Jumping in ...

[ClockworkOrange]

Hello gentlemen -
So after a hiatus from B&B and having become a DE wetshaver for a number of years thanks to the fine folks here, I decided to try to take the cut-throat plunge. I started off with a shavette, and I actually really enjoyed the experience - though I certainly paid the blood price for impatience, and realized that there is as much of a learning curve with the straight razor as there was with the DE, but different.

I just (tonight!) jumped on a fleabay auction after perusing threads here and going on recommendations, and picked up a couple vintage razors from johnloc1.

So my questions are:

How shave ready are these "shave ready" razors - does the shipping and transit process require that I give them a few passes on a strop before I put them on my phiz? Is that a wise practice regardless?

What strop and supplies should I look at getting to maintain these beauties for the future? (I realize that these are pretty much "starter" razors, and I'm well aware of my own RAD ... )

Which leads to my last question - what's the next best step (And I know there's a lot of ways to go from here, just looking for general guidance)

Thanks for everything, gents! So glad to be a part of this group!

 

[Clay S]

I think I remember johnloc1 mentioned as shipping shave ready razors, or at least is dependable sales person. I believe the former. If you aren't sure of your stropping skills, I would try the blade first. Blades are better after stropping; if you do it right. Do it wrong and you no longer have a shave ready edge.

Someone will chime in about johnloc1.

Looks like a couple of nice blades.

Found reference:
[URL="https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/my-journey-into-straight-razors.560427/#post-10033869"]My Journey into Straight Razors[/URL]

 

[Twelvefret]

I've bought twice from Johnloc and both were shave ready. You might ask him if he used tape on your two razors in case you decide to touch up on stones. Most members here say to strop on leather before shaving.

 

[steveclarkus]

I think I remember johnloc1 mentioned as shipping shave ready razors, or at least is dependable sales person. I believe the former. If you aren't sure of your stropping skills, I would try the blade first. Blades are better after stropping; if you do it right. Do it wrong and you no longer have a shave ready edge.

Someone will chime in about johnloc1.

Looks like a couple of nice blades.

Found reference:
My Journey into Straight Razors

I’ve bought a couple from him and they are shave ready - finished on 12k stone. He does home with tape. He is is a straight up guy.

 

[ClockworkOrange]

Thanks gents! The razors should be arriving next week, along with a strop, a balsa strop and some paste from whipped dog, so I should be set for maintenance for the first couple of months. Thanks to my DE habit, I'm well supplied with brushes, creams, pre-shave oils, towels, alum blocks, styptics, etc. - though can you ever really have too many creams? I do foresee a whole new dimension of RAD setting in however as I look through vintage razors and pics on this forum at some of the beautiful scales, ornate etching on blades, detailed spines ... oh boy. And apparently I'm going to have to buy some stones and some beat up blades and learn how to hone at some point too ...

Man. I guess it really is turtles all the way down, huh?

 

[Clay S]

Thanks gents! The razors should be arriving next week, along with a strop, a balsa strop and some paste from whipped dog, so I should be set for maintenance for the first couple of months. Thanks to my DE habit, I'm well supplied with brushes, creams, pre-shave oils, towels, alum blocks, styptics, etc. - though can you ever really have too many creams? I do foresee a whole new dimension of RAD setting in however as I look through vintage razors and pics on this forum at some of the beautiful scales, ornate etching on blades, detailed spines ... oh boy. And apparently I'm going to have to buy some stones and some beat up blades and learn how to hone at some point too ...

Man. I guess it really is turtles all the way down, huh?

Whipped dog does provide a good set of stropping tools at a variety of price points. I started with, and am still using the poor man's strop w/ flaws if available. I didn't notice any flaws before I started stropping, but I have added some since I've began!

Unlike DEs, SRs are almost entirely skill, so "starter" razors can very possible only be good for 88 years, if you start young. You might decide you want to try wider, thinner, different grinds, or just more decorative, but a beginning razor can last a lifetime.

For longer term maintenance, lapping films and either thick plexiglass or a tile can be used.
Lapping film, try it.