A Few Questions from a Novice

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I figured that earlier message was my answer but wanted to be certain. Thank you. I currently have 8 straights. One is shave ready and I’m eager to start but wanted to know if the oil was necessary after each shave. I want to protect the razors as much as possible.

You might be interested in these and these, both from Superior Shave, both for razor storage. I use these 100% of the time with my good straights; zero oil! Read what Jarrod says about 'em; he's an honest man.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[RayClem]

Whether I am shaving with a DE or straight razor, I fill my sink with water and then leave a trickle of water running. You could do the same thing using a bowl or cup if you live in an area where water conservation is paramount. Then after a couple of shave strokes, I dip the razor into the water. If your lather is properly hydrated, the lather will quickly release from the blade and float to the surface intact. If the lather tends to stick to the blade such that you have to swish it around to remove the lather, then you need to add more water to the lather. If the lather immediately dissapates when you dip your blade, your lather is too thin and you need to add more soap. If you rinse you blade under running water, you lose this valuable feedback on the quality of your lather.