create your best self.

A proper shave is certainly part of that.

Not only will a good shave give you a more professional appearance, taking a little extra time with our shaving routine will protect your skin and help you look healthier as well.

It’s also about giving yourself some time and mental space in the day. Shaving with a straight razor, especially with a warm lather, takes a few minutes. You can use that time to think, to listen to your favorite music, to catch up on the day’s news. Whatever gets you going and ready to get on with your day.

Final Thoughts

We’ve tried to select from a wide range of different razor manufacturers and designs. But, if you’re looking for something a little different than what we’ve presented here, we recommend using the buying guide and your own preferences to find something that’s exactly what you’re looking for.

Both Feather and DOVO have wide selections of razors, so they might be a good place to start. But, each of the brands we’ve listed also has at least one other straight razor to choose from.

While there isn’t any one perfect razor for everyone, we are confident that we’ve selected a range that at least one razor will suit most users.

Remember, a good straight razor is about more than getting a close shave, it’s an investment in yourself. In your appearance. And in your history.