Hello everyone. My first post this, although I have been lurking in the background (daily) for over a year. It was B&B that got me to throw my Mach 3 in the bin - and since then I have shaved 6 times a week with what has developed into a set preference: old type single ring, feather blades, Simpson Berkeley brush, MWF and Tabac. I don' t have a 'rotation' - I like to try the options, yes, but so as only I can settle on what seems ' the best' to me. I've sold everything except my old types - although I will admit that a short relationship with a Merkur slant inspired the extreme slantwise/gillette slide method I use.
But secretly, I would often sneak into the straight razor part of the forum.....
The daydreaming finally became real when I pressed the button on a Dovo best and Invisible edge strop. First attempt this morning. Yikes that's sharp! No red stuff, but a cautious beginning - cheeks & sideburn areas only. Right side much easier than using left hand - but everyone says persevere, so I shall. Finished off with the DE.
So, onto my genius idea. I've ordered a cheap vintage razor from ebay. From what I can see from photos and understand from you guys/other internet resources, I hope it will be good enough to recondition and use: it can be my first exercise in honing, when I get to that point along the road at some point . In the meantime though, my plan is to deliberately make it blunt - and I mean too blunt to cut skin easily. Basically I want to be able to 'pretend shave', getting used to the movements, practicing and practicing until I get the muscle memory in place (espaecially for my left hand). I'll still be shaving with the real thing as well....but think of it as the blunt going first, where the sharp will follow on in its footsteps. I can also use it to practice my stropping, which on this morning's example, I could probably do with.
So....my question is, the ebay seller says the edge is "keen". (Who know what that means?) So what is the best way of making it blunt enough for my purposes BUT also doesn't damage the blade so much that, what I do eventually get to the point of starting to hone, I find I've permanently ruined it.
All advice gratefully received!
But secretly, I would often sneak into the straight razor part of the forum.....
The daydreaming finally became real when I pressed the button on a Dovo best and Invisible edge strop. First attempt this morning. Yikes that's sharp! No red stuff, but a cautious beginning - cheeks & sideburn areas only. Right side much easier than using left hand - but everyone says persevere, so I shall. Finished off with the DE.
So, onto my genius idea. I've ordered a cheap vintage razor from ebay. From what I can see from photos and understand from you guys/other internet resources, I hope it will be good enough to recondition and use: it can be my first exercise in honing, when I get to that point along the road at some point . In the meantime though, my plan is to deliberately make it blunt - and I mean too blunt to cut skin easily. Basically I want to be able to 'pretend shave', getting used to the movements, practicing and practicing until I get the muscle memory in place (espaecially for my left hand). I'll still be shaving with the real thing as well....but think of it as the blunt going first, where the sharp will follow on in its footsteps. I can also use it to practice my stropping, which on this morning's example, I could probably do with.
So....my question is, the ebay seller says the edge is "keen". (Who know what that means?) So what is the best way of making it blunt enough for my purposes BUT also doesn't damage the blade so much that, what I do eventually get to the point of starting to hone, I find I've permanently ruined it.
All advice gratefully received!
Either way you have started on a very rewarding hobby.
