Starting Fresh

[deadcruiser]

I've tried shaving with a straight razor for years with limited success. I believe that this is due largely to the fact that though I've seen many come and go, I've never gotten one that was advertised as "shave-ready" or sent one off to be done up proper. I mean, I've gotten a reasonably close shave out of one or two, but like with maybe a quarter of the usable edge. I am a collector at heart, but I like my collections to have some use outside of just hoarding things like some kind of Trinket Dragon. In light of that, I pared down my collection to a few favorites and promised myself that eventually I would return to it and give it another go. Well, barring a little saving up I need to do I feel like now is the time. I have the following razors - 3 Bokers, a Henckels, and a CV Heljestrand.

What I would like from the community here is some advice. I am not looking to purchase honing gear and learning that whole process. Mostly I just want to be able to shave with at least one of these razors. In light of that, and this might be subjective, which do you feel would be the best candidate to send off? None are cracked or chipped. The best price I've found anywhere was 20 bucks for honing at a place called SylverSteel on Etsy. That would mean I need to save for two weeks. Is there anyone who accepts barter so I can do it sooner? I think I'd be willing to part with any one of these to that end, aside from maybe the St. Regis, which I am inordinately fond of.

Thanks in advance for the advice, or if you just wanna admire my poorly-photographed but very nice straights peace be with you.

 

[rbscebu]

I appreciate that you are on a limited budget and I hope someone can assist you with the honing to smooth shave ready.

Even with shave ready SR you are going to need a reasonably good strop and some type of honing gear to refresh the edge. Have a look at Slash McCoy's balsa stropping mothod to keep that edge.

 

[deadcruiser]

I appreciate that you are on a limited budget and I hope someone can assist you with the honing to smooth shave ready.

Even with shave ready SR you are going to need a reasonably good strop and some type of honing gear to refresh the edge. Have a look at Slash McCoy's balsa stropping mothod to keep that edge.

Hey that's good info, thank you. I do have a decent strop already.

 

[rbscebu]

Just remember that strops do not sharpen a full edge. They merely realign the metal right on the edge that has been disturbed while shaving.

To refresh an edge, you will need something with abrasive. That is where the pasted balsa strop(s) comes in. NEVER put abrasive onto your leather strop.

A properly prepared (honed) edge should never need honing again if it is properly maintained (except if physically damaged).

 

[deadcruiser]

My beard is neither thick nor wiry, how often would I need to "refresh" the edge? Are there pre-pasted balsa strops for sale or do people generally make them at home? Any opinion on which of my razors I should send in?

 

[rbscebu]

I can't advise on which razor to send as I am not familiar with any of the ones that you have.

To maintain your edge you strop it 50 laps before each shave. After each shave, give your blade 30 to 40 laps on a 0.1um pasted balsa strop. There is a how-to on making balsa strops in the stropping section.

Slash's balsa stopping thread will teach you how to properly use a pasted balsa strop. His thread is a long one to read but it is worth the time to read. While reading it, take notes. That will save you from reading it multiple times.

With a properly honed edge, follow Slash's pasted balsa strop method to the letter. Do not deviate. Do not try anything even a little bit different.

 

[Seveneighth]

You are best discussing directly with the person honing for you. There are pretty spines there, and therefore I would go for someone with a good number of years honing for other people. When I started Honing a I was pretty heavy handed and it took me a while to learn how to limit the the amount of steel I was removing and still get a good edge.

Where in the world are you - it would affect who you might want to talk to.

 

[deadcruiser]

Spokane, Washington USA

 

[Seveneighth]

Stateside everyone recommends @Doc226

I suggest sending him a dm to get his opinion. I would recommend getting 2 honed, shaving with one and keeping the other for edge comparison so that you can check how well your stropping is going.

More generally go to the newbie honing compendium which is a sticky at the top of the honing forum. You will be able to get set up honing yourself with little cost by following the instructions there. I would still start with a professional honer. The newbie honing compendium contains the information about pasted balsa that @rbscebu mentions.

 

[deadcruiser]

Stateside everyone recommends @Doc226

I suggest sending him a dm to get his opinion. I would recommend getting 2 honed, shaving with one and keeping the other for edge comparison so that you can check how well your stropping is going.

More generally go to the newbie honing compendium which is a sticky at the top of the honing forum. You will be able to get set up honing yourself with little cost by following the instructions there. I would still start with a professional honer. The newbie honing compendium contains the information about pasted balsa that @rbscebu mentions.

Awesome. Once I get some funds together I will drop Doc226 a line. I will also check out that compendium and see what it will take to get myself squared away. Thank you very much!

 

[Slash McCoy]

They all appear quite usable. Reach out to Doc226 and tell him you got 5 razors and no money and you want to start shaving. He might take one in exchange for honing the rest, or some such deal. Usually when this is done, the customer sends three razors and gets two back in shave ready condition. Your razors average out a little nicer than the typical vintage razor so maybe, just maybe...

The balsa strop is nothing like the regular hanging leather strop. Completely different function. Your leather strop is to be used before every shave, to burnish and align the edge. It removes NO steel at all. The balsa strop is meant to remove the smallest imaginable amount of steel and keep the edge crazy sharp, forever if you do it CORRECTLY. NOT forever if you change or omit any detail, and maybe not on the crazy sharp part, as well. Shavers have used pasted stropping for generations and getting meh results. If you just wing it and play it by ear, that's all you will get, too. See the Newbie Honing Compendium. Read everything, start to finish, before you buy anything or try anything. Most of us go 50 laps on the balsa after every shave. There is no feedback so this is one of those rare situations where you DO go by lap count.

 

[deadcruiser]

Thank you so much guys for the detailed responses to my questions. I'll read the compendium, get a balsa strop set up, and then get in contact with Doc226 and see what he says.

 

[deadcruiser]

Oh geez. I'm reading the compendium and I'm a little overwhelmed by the amount of maintenance that my straights are going to require. I have to start, perform, and complete my shaving ritual between shifts of watching our newborn as it is, and I just don't know if I'll have the time or energy to do it right.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Oh geez. I'm reading the compendium and I'm a little overwhelmed by the amount of maintenance that my straights are going to require. I have to start, perform, and complete my shaving ritual between shifts of watching our newborn as it is, and I just don't know if I'll have the time or energy to do it right.

Maintenance is only 50 laps on the balsa after shaving, about the same on leather before shaving. And lots of guys don't use any post shave maintenance, they just let it get dull and then hone it. It's really not that much. Drop in the bucket compared to the time spent actually shaving.

Of course you could also try a shavette. All you have to do is change to a fresh blade.

 

[deadcruiser]

Looks like I've got some thinking and planning to do.

I contacted Doc226 to see if he'd even work with me.

If I could get away with sending mine in to be honed and just doing touch up work with a balsa strop with the smallest recommended grit I could see myself doing it when I know I'm going to have some downtime.

Again, thank you for taking the time to instruct me. I've actually been looking into shavettes as well.

 

[rbscebu]

It takes about one minute of less to maintain your edge on a balsa strop after each shave. The shave will initially take you at least 30 minutes or more and then as you become more accustomed to SR shaving it may get down to about 15 minutes.

If you cannot devote that sort of time, forget shaving with a straight razor and use a cartridge razor.

 

[deadcruiser]

I might just have to start shaving after I get the kid to sleep. It will cut into my own sleep time but I really do enjoy shaving with a DE and thought it might be fun to try SR shaving again.

 

[ajduplessis]

@deadcruiser send the cream boker and swede for honing that way you have a backup.

 

[deadcruiser]

I actually worked out something with Doc226 on that front. He is super nice, and I'll be able to get them all done!

 

[ajduplessis]

Give the Doc a drink...