I am considering my first real straight razor but have a few questions.

[Gary H]

I am considering buying my first straight razor this one
Size: 5/8"
Material: Carbon steel
Grind: Full hollow ground
Scales: Black resin
Markings: Etched "Boker Arbolito"
I understand the stropping process but do not understand honing. How often does a straight razor need to be honed? Aside from stropping and keeping the razor dry and clean are there other daily maintenance requirements?

 

[Kentos]

As a new user it will need honing quite regularly until your technique improves. How often is anyone's guess but it can be as soon as after the first shave, once a week, once a fortnight, etc.

Once you are good you may not need to touch up hone once every few months if even that.

Daily chores would be only stropping and keeping the thing dry. Getting started can be frustrating at times, but once everything is worked out it goes quite smoothly.

 

[cb91710]

Ditto.
I just honed my 15/16 Wacker last night.
Last time it was honed was around the beginning of August.

Prior to that, it seemed like I was going to the hones every month or so.
Bad shaving AND stropping technique, one bad pass can "roll" the edge and require a trip back to the stones.

 

[Gary H]

What is the cost to purchase honing supplies? To be more specific what is the medium cost to get started?

 

[noahpictures]

You can buying lapping film and a lapping plate for less than $40. Or you can buy a coticule and a slurry stone for around $100. Do some reading in the honing section to find which is more appealing.

 

[smalltank]

trust me...its much easier to send your razor to a pro (like me!) when you buy your first razor or after 3+months when it starts to tug n pull...I sent all my razors to my good friend in the UK..I did this every 3 months for "touchups" for exactly 1 year then woke up one morning really wanting to hone my own...so..first learn the basics...then go onto honing when shaving becomes second nature...

 

[noahpictures]

I respectfully disagree with Smalltank. Honing is not rocket science and there is no mystery to it. Learning to hone is easier than learning to shave with a straight razor, IMO.

I learned honing here by asking questions and sharing my experience. There is nothing more satisfying than honing your own razor and shaving with it.

 

[Kentos]

Well, we want people outside the "circle of straight shaving" to think shaving and honing are a black science...keeps our street cred strong

Once you join the brotherhood we will all do our best to teach you to hone and help you empty your wallet buying straights strops and hones.

Some like to just concentrate on learning to shave and send out razors for service. Others jump both feet in the deep end and try to do everything at once. Both ways work- it just depends on what kind of person you are.

Finally, remember we can only offer advice from our own point of views. This often results in 10 different solutions to the same problem. The fun part is trying the out to see which works best for you.

So from my experience I would purchase 2 vintage shave ready razors and only shave with one. When that one gets dull, you either send it out for honing and use the second one in the interim, or dive into honing and use the second still shave-ready razor as a benchmark.

If money is tight, and it always is, research lapping films and start there.

GL!! And YMMV

 

[oakeshott]

I respectfully disagree with Smalltank. Honing is not rocket science and there is no mystery to it. Learning to hone is easier than learning to shave with a straight razor, IMO.

I learned honing here by asking questions and sharing my experience. There is nothing more satisfying than honing your own razor and shaving with it.

I respectfully disagree with your first assertion while enthusiastically endorsing your second.

Learning to straight shave was mostly a steady increase in competency to the point now where I get reliably excellent, comfortable shaves. Honing looks more like a chart of the stock market in a week of uncertainty. One day my edges come effortlessly and the next I can't find a bevel with both hands and a bevel sniffing dog.

But oh, when you can do both, it's fantastic.

 

[global_dev]

So OP yeah pretty much everyone always agrees.

 

[Krodor]

So OP yeah pretty much everyone always agrees.

 

[global_dev]

Gary, there are differences between re-honing a straight and re-finishing a straight.. re-honing would require back t bevel setting. getting that "V" back after it turns into a "U". Re-finishing would take a decently performing straight and using paste or sprays get it back to great feeling.. both are dependent on many factors, including as mentioned above shaving technique, metal quality, previous hone job, strop ability, etc.

i have never tried CrOx, but i hear it works wonders on balsa for maintaining an edge.. an relatively inexpensive. properly used and maintained a straight can forgo a re-honing for many months, but be aware too much "maintenance" can ruin an edge too. "clean" stropping should be enough, but once in a while a paste or spray can help improve..

it's definitely more complex than using a blade and tossing, but it's really not that bad.

i learned to hone very shortly after I learned to shave. I was averse to sending it out and paying someone in the long run.. while it's not that difficult, it's not exactly cake the first couple of times either.. since most new people tend to focus on how shiny they can get the edge at fine high grits, but miss the "base" which is the edge quality at the bevel set.. ~1000K..

good luck! and BTW I think we can all agree on what i have said above for real...

 

[gash]

...So from my experience I would purchase 2 vintage shave ready razors and only shave with one. When that one gets dull, you either send it out for honing and use the second one in the interim, or dive into honing and use the second still shave-ready razor as a benchmark...

I agree completely, and it brings up one point I think most of us would agree on: when you're starting out with straights, it is incredibly helpful (almost required) to start with a blade that's been honed by an experienced honer. You need to have a reference of sharpness so that you can tell when the blade is not sharp enough.

Now, then, who's going to be the first to disagree? Don't feel shy.

 

[Seraphim]

5/8 roundpoint?!

 

[global_dev]

5/8 roundpoint?!

Not a fan, huh

 

[wherndon]

Honing? Whats that?
I haven't honed a blade yet. I just buy a new one when the shave runs out.
Just kidding, I have a hunk of marble, but yet to buy some film for it.
I think, if you are careful, you can go months before a blade needs more than a strop.
Heck, I don't even strop every time.
Oh, did I mention I'm a newb to this? Only been wet shaving for about 5 months.
But, damn, I love this....
regards,
Bil

PS: and thanks to this, I am now a member of the Nib.....

 

[Seraphim]

Not a fan, huh

Have you noticed?

At least it's not a Dovo 5/8 roundpoint....

 

[sugra]

Have you noticed?

At least it's not a Dovo 5/8 roundpoint....

Hey, I resemble that remark...

(but the stable expands apace... in blade widths and evil points, even)

 

[wherndon]

I just received a 3/8, what does that count for?

 

[Krodor]

I just received a 3/8, what does that count for?

Seraphim, slap me if I'm wrong, but I think the 5/8 dovo roundpoint comment was that it's pretty common and not all that exciting (gives great shaves, though, of course).

a 3/8? that's unusual, and I've got one just under 4/8...yowzah, nice shave, just gotta rinse a lot.