I went to college there in late 60s early 70s. We're looking in the small towns you are talking about - Wahalla, Seneca, Westminister, etc.
Is This a Shave-Ready Edge?
- Thread starter Chan Eil Whiskers
- Start date
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Jim
Nearly anyone who hones razors professionally protect the edge by oiling the blade. Even though the GD 800 razor is stainless steel, it will still corrode if exposed to adverse conditions, it just won't corrode as rapidly as carbon steel.So oiling the blade before shipment is a good idea.
When stropping, it is customary to strop on some type of fabric strop to remove any residue or contamination from the blade. Otherwise you leather strop will become contaminated over time. Cloth strops are relatively inexpensive compared to leather. Cloth strops are also easier to clean.
If a razor has any type of moisture, oil, or other contaminants, the arm hair test or hanging hair test is likely to fail, even on an otherwise properly honed blade. Always clean and strop a blade before trying such a test. The only test of a blade that matters, however, is the shave test. If you can get a close, comfortable shave using the blade using a suitable shave soap or cream, then the blade is shave ready. If not, then it needs more work.
The problem is that "shave ready" depends entirely on your beard and face. I have a very tough beard and I have a very sensitive face, so very few blades that I have purchased have been "shave ready" by my standards even though I could shave with most of them. I had to learn to hone my own blades to meet the requirements of my beard and face.
I you cannot shave with the blade after stropping, send me a private message. If you send me the razor, I will gladly evaluate the blade under my USB microscope and hone it as needed based on the evaluation. I will evaluate the honed blade under my microscope and send you the before and after microphotographs. I will shave with the blade to insure it is shave ready and then sterilize the blade in Barbacide, oil the blade, and return it to you postage paid. Your only cost would be the postage to ship the blade to my location near Chicago. I hone on a combination of synthetic and natural stones up to about a 15K level and then strop the blade on pasted strops with 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125 micron CBN abrasive to insure a keen, smooth edge.
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- #23
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
The ride was called Ride for the Raptors. Out of Pendleton. Very nice little town from the little bit I saw of it which was mostly the square on a festive Saturday a couple of times.
- Thread starter
- #24
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I didn't know about removing the oil first before stropping on leather. Good thing to know!
How is the cloth strop cleaned? Mine (from Tony Miller) is linen and can be taken apart. I've not used my linen strop yet.
That may explain a lot! Thanks.
What a nice offer. I am floored. It sure sound like you have it down, the honing.
I'm going to shave with the razor tomorrow, or at least give it a shot. I think, after I stropped it today, it's probably up to the task, but we'll see.
I had absolutely no idea that one should strop a new razor first on a cloth strop. That's great information.
My shave-ready GD from the Classic Edge came with instructions saying not to strop it right away, but to dip the razor in hot water before shaving to get rid of the razor oil on the blade. They also said not to strop it for the first two or three shaves. It was very nicely shave-ready. Looked shave-ready. Felt shave-ready on my skin. Nicely done honing by CE according to my very limited knowledge.
Anyway, I so much appreciate your offer. Assuming the second GD, the GD 800 in this thread, is shave-ready I may be on the right track. I have a couple of other razors, a GD 1996 and a YZ, both not shave-ready, but ready for me to practice honing, and I have Japanese waterstones stones in transit.
Your offer is so generous. I will keep it in mind.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I lived in Pendleton for a year while I was in school in what was known by the locals as the hippie house. Also, the GD1996 is a great razor to practice honing on because there are no stabilizers to get in the way.
Jim
I was at a razor meet-up this past weekend with about a dozen other shavers. We were making new strops and restoring old ones, along with making scales, honing razors, etc. There were dozens of vintage strops, some in pretty bad condition. Fabric strops serve two purposes: the first is to clean the edge of the blade of any oil, dirt, soap residue, etc. from the blade; the second is to realign the metallic fragments of the edge. The leather strop then completes the realignment process and then polishes the edge to make it smoother. Both fabric and leather strops can be cleaned, but cleaning a fabric strop is a lot simpler. Assuming your strop is put together with Chicago screws, you can disassemble the strop and hand wash the fabric portion of the strop in a dish detergent like Dawn. However, unless you have a vintage strop that is already dirty, you should be able to go quite a while before a new strop gets dirty enough to require cleaning. After washing, rinse the fabric strop well and allow it to dry on a flat surface. You can even iron it if necessary to keep it flat.
Leather strops can be cleaned using something like saddle soap or even a tallow based shaving soap, but be aware that cleaning a leather strop is likely to change the draw of the strop. That is why it is best to keep the leather clean so it does not need cleaning.
If you rub the surface of the leather with the palm of your hand, oils from your hand will help keep the leather supple. If it dries out, you can apply a small amount of neatsfoot oil. Unless it is a vintage strop that has been neglected, a few drops of oil rubbed into the leather should be sufficient to maintain it.
I couldn't help wondering from the pictures in the first post if the problems there weren't the scales as reflected. If it's just standing oil, then spritz it off with alcohol and carefully wipe off the blade with a soft, clean rag or bar towel. Repeat once more as needed. A genuine "shave-ready" edge should be shaved with without stropping beforehand, as someone who is new to stropping risks to damage the edge in stropping, thus altering the "shave ready" state of things before the blade has even touched his face.
So, I got my first from JR and having been using it for 5 shaves, stropping at night with a horse hide/linen combo and a paddle leather smooth and rough out. The razor "tree tops" well. @steveclarkus also sent me a shave ready that I have been using and stopping between shaves. I feel both were delivered "shave ready", but one still must develop the ability to use the blade effectively. Coming for safety razors we've not "honed", no pun intended 
, the skill to maintain the correct or most effective angle to date. A sharp SR, a shavette sharp, or DE/SE sharp are not all the same sharp, perhaps.
, the skill to maintain the correct or most effective angle to date. A sharp SR, a shavette sharp, or DE/SE sharp are not all the same sharp, perhaps.- Thread starter
- #29
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
That's why I bought it. It looks like a pretty nice razor, too.
I would have like the hippie house I think.
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- #30
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
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- #31
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Thanks.
The problems weren't reflections from the scales. Whatever I was seeing was clear to the naked eye, and one only one side of the edge, and visible from many angles.
Good advice this, "A genuine "shave-ready" edge should be shaved with without stropping beforehand, as someone who is new to stropping risks to damage the edge in stropping, thus altering the "shave ready" state of things before the blade has even touched his face." That seems to be what the instructions from Classic Edge were implying. They said to dip their razor, the GD66, in hot water before using it to get rid of the razor oil, but not to strop until after the second or third shave. Their razor, which I've used, was clearly very sharp and shave-ready and looked to be with both the naked eye and the 4X loupe.
The WSP GD200 looked wrong, but, after stropping, looks okay. We'll see how it shaves, And, of course, as a newbie, my stropping could have ruined the edge.
I would assume the Classic Edge honer both honed and stropped the razor, but I don't actually know that.
Every one of these replies is teaching me something. It's amazing how much I don't know.
Happy shaves,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #32
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
So, I got my first from JR and having been using it for 5 shaves, stropping at night with a horse hide/linen combo and a paddle leather smooth and rough out. The razor "tree tops" well. @steveclarkus also sent me a shave ready that I have been using and stopping between shaves. I feel both were delivered "shave ready", but one still must develop the ability to use the blade effectively. Coming for safety razors we've not "honed", no pun intended
No doubt you're exactly right.
When it comes to all things SR related I'm not that sharp.
Great post. I’ve nicked my horse hide a few times. Nothing seriois. I rubbed my palm after lightly sanding . Is this the current wisdom ?
I hardly remember it. Lol
Yep. If you get a deeper slice, you can repair it with super glue and sandpaper. Keep the spine on the leather and you want cut it. Everyone cuts his first strop so don’t feel like the Lone Ranger. The only way to learn to strop is to do it and mistakes are a certainty.
Thank you. I’ve seen some old strops and small had nicks at the “turnarounds”. I also have seen videos of older barbers and they only use a foot or less of strop.
If you tend to nick your strop, slow down until you master the timing of the flip at the end of each stroke. The tang should rotate in your fingers as opposed to rotating your wrist; some movement of the wrist will be necessary, but not a 180 degree rotation. Once you master the timing, you should be able to pick up speed without nicking the strop. Someone once said "don't strop faster than you can count laps".
When you sand out a nick, you are trying to make sure that no leather protrudes above the surface of the strop. A slight depression does not hurt. If necessary, you can use a hone or lapping plate. If the strop is in good condition other than the nick that is sanded out, rubbing with the palm of your hand should be sufficient. You want to make sure no abrasive grit is left behind on the strop to damage your edge.
I used a fine grained metal file ever so sparingly.
My vintage has a cut at the top turnaround and I used CA glue and fine sandpaper and got a perfect repair. I use most of the strop but everyone develops his own stroke.
Yes, I forgot to mention that after spritzing the blade off with alcohol (in my case), I rinse the blade off with hot water from the faucet before shaving.
