Straight razor...I don't know ...

[Seelector]

You look like you're on the right track with the Solingen blade. A Sharpie marker and magnification are your best friends as you're learning to hone. It takes time and practice to get good edges.

I think that either Vaseline or baby oil will work for humidity protection, but I have never used any type of oil and haven't have any problems with rusting. Unless you live in a tropical jungle or are storing razors for years, you're probably fine to just make sure they are 100% dry before putting them away. If you see any rust developing you can polish it off with metal polish before it becomes a problem.

I used to use lapping film and diamond pasted balsa to keep my edges fresh. It worked well. I had 0.5um, 0.25um, and 0.1um balsa but have never tried any Crox pasted strops. Going from 1um film to 0.1um balsa seems like a big jump, but the Crox strop in between them might bridge the gap. You'll have to try it and see how it works.

I have some non PSA lapping film at home that I can send you, PM me if you're interested. I have several grits, from 30um down to 1um.

 

[albsat]

You look like you're on the right track with the Solingen blade. A Sharpie marker and magnification are your best friends as you're learning to hone. It takes time and practice to get good edges.

I think that either Vaseline or baby oil will work for humidity protection, but I have never used any type of oil and haven't have any problems with rusting. Unless you live in a tropical jungle or are storing razors for years, you're probably fine to just make sure they are 100% dry before putting them away. If you see any rust developing you can polish it off with metal polish before it becomes a problem.

I used to use lapping film and diamond pasted balsa to keep my edges fresh. It worked well. I had 0.5um, 0.25um, and 0.1um balsa but have never tried any Crox pasted strops. Going from 1um film to 0.1um balsa seems like a big jump, but the Crox strop in between them might bridge the gap. You'll have to try it and see how it works.

I have some non PSA lapping film at home that I can send you, PM me if you're interested. I have several grits, from 30um down to 1um.

Your comments are very much appreciated. I use a sharpie now and I have a simple loupe, but other than the scratches on the bevel, I don't understand anything else...

Really glad to hear your experience.

 

[Seelector]

Your comments are very much appreciated. I use a sharpie now and I have a simple loupe, but other than the scratches on the bevel, I don't understand anything else...

Really glad to hear your experience.

I use a 10x loupe but stronger magnification (around 60x) is better when you're learning. I look for two things:
1. what does the scratch pattern look like? Is it consistent from toe to heel? Do the scratches go right to the edge? Are all the scratches from the previous grit erased? Be honest with yourself about what you see. If there is a little section where the scratches aren't right then you're not ready to move to the next grit. A Sharpie is a big help with this. You should be able to remove ALL the marker with one light pass. This seems impossible in the beginning but eventually you learn how to do the right stroke (usually a rolling X-stroke) for the razor you are honing.
2. Are there any chips in the edge? These can be difficult to see with just a loupe. Even 1 or 2 tiny chips in an otherwise good edge are enough to make the shave feel harsh and uncomfortable.

 

[PintoPlain]

Using the diamond balsa will keep a sharp blade sharp, it will not sharpen a dull blade in my experience.

I have found I don't particularly like a super sharp blade so I use the razor until I find it comfortable and maintain it there using the diamond balsa. This is what works for me but as usual YMMV.

As you have received good advice already, I won't confuse the issue any further. Good luck.