I've been wet shaving with a DE razor for the past couple of years and I am now looking to move towards SR shaving. What is require to get started and to maintain the razor's edge for let's say a month of shaving? I am looking into a Ralf Aust 5/8 in a Spanish tip Razor Emporium since I am comfortable with knives and am not concerned about not having a rounded point. Is this the best place to purchase and can get by with just the razor and a strop? PS if there is a better location to post these inquires please let me know.
Just getting started
- Thread starter trapperpete
- Start date
Ralf Aust should be shave ready out the box. Thus only stropping is required u til you need a refresh. Generally speaking a well homed RA should be good for many months. After that a refresh can be done on a single finishing stone, or maintained with pasted strops such as balsa
- Thread starter
- #3
The second part of the question. Would you stick with a 5/8 or move right to the 6/8 RA and would I be better off to purchase a $100 strop or a cheaper one start? Other razor and strop suggestions?
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
Welcome to the gentlemanly art of SR shaving.
5/8 or 6/8 is a personal decision. I started with 6/8 and had no trouble with it. Many others say 5/8 is a good one to start with.
As for your first strop, I would suggest you go cheaper. You WILL cut at least your first strop up. I went through two in my first few months before my stroppping technique settled down.
Chinese Generic 60mm (2-3/8") wide Dual Denim/Calf-hide Hanging Strop
A budget strop that gets the job done.
www.badgerandblade.com
- Thread starter
- #5
I read one of your other posts earlier on purchasing a cheaper strop to start with, so I looked around and found something similar to your posted photo. Most of the reviews said that the product would only be good for kitchen knives...should I be concerned or just go for it? To me basically leather is leather for a beginner or can some qualities adversely affect an SR edge? Keep in mind I will be purchasing something better later.
Similar questions here, so thank you for asking them 
For my tentative steps toward SR I've ordered a "poor man's strop kit" as it seemed to provide a sacrificial strop plus a couple other potentially interesting or useful items. I would totally try the AliEexpress items if I weren't so impatient (sometimes I seem to get AE stuff surprisingly quickly and other times it seems to take months).
www.whippeddog.com
For my tentative steps toward SR I've ordered a "poor man's strop kit" as it seemed to provide a sacrificial strop plus a couple other potentially interesting or useful items. I would totally try the AliEexpress items if I weren't so impatient (sometimes I seem to get AE stuff surprisingly quickly and other times it seems to take months).
Poor Man Strop | WhippedDog
The Poor Man strop kit contains a 2" x 26" leather strop and a balsa strop to which abrasives have been added. It also includes a hook for wall mounting, and a small packet of Neatsfoot oil for treating the leather strop. The leather strop can also be looped around a towel rod.
www.whippeddog.com
- Thread starter
- #7
Right now I own a vintage Novelty Cutlery 5/8 that I purchase last year from a local sale. I have no idea what it is worth and would like to get the edge restored so I can also try it along with whatever new SR I purchase. Does anyone have any recommendations as to whom I should contact for the service? Or would it be suggested that I wait and do it myself once I get proficient at honing?
I can do the edge for you if you would like. Pm me.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
The poor man's strip is a good starter, however I found that a slightly wide strop was easier to learn on as it doesn't need such a marked X stroke movement.
@SliceOfLife did a good report of cheaper strops here:
www.badgerandblade.com
@SliceOfLife did a good report of cheaper strops here:
Not looking for a value strop
I kind of have the attitude of buy once cry once. Should I buy a value strop or just spend the money and get a good one. Damn rabbit hole!
www.badgerandblade.com
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
@trapperpete, knowing your location would help.
- Thread starter
- #11
I'm in Grand Rapids Minnesota US. I looked around and didn't find an option in my account for location.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
Go to your account details and under your date of birth entry you find a place to enter your location.
- Thread starter
- #13
For the life of me. I've looked everywhere in the account settings and I don't see that as an option. Would I perhaps need to purchase a membership for it to show?
Click your avatar picture, go to account details, scroll down to location
- Thread starter
- #15
I see the problem. My account says my full details are currently unavailable.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
Maybe you need to first have more posts here. The admin can be funny about things like that sometimes.
- Thread starter
- #17
Yah. I was thinking it may also be because I changed my time zone settings from Russia to CST US today after your comment. Why it ever would default to a Russian time zone is beyond me.
Should I also look into picking up some balsa strops? Looks like the whipped dog link that haggis sent over has them for around $10.
Should I also look into picking up some balsa strops? Looks like the whipped dog link that haggis sent over has them for around $10.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
Balsa strops for use with diamond paste are a good idea but readymade ones are normally not suitable. Each need a working surface area of about 300mm x 75mm (12" x 3"). Probably best if you make your own three.
Here is how to make one:
www.badgerandblade.com
Here is how to use them (with a summary at post #1,132):
www.badgerandblade.com
Here is how to make one:
How To - Make A Balsa Strop
1. INTRODUCTION Balsa strops are used with cutting compounds in the final progressions of blade edge preparation. They are normally hand-held and the blade is stropped on the pasted balsawood similar to stropping on a leather strop (the progression finale). 2. OVERALL SIZE – (Don’t believe...
www.badgerandblade.com
Here is how to use them (with a summary at post #1,132):
How To Use a Pasted Balsa Strop
Having gone into some detail when asked or prompted in many threads, I thought I should comprehensively lay out the method in a separate thread, for reference. Thing 1. The Balsa Strop. Buy 3" wide balsa. Best to buy a 36" length. It is cheaper. Hobby Hut, Hobby Lobby, and other brick and...
www.badgerandblade.com
Hobby lobby has balsa, I bought a length of balsa from them cut it and fixed it to quarter inch glass. Diamond paste is fairly accessible, online shopping is the best option. The method is the best way to get into fantastically sharp edges. Lots of threads on that.
Diamond pastes aren't in your future until that bevel gets set properly; I can barely make out the word "Novelty" on it, so no help on the ID.
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