Introduction, new to straights, not to B&B

[Lightcs1776]

I have been on B&B for more than a year, but just ordered my first straight from a member here, MeanPR. The razor is a Robesen Shur 5/8 straight. I know absolutely nothing about straights, but a couple of members have reached out to me to help me get started. I didn't realize I needed a strop right away, but will pick one up before trying out the razor. I also didn't realize how much goes into setting the bevel on a straight. Actually, I didn't realize how much goes into straight razor shaving, but I am looking forward to it. I keep a beard, so I don't have a lot of face for shaving, so I am hopeful my neck will be patient with me. Anyhow, I have started searching through this section of the forum and appreciate all the information provided here.

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[majorrich]

Welcome to the Grand Rabbit Hole Chris! Take things slow and you will be fine. A strop is pretty important to keep the edge clean and straight after daily use. As a stop-gap, I used the good-ol yellow pages as a makeshift strop until mine arrived. I opened to a random page and while it was on the table, practiced my stropping stroke. As a side benefit, I didn't have to worry about slashing my new strop accidently. Once again, Welcome aboard and Keep up appraised of your progress. The guys are great about helping out with advice and material as needed! Watch us in the Journal section.

 

[Bbb34]

You'll get tons of great advice here, I know I have.
I'm only 5 straight razor shaves ahead of you and am doing better than I ever thought I would.

I got very comfortable with it right away and with only 5 shaves in I can pull off shave good enough to not require DE razor cleanup. It's not as close or as fast shave as I get with my DE razor, but I'm assuming that'll come with time. Stropping also looks a lot more difficult in the videos that it was once I tried it (I liked these instructions). I had many doubts about my ability to strop, but once I started playing with it, going slow and paying attention, and it's not so bad.

Two biggest challenges for me so far:
- Shaving upper 1/4 of my mustache area and side/corners of my mouth.
- With stropping, even though I'm doing everything according to instructions, for someone new, it's impossible to tell if you're doing it right. Of course you can do "arm hair" test and will know how well you did once you start shaving, but it'd be nice to know how are you doing as you're stropping (again, I hope that'll come with more experience).

Good luck, take it slow and have fun with it.

 

[meanpr]

stretch the skin, take it slow and its a learning curve so be patient.

 

[Lightcs1776]

Thanks very much for the warm welcome. Also a special thanks to Bbb34, who has been sharing his experience with me. I am excited to go down this road for some reason that is unknown to me. Now for a search for a strop.

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[Ice-Man]

Lightcs1776 Hi and welcome to the straights (darkside) of shaving, and a very deep rabbit hole but its all worth it in the end. Just remember the golden rule nice and slow, once you get going you will get faster but its not a race.
Yes your most important items to start with are Razor and a strop, try to get a 3inch wide to learn on but cheap leather so it wont matter if it gets nicks or cuts. As they do till you get the hang of it then you can get a better one later on, but when the strop comes don't use it to start with do a shave to see how sharp they are. That is the bench mark you will work to to keep it the same as it should be shave ready,

But once again Welcome Chris!!

 

[supertrunker]

My first strop was a poor man's strop from Larry at whippeddog.com and it's about $15. True to form it's the strop that has remained undamaged despite my best efforts and the leather one i bought when i got 2 blood-free shaves in a row sustained various nicks.

My latest one is a nylon and leather one and i paid about $50 for it in a sale. Knowing my ability to chew up leather with my miserable stropping technique, i also bought a replacement bit of leather from Larry for $18, but it seems i'm improving as i have not needed it yet.

With Hallowe'en coming it's pleasant to strop a razor in full view of everyone!

T

 

[Luecke2326]

Welcome! So, you've decided to take up the noble art of straight razor shaving, you're gonna do fine! The worst you can do with a surgical sharp piece of steel is cut yourself, but then again chicks dig scars. Please ask for help if you need it, we are all happy to support your new hobby/AD. Best wishes,

Matt (one of the many enablers on this side of the forum)


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[Lightcs1776]

Great information about stops. It is really appreciated. I looked at the Whipped Dog strops. They definitely have some good prices.

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[Lightcs1776]

I decided I couldn't wait and tried the razor. I am hooked. It wasn't sharp enough, but I still was able to shave a little. I don't know why, but I enjoy it more than any other shaving method. The only issue I had was that I really have to watch the beard. It took of a bit of it by the top of the cheeks.

I am sending it to a member who generously offered to hone and sharpen it for me. I will know what sharp really is when I get it back.

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[Bbb34]

I decided I couldn't wait and tried the razor. I am hooked. It wasn't sharp enough, but I still was able to shave a little. I don't know why, but I enjoy it more than any other shaving method.....

Good to hear it's going well.
I don't know that I personally am enjoying it more but it's welcome change for me, and it'll only get better.

Curious to hear how it goes after honing, keep us up to date.

 

[Lightcs1776]

Thought I would update my progress. My razor is out to another member who is helping me out. In fact, he realized the pin was loose, something I didn't know even enough about straights to know it wasn't right. I ordered the Poor Man's strop set from Whipped Dog. Larry at WD was a pleasure to do business with and I will certainly consider his business in the future. He also sent me some information on how to get started with the razor. I am certainly getting anxious to learn this new way of shaving.

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