Congratulations on your progress Shangas. I think your "fire in" attitude has a lot to do with your success. Straight shaving is not for people who hesitate. I too started with a vintage straight that I honed myself and stropped on newspaper.
Newbie tiptoes into straight-razors...
- Thread starter Shangas
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #42
Thanks for your vote of confidence, Al. I'm rather enjoying shaving with my straight, now. I went to the local shave-shop today to buy a sturdier, brass stand for my shaving-brush (stand cost me $15) and I noticed some brand-new straight-razors for sale.
$170!! Yeepers! I'd rather stick to my $35 bargain-basement bonanza.
I agree with what you say, though. Shaving with a straight-razor isn't for the faint of heart, nervous of wits or tender of foot. You need a certain amount of courage and "to hell with it!" attitude to just up and do it and see how it works. If I didn't take that first step, I wouldn't be enjoying it now. Straight razors are dangerous masters. They reward patience, research and care and punish stupidity and laziness...with the death penalty.
--- --- --- ---
I must be an incredibly fast learner, or incredibly damn lucky.
I just had my fifth straight-shave and there's only one word to describe it.
Perfection
Smooth, comfortable, bloodless, burnless and cutless. I am *SOLD* on straight-razor shaving. This is the most amazing thing in the world!
I present, for the court's consideration, some of the results of my facial goldpanning, which my blade scooped up in its travels...
The stubble is absolutely grain-of-sand tiny and the razor scooped it all off my face despite the miniscule size...and without taking half my face off with it and leaving me with razor-burn. I am stunned, amazed and I am totally going to become a straight-razor shaver from now on.
$170!! Yeepers! I'd rather stick to my $35 bargain-basement bonanza.
I agree with what you say, though. Shaving with a straight-razor isn't for the faint of heart, nervous of wits or tender of foot. You need a certain amount of courage and "to hell with it!" attitude to just up and do it and see how it works. If I didn't take that first step, I wouldn't be enjoying it now. Straight razors are dangerous masters. They reward patience, research and care and punish stupidity and laziness...with the death penalty.
--- --- --- ---
I must be an incredibly fast learner, or incredibly damn lucky.
I just had my fifth straight-shave and there's only one word to describe it.
Perfection
Smooth, comfortable, bloodless, burnless and cutless. I am *SOLD* on straight-razor shaving. This is the most amazing thing in the world!
I present, for the court's consideration, some of the results of my facial goldpanning, which my blade scooped up in its travels...
The stubble is absolutely grain-of-sand tiny and the razor scooped it all off my face despite the miniscule size...and without taking half my face off with it and leaving me with razor-burn. I am stunned, amazed and I am totally going to become a straight-razor shaver from now on.
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- Thread starter
- #43
To test the very limits of my razor-ability thusfar, I had my sixth shave this afternoon, with absolutely stunning results. It's been one week using a straight-razor and from a total newbie last Sunday to this Sunday, I think I've made serious progress. I'm getting comfortable, smooth, consistent shaves with no bleeding, cuts or razor-burn. I'm honestly amazingly impressed.
I don't know if it's a fluke, if I'm just damn lucky, a fast learner or what, but I never expected to get the hang of this thing so quickly. Maybe I was a closet straight-shaver and never knew it until now...
I don't know if it's a fluke, if I'm just damn lucky, a fast learner or what, but I never expected to get the hang of this thing so quickly. Maybe I was a closet straight-shaver and never knew it until now...
- Thread starter
- #45
You're making me feel embarrassed, Luc!
I must say, though. Shaving this way is a lot of fun. I think I am thoroughly converted.
I must say, though. Shaving this way is a lot of fun. I think I am thoroughly converted.
That's all right
, now is the time to pick-up another straight for when your current straight will need honing...- Thread starter
- #47
Oh you're terrible, Luc. Now I want one with white or cream coloured celluloid scales to go with my current brushed stainless steel model...Why must I always have interests in stuff that are so wonderfully collectable.
What's the normal learning-curve for someone who steps into straight-shaving from a cold start? Because you couldn't get colder than I have and I reckon I've got it within a week. How long does it normally take to learn how to sharpen, strop, maintain and shave with one of these things?
What's the normal learning-curve for someone who steps into straight-shaving from a cold start? Because you couldn't get colder than I have and I reckon I've got it within a week. How long does it normally take to learn how to sharpen, strop, maintain and shave with one of these things?
Sharpen, I'm still learning but I got a nice high-end stone to keep my edges. I was un-happy with a barber hone. I'd say, lots of videos/reading on the subject...
Strop. I was lucky as I never rolled an edge (touching wood)... I started on newspaper and moved to a strop when I bought one.
Overall, to have a good decent shave, it took me around 20 shaves for a DFS and around 70 for a BBS...
But that's my experience, YMMV!
@Shangas, you're encouraging me to think - I damn well can maintain my own straight.
So far I've been bloody good at failing to improve knives at all, but honestly - that is without bothering to even read how to sharpen a blade, and trying to work out what grade my hone is!
You've also got me convinced that this time next week, my face will be a lot smoother than it is while I sit here typing this, having shaved with a proper straight for the first time a couple of hours ago.
So far I've been bloody good at failing to improve knives at all, but honestly - that is without bothering to even read how to sharpen a blade, and trying to work out what grade my hone is!
You've also got me convinced that this time next week, my face will be a lot smoother than it is while I sit here typing this, having shaved with a proper straight for the first time a couple of hours ago.
- Thread starter
- #50
Hi Westie,
All I did was follow about six or seven videos on YouTube. They all said the same thing. Lay the blade flat on the rough side of the stone and push it across with a little pressure, edge first. At the end, flip, repeat. Flip. Repeat. Flip. Repeat.
Do about 20-30 times on rough, then flip the stone, do 20-30 times on fine. Be sure to dip the razor or the stone in cold water to provide lubrication while you do this. My blade was pretty darn blunt when I bought it, so I was doing 30-40 strokes on each side for about two or three days straight before I got it ready to shave good and proper. But even then, you still need to strop the blade to keep it nice and smooth. I use an old belt for that (again, 20-30 times each side of the blade) but if Luc's stories are anything to go by, you can use a darn newspaper as well!
I found sharpness tests such as hanging-hair, thumbnail etc...to be bloody useless. And as I read in one article, they're not that accurate due to differences in the makeup of peoples' hair. The only reliable way to know if your blade is good and sharp and stropped right...is to take it for a shave. Ive had six shaves so far. By my third one I was doing good. The first two were crap because I hadn't sharpened the blade enough, but from #3 on, I knew I was onto something good and proper. And I've only been doing this a week.
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Yup.
And I've started to realize that one man's sharp isn't necessarily another's...I've shaved with razors from reputable vendors that have amazing honing creds and found some of them slightly wanting...a few runs on the barbers and a quick hit of the strop and it works fine...not sure if thats me, the razor or some combination thereof.
- Thread starter
- #52
I am now officially a straight-razor shaver, by reason that I have been officially inducted into the Hall of Straights, after my sacrifice and donation of blood.
In other words...I had my first straight-razor cut. Under my jaw, on the left side. Fortunately, only a small one, caused by inattention, sleepiness (never straight-shave before going to bed!) and a failure to adhere to regular stropping.
In other words...I had my first straight-razor cut. Under my jaw, on the left side. Fortunately, only a small one, caused by inattention, sleepiness (never straight-shave before going to bed!) and a failure to adhere to regular stropping.
In the words of an Army buddy of mine..."Rub some dirt on it Soldier and get back in the fight!"
- Thread starter
- #54
Yes sir!
I must say I'm enjoying straight-shaving more and more. It's relaxing and fun and it's reassuring and satisfying to actually SEE the stubble being neatly sliced off your face, to be presented to you on a gleaming, silver platter. So many pieces of evidence of your enemy's swift and brutal demise.
I must say I'm enjoying straight-shaving more and more. It's relaxing and fun and it's reassuring and satisfying to actually SEE the stubble being neatly sliced off your face, to be presented to you on a gleaming, silver platter. So many pieces of evidence of your enemy's swift and brutal demise.
Good work! The cut will heal quickly... I don't know if the AS has something to do with it...
- Thread starter
- #56
Hi Luc,
So far, so good, no drama and no panic.
I know they say that razors should be stropped after each shave, to maintain the edge, but how often should we have to hone our razors?
So far, so good, no drama and no panic.
I know they say that razors should be stropped after each shave, to maintain the edge, but how often should we have to hone our razors?
That depends on the razor and your technique...
You will need to strop after honing anyways... I have razors (I always do 3 passes) that last 15 shaves and others more around 30 shaves...
- Thread starter
- #59
I finally bought a proper strop! No more using that old belt!
I went to the flea-market this weekend, actually looking for another razor. Fortunately, I didn't find one that I liked (although I did find EIGHT straight-razors for sale. Like I said, that place is overflowing with the damn things!!). But I did buy a nice, paddle-strop for $25. It's German-made, in Solingen
And in perfect condition!!
I went to the flea-market this weekend, actually looking for another razor. Fortunately, I didn't find one that I liked (although I did find EIGHT straight-razors for sale. Like I said, that place is overflowing with the damn things!!). But I did buy a nice, paddle-strop for $25. It's German-made, in Solingen
And in perfect condition!!
I finally bought a proper strop! No more using that old belt!
I went to the flea-market this weekend, actually looking for another razor. Fortunately, I didn't find one that I liked (although I did find EIGHT straight-razors for sale. Like I said, that place is overflowing with the damn things!!). But I did buy a nice, paddle-strop for $25. It's German-made, in Solingen
8 straights for sale? Where did you go?
