What To Use

Cut-throat razors can vary in price enormously, and while there are plenty to choose from, we’d suggest you prioritise brands like Mühle, Thiers-Issard, Dovo of Solingen and Revisor.

Bear in mind you’ll also need to invest in a strop (the leather or canvas strap you swipe the razor’s blade along to polish and straighten it) to get the best shave possible. It’s also a good idea to use a strop paste like Dovo of Solingen’s Mild Sharpening Strop Paste to optimise the process.

If the very thought of stropping leaves you in, well, a bit of a strop, then consider buying a Dovo or Bluebeards Revenge ‘Shavette’ instead. A close relative of the cut-throat razor, a shavette features disposable blades so there’s no stropping needed. They’re just as sharp but are a good deal easier to maintain, which means you can also shave a few minutes off your grooming routine:

General Tips

Start with a safety razor first (see below) before moving on to a cut-throat. “This will get you used to a different way of shaving,” says Davies. Consult the experts. “Using a cut-throat razor takes a lot of skill,” warns Davies. “So my first tip would be to have a shaving lesson.” Due to the recent boom in interest in traditional shaving techniques, many institutions now offer lessons or shaving schools and there’s no better way to learn than from a master barber. Try Geo F Trumper for an hour-and-a-half open razor class priced at £75. Choose your moment. “You can’t just do a quick shave before work with a cut-throat razor. I recommend people try it when shaving on a Sunday to get used to it and also to get used to the angle required to do it properly,” says Davies. Strop your blades before each shave and prepare skin by lifting and softening hair with a shave cream, which has been whipped into a lather with a shaving brush. The strop usually comes with instructions and there are plenty of YouTube videos that will give you an overview of the process. As with all shaving techniques, preparation is everything, so apply a good shave cream like Pall Mall Barbers Sandalwood & Clove Shave Cream whipped up into a lather using a shaving brush. If you’d rather not use a badger hair brush, then try a synthetic alternative like Mühle’s Small Synthetic Fibre Shaving Brush.