My first straight razors

[MwBuckeye]

Hi everyone!

I recently started shaving with a shavette to prepare for a traditional straight razor. I began looking for vintage straights and I got a little carried away... I got three. I'm waiting for them to arrive now. I'll be cleaning them up and looking for a place to have them honed until I can get the sharpening stones to do it myself. I'm currently located in Columbus Ohio. I don't know very much of the history behind these models.

1. J.R.Torrey Co

2. John S. Holler & Co "Celebrated"

3. Focus 42 friedr schlemper solingen merscheid

Looking forward to talking with you guys and learning more about straight razor shaving!

 

[sanookd]

Welcome to B & B. You’re in for a big surprise the first time you put a sharpened straight blade to your face compared to a shavette. A real straight is much more forgiving than a shavette. www.bobsrazors.com is in Nashville. He could clean them up and hone them for you but so can many others here. You’ll be amazed at the skill some of the members here possess. Good luck on your straight razor journey and welcome to the rabbit hole.

 

[camoloc]

congrats on nice razors!!!

I'm a huge fan of the JR Torrey razors.......as i own three of them.

I live less than two hours away from you. I will offer to clean and hone the Torrey for you if you would like. the only critical decision you would have to make is how you would like the razor finished.

Balsa/Diamond edge, Blk & Surgical Ark, Cnat, 12k Shapton Kuromaku, Ancient Ocean Jasper, or Jnat (which I'm preferring these days)

no pressure and no obligations to you sir.

camo

 

[Slash McCoy]

Hi everyone!

I recently started shaving with a shavette to prepare for a traditional straight razor. I began looking for vintage straights and I got a little carried away... I got three. I'm waiting for them to arrive now. I'll be cleaning them up and looking for a place to have them honed until I can get the sharpening stones to do it myself. I'm currently located in Columbus Ohio. I don't know very much of the history behind these models.

1. J.R.Torrey Co

2. John S. Holler & Co "Celebrated"

3. Focus 42 friedr schlemper solingen merscheid

Looking forward to talking with you guys and learning more about straight razor shaving!

Welcome to the art of shaving in the manly way! You are in good company and this is the right place to learn. I think just about all the regulars on the straight razor subforums here have owned at least one Torrey, a fairly good mass produced brand that is well liked. I have no personal knowledge of the other two that you have, but the center one, with the white scales, is the one you want to start with. All it needs is to be honed. The first one, which I can't tell from the pics but looks like it would be the Torrey, needs a bit more work, and the little 4/8 one will be just slightly more difficult to learn to shave with. Coat those two lightly with petroleum jelly and set them aside for the moment. Get the middle one honed, and meanwhile do your homework. You will need a strop, too. Beware cheapies from China and Pakistan. They are meant to sell, not to be used. OTOH don't spend $180 on a premium strop that you will very likely cut to shreds while learning to use it, either. I would set a budget of between $35 and $50. An Illinois (Fromm) cowhide strop would work okay. For a bit more quality, our go-to strop guy here might have something good for a beginner, at Heirloom Razor Strop Co. - Shaving, Straight Razor. The owner, @Tony Miller, is a member here.

 

[Kyle89]

Nice man. I'm only 10 shaves in but the ride has been a fun one. Enjoy the journey.

@Slash McCoy Will look into those strops myself. Thank you for the link.

 

[camoloc]

Nice man. I'm only 10 shaves in but the ride has been a fun one. Enjoy the journey.

@Slash McCoy Will look into those strops myself. Thank you for the link.

the only strop I use!!!!

camo

 

[Slash McCoy]

Nice man. I'm only 10 shaves in but the ride has been a fun one. Enjoy the journey.

@Slash McCoy Will look into those strops myself. Thank you for the link.

I just checked and his new $35 no frills beginner horsehide strop looks like just the ticket. Perfect first strop. Notice that it has D ring top and bottom, That lets you swap ends if you put a big cut in the right hand edge, a common mishap. This is a very good price for a horsehide strop of this level of quality. You will NOT find better at that price, pretty sure of that. Get it before he runs out of them. You snooze, you lose. You snore, lose more.

 

[camoloc]

I just checked and his new $35 no frills beginner horsehide strop looks like just the ticket. Perfect first strop. Notice that it has D ring top and bottom, That lets you swap ends if you put a big cut in the right hand edge, a common mishap. This is a very good price for a horsehide strop of this level of quality. You will NOT find better at that price, pretty sure of that. Get it before he runs out of them. You snooze, you lose. You snore, lose more.

^^^^^^^

wisdom and sage advice to be found here.

camo

 

[Frank Shaves]

Welcome - be patient and enjoy the ride!

 

[Ravenonrock]

Welcome - be patient and enjoy the ride!

+1 Would be curious to know how you find the SR shave experience. Keep updating as you go and good luck.

 

[Straight up]

Welcome aboard, enjoy the journey, it's worth your time.

 

[2bit_collie]

The first photo must be the Torrey. It looks like the “Our 136” I have been restoring the past week. After multiple hours of hand sanding, I have the shape burned into my brain!

 

[CongaJon]

Welcome to your new obsession! Hope you have plenty of display space... Or more self control than me!