noob to straight razor, few questions...

[saj]

hello there, so i've used shavettes, cut throat razors or whatever you call them where they take se blade,
but ive never owned a straight razor, i love the look of what i think you call the damascus steel straight razors, i mean the pattern just looks amazing

im a head shaver, ive used cartridge razors, de razors, shavettes for a fair few years but i do have a few questions in regards to straight razors

for a start might sound like a silly question but i dont care how stupid i sound if i want to understand something ill ask the questions ,
but bare in mind im a head shaver and not a face shaver at all

first one is regards to hygiene how do you stay on top of sanitizing them? how often do you have to clean them?
like for example with a shavette it uses se blades so just chuck them away and the rest is really easy to clean

is it better to get a new one already sharpened? or is it better to get something you can restore yourself?
i mean from what ive seen on places like ebay even the vintage straight razors seem to hold their value too

how does the sharpness on a straight razor compare to a se blade? or is it essentially the same?

how often do you have to sharpen them? (think the right term is hone, but i could be wrong)

what equipment do you need to sharpen them?

do you have to sharpen them by hand or can you use machinery to do it (can you tell im lazy lol )?

many thanks saj

 

[global_dev]

i'll take a stab at some of these

hello there, so i've used shavettes, cut throat razors or whatever you call them where they take se blade,
but ive never owned a straight razor, i love the look of what i think you call the damascus steel straight razors, i mean the pattern just looks amazing

helpful hint: stay away from the RSO damascus pieces

hygiene how do you stay on top of sanitizing them? how often do you have to clean them?

outside of the initial clean using a lysol wipe or something like that, never again.

is it better to get a new one already sharpened? or is it better to get something you can restore yourself?

already sharpened for a newbiw
learning to hone is difficult, a new hollow grind with great geometry, just slightly dull.. not too bad, a vintage piece near wedge, or warped or bad grind, with no bevel or bad geometry - more difficult.

i mean from what ive seen on places like ebay even the vintage straight razors seem to hold their value too

not exactly.. some do and depends on the trend and hype.

how does the sharpness on a straight razor compare to a se blade? or is it essentially the same?

mostly likely a bit less sharp but often just as sharp, depends on the honer, the honing, the razor, and the planets in alignment.

how often do you have to sharpen them? (think the right term is hone, but i could be wrong)

depends on technique, bevel angle, metal, and enjoyment.. there is a thread going on now about this.. some touch-up everyday at the super fine polish stage, i'd wager for a decent technique and edge it's a while before you'd need to rehone.

what equipment do you need to sharpen them?

a good surface (flat or convex) and various abrasives.. this could be natural stones, synthetic stones, film, pastes, sprays, etc...

do you have to sharpen them by hand or can you use machinery to do it (can you tell im lazy lol )?

it's manual labor, although someone posted a pic of a vintage machine that'll do the job.. if you could find one and if it even works (who knows)

 

[saj]

i'll take a stab at some of these

helpful hint: stay away from the RSO damascus pieces



outside of the initial clean using a lysol wipe or something like that, never again.



already sharpened for a newbiw
learning to hone is difficult, a new hollow grind with great geometry, just slightly dull.. not too bad, a vintage piece near wedge, or warped or bad grind, with no bevel or bad geometry - more difficult.



not exactly.. some do and depends on the trend and hype.

mostly likely a bit less sharp but often just as sharp, depends on the honer, the honing, the razor, and the planets in alignment.

depends on technique, bevel angle, metal, and enjoyment.. there is a thread going on now about this.. some touch-up everyday at the super fine polish stage, i'd wager for a decent technique and edge it's a while before you'd need to rehone.

a good surface (flat or convex) and various abrasives.. this could be natural stones, synthetic stones, film, pastes, sprays, etc...



it's manual labor, although someone posted a pic of a vintage machine that'll do the job.. if you could find one and if it even works (who knows)

what do you mean by RSO damascus pieces?

ohhh so it sounds like an art to be able to learn how to sharpen them,
sound difficult and a little off putting if im being honest

oh yea btw ive also noticed seeing pics on forums etc that some peeps have like a set of straight razors,
is that just being a part of their collection or is that because they shave so much they dont want to keep sharpening the one SR?

so sorry to sound thick but just to clarify,
when you use one of those strops is that just for basic maintenance,
where as when you need to hone you need to use stones pastes etc?

 

[global_dev]

Razor Shaped Objects. The steel is not right nor is the geometry right as a razor.

honing is not difficult if you can follow 1-2-3* guidance (search for newbie compendium) and once you have an edge, all you have to do for long time is edge maintenance (i dont mean stropping) Not overwhelming at all to maintain if you do it proactively. its a couple swipes back and forth lightly on a very fine abrasive.

Sets are just made for us fancy lads. they were not for barbers, but more for $$ presentation and marketing differentiation.
you can enjoy them for many different reasons.

strops are used to clear/clean up an edge, some say the use is not needed, for me it’s clear that it does something, how often you do it and for how long and on what is a personal decision.

 

[global_dev]

Here is an example of an RSO in damascus

there are some traditional razor shapes damascus as made by wacker, and also some wild ones from the artisan custom makers, but you will know which are which by visual inspection of the razor as well as price.

 

[Wolfgang von Kessler]

Straight razor is not for everyone. Only you can decide if you want to go down that road. Honing is not something that comes naturally to anyone (it has to be learned). Information, and "how to" is all over the web. Shaving with a straight razor is VERY enjoyable, and it's a skill most people don't have.

To me,...straight razor is a thing from the past, and as such, I am interested in vintage razors ONLY (well known/reputable German, British, French, Spanish brands). I like to restore mine by myself (there are numerous companies listed on the web that do it professionally), and although I've been shaving with straight for over 20 years, I am just now starting to learn honing. Honing is not a problem, if you want to ship your razor out to a professional, and they usually charge around $25. If you do that, you probably need to have more than one razor at hand. Stropping is easy to master, and you do it before every shave (on the leather). Cleaning the razor involves wiping it down with towel (I also dry out the inside of the scales with folded toilet paper).

When I acquire an old razor, I restore (buff/polish the blade, and scales), and then I dip it in 90% alcohol for few minutes. At that point I assume it's sanitized enough for me to use.

Right now I have nine restored razors (three are coming tomorrow), and out of nine in my hands, only three are "shave ready" (honed). The rest will get honed (by me) over the long winter. With 12 razors in rotation, I calculated I will be covered until next winter, when I'll hone them again (I don't have much time to "play" in the summer).

If you purchase "shave ready" razor (new, or vintage), you can use balsa strops with diamond paste (search the web!), and chances are you will not have to hone it for a LONG time.

Some vintage razors are works of art, and using them feels special to me. Have fun researching what are the "best" brands, see which style of blade you prefer, look at different scales, and enjoy this gentlemanly way of shaving.

 

[Slash McCoy]

hello there, so i've used shavettes, cut throat razors or whatever you call them where they take se blade, but ive never owned a straight razor, i love the look of what i think you call the damascus steel straight razors, i mean the pattern just looks amazing

im a head shaver, ive used cartridge razors, de razors, shavettes for a fair few years but i do have a few questions in regards to straight razors

for a start might sound like a silly question but i dont care how stupid i sound if i want to understand something ill ask the questions , but bare in mind im a head shaver and not a face shaver at all

first one is regards to hygiene how do you stay on top of sanitizing them? how often do you have to clean them? like for example with a shavette it uses se blades so just chuck them away and the rest is really easy to clean

Germs don't exactly flourish on clean, dry, shiny steel. They just don't. Have you ever used a throwaway or a cartridge razor? TracII? MachIII? Quattro? Fusion? Good News? How often do you clean them? Sanitize? Sterilize? A straight razor is very easy to keep clean. No razor or blade that you buy is sterile. So clean and sanitary is good enough. After shaving, most guys do something or another in the way of maintenance. At the least, pulling the razor through folds of TP to clean and dry the edge. If you are anal about it you can drizzle a little AS on the blade but really, they are all YOUR germs in the first place.

is it better to get a new one already sharpened? or is it better to get something you can restore yourself?

Absolutely you need to start with a shave-ready razor made so by someone actually IN THE COMMUMITY. No person is even remotely qualified to hone a razor and pronounce it shave ready unless he shaves daily with a straight razor. NOBODY. But a lot of folks claim that their razors are shave ready. Even some women, bless their hearts. I only know a few that have to shave their faces, and a bit of post menopausal peach fuzz is NOT a test for a razor. This is FACT. The reason you need to start with a shave ready razor is obvious. How do you know a bad shave is from your shave technique or the razor, unless you know that the razor is truly shave ready? How can you get good results at all, unless the razor is shave ready? Do not attempt to try to teach yourself to shave with a razor that you are at the same time trying to teach yourself to hone. It has been done, but what makes you think you are one of those very few? And if you are not, when do you know that you need to throw in the towel and get your razor properly honed by someone skilled at honing? No, don't go there. Start with a shave ready razor that members of this or some other forum will vouch for on the strength of the name and reputation of the honer.

i mean from what ive seen on places like ebay even the vintage straight razors seem to hold their value too

Not sure what you mean by that. I can buy a 100 year old mass produced American straight razor in decent shape for under $20. That is about 1/10 the average wage, I would guess. The same razor cost one or two days wages in 1915. BUT... once a razor has depreciated all that it will, then if you don't damage it you can probably resell it for what you paid for it if you didn't pay too much. Only a few razors of a certain age are worth as much (adjusted) as what they cost brand new. Talking cult classics. Most razors depreciate strongly as soon as you first open the box, new from the factory. But most 50 year old or older razors have already done their depreciating.

how does the sharpness on a straight razor compare to a se blade? or is it essentially the same?

A WELL HONED straight razor of GOOD QUALITY can be honed by a skilled honer to a higher level of sharpness than an ordinary SE or DE blade. This is a fact, not a fantasy. Most honers stopped learning a long time ago, and are satisfied to be able to get a decent shave, and either don't believe that a DE blade can be beat, or don't care. Fact is, any known and respected member of any forum who says he can hone your razor good enough for a decent shave, can.

how often do you have to sharpen them? (think the right term is hone, but i could be wrong)

I never have to re-hone my razors, because of my post-shave edge maintenance routine. Other guys get between 20 and 100 shaves, typically, before they have to do a touchup on their finisher.

what equipment do you need to sharpen them?

Do a search on this forum for a thread called "Newbie Honing Compendium". READ IT END TO END, AND ALL THE THREADS LINKED THEREIN, AS WELL. Every possible question that you could ask on the subject is there, in great detail.

do you have to sharpen them by hand or can you use machinery to do it (can you tell im lazy lol )?

No machine has been built that can hone any and every razor to shave ready quality. It's just not a thing. But it is NOT hard.

many thanks saj

 

[saj]

Razor Shaped Objects. The steel is not right nor is the geometry right as a razor.

honing is not difficult if you can follow 1-2-3* guidance (search for newbie compendium) and once you have an edge, all you have to do for long time is edge maintenance (i dont mean stropping) Not overwhelming at all to maintain if you do it proactively. its a couple swipes back and forth lightly on a very fine abrasive.

Sets are just made for us fancy lads. they were not for barbers, but more for $$ presentation and marketing differentiation.
you can enjoy them for many different reasons.

strops are used to clear/clean up an edge, some say the use is not needed, for me it’s clear that it does something, how often you do it and for how long and on what is a personal decision.

ohhh now i know why you say BSO and i understand,
thats what the bicycle people call cheap bikes BSO - bike shaped object

 

[saj]

Here is an example of an RSO in damascus

there are some traditional razor shapes damascus as made by wacker, and also some wild ones from the artisan custom makers, but you will know which are which by visual inspection of the razor as well as price.

well good thing i didnt get it,
i bidde don that exact one in that pic last night but luckily got outbid lol

 

[saj]

Straight razor is not for everyone. Only you can decide if you want to go down that road. Honing is not something that comes naturally to anyone (it has to be learned). Information, and "how to" is all over the web. Shaving with a straight razor is VERY enjoyable, and it's a skill most people don't have.

To me,...straight razor is a thing from the past, and as such, I am interested in vintage razors ONLY (well known/reputable German, British, French, Spanish brands). I like to restore mine by myself (there are numerous companies listed on the web that do it professionally), and although I've been shaving with straight for over 20 years, I am just now starting to learn honing. Honing is not a problem, if you want to ship your razor out to a professional, and they usually charge around $25. If you do that, you probably need to have more than one razor at hand. Stropping is easy to master, and you do it before every shave (on the leather). Cleaning the razor involves wiping it down with towel (I also dry out the inside of the scales with folded toilet paper).

When I acquire an old razor, I restore (buff/polish the blade, and scales), and then I dip it in 90% alcohol for few minutes. At that point I assume it's sanitized enough for me to use.

Right now I have nine restored razors (three are coming tomorrow), and out of nine in my hands, only three are "shave ready" (honed). The rest will get honed (by me) over the long winter. With 12 razors in rotation, I calculated I will be covered until next winter, when I'll hone them again (I don't have much time to "play" in the summer).

If you purchase "shave ready" razor (new, or vintage), you can use balsa strops with diamond paste (search the web!), and chances are you will not have to hone it for a LONG time.

Some vintage razors are works of art, and using them feels special to me. Have fun researching what are the "best" brands, see which style of blade you prefer, look at different scales, and enjoy this gentlemanly way of shaving.

what do you use to buff and polish? by hand or with machinery?

 

[saj]

Germs don't exactly flourish on clean, dry, shiny steel. They just don't. Have you ever used a throwaway or a cartridge razor? TracII? MachIII? Quattro? Fusion? Good News? How often do you clean them? Sanitize? Sterilize? A straight razor is very easy to keep clean. No razor or blade that you buy is sterile. So clean and sanitary is good enough. After shaving, most guys do something or another in the way of maintenance. At the least, pulling the razor through folds of TP to clean and dry the edge. If you are anal about it you can drizzle a little AS on the blade but really, they are all YOUR germs in the first place.



Absolutely you need to start with a shave-ready razor made so by someone actually IN THE COMMUMITY. No person is even remotely qualified to hone a razor and pronounce it shave ready unless he shaves daily with a straight razor. NOBODY. But a lot of folks claim that their razors are shave ready. Even some women, bless their hearts. I only know a few that have to shave their faces, and a bit of post menopausal peach fuzz is NOT a test for a razor. This is FACT. The reason you need to start with a shave ready razor is obvious. How do you know a bad shave is from your shave technique or the razor, unless you know that the razor is truly shave ready? How can you get good results at all, unless the razor is shave ready? Do not attempt to try to teach yourself to shave with a razor that you are at the same time trying to teach yourself to hone. It has been done, but what makes you think you are one of those very few? And if you are not, when do you know that you need to throw in the towel and get your razor properly honed by someone skilled at honing? No, don't go there. Start with a shave ready razor that members of this or some other forum will vouch for on the strength of the name and reputation of the honer.



Not sure what you mean by that. I can buy a 100 year old mass produced American straight razor in decent shape for under $20. That is about 1/10 the average wage, I would guess. The same razor cost one or two days wages in 1915. BUT... once a razor has depreciated all that it will, then if you don't damage it you can probably resell it for what you paid for it if you didn't pay too much. Only a few razors of a certain age are worth as much (adjusted) as what they cost brand new. Talking cult classics. Most razors depreciate strongly as soon as you first open the box, new from the factory. But most 50 year old or older razors have already done their depreciating.



A WELL HONED straight razor of GOOD QUALITY can be honed by a skilled honer to a higher level of sharpness than an ordinary SE or DE blade. This is a fact, not a fantasy. Most honers stopped learning a long time ago, and are satisfied to be able to get a decent shave, and either don't believe that a DE blade can be beat, or don't care. Fact is, any known and respected member of any forum who says he can hone your razor good enough for a decent shave, can.



I never have to re-hone my razors, because of my post-shave edge maintenance routine. Other guys get between 20 and 100 shaves, typically, before they have to do a touchup on their finisher.



Do a search on this forum for a thread called "Newbie Honing Compendium". READ IT END TO END, AND ALL THE THREADS LINKED THEREIN, AS WELL. Every possible question that you could ask on the subject is there, in great detail.



No machine has been built that can hone any and every razor to shave ready quality. It's just not a thing. But it is NOT hard.

brilliant post mate for a start thanks i appreciate the effort and time you took to make the post

i will start reading more threa din the SR section of the forum

 

[Wolfgang von Kessler]

what do you use to buff and polish? by hand or with machinery?

By hand only. "Machinery" is hard to control (to me), and it can produce uneven surface on the blade. I have enough experience in restoration of other objects (firearms for example), that I can determine the amount of work needed on the razor, when I see a clear pic of it. If the pics are out of focus (or not detailed enough), I don't buy even if the price is very attractive. I am not doing it for profit, so I don't mind spending more time, if the piece "speaks" to me. Some blades (like extra hollow ground) are rust pitted beyond salvation, and I stay away from them.

I just saw you asked what to use,......I start with wet/dry sandpaper (the grit depends on how much material needs to be removed). I progress through the grits up to 2000 (I don't like them too shiny), and hit it with polish after that. Right now I'm working with "Noxon", but I've been polishing with "Brasso", "Mothers" etc. I try to achieve the finish on the metal similar to surgical instruments (not "mirror" shine). Scales I treat (buff/polish/treat) with variety of products (depending on the material),....from assorted plastic cleaner/polishers, to certain dyes, and olive oil.

When I was in business (for over fifteen years), among other businesses, I owned two car dealerships, and both had fully equipped detail/restoration departments. Besides that, I've been restoring cars/motorcycles what seems like a lifetime. It used to be my "unwind time" when I was in the military.

Hope this helps.

 

[MurderousCrow]

Hi. Some sage advice above. Learning to strop, hone and SR shave together is a challenge.

Personally I find using a straight a bit tedious on the scalp, as I can't get my edges as sharp as a Feather AC SS blade. As a result, my AC SS kamisori is my go to. I find SRs very pleasant to use on the face.

See below for some tips specifically on headshaving with a straight.

Head Shaving with a Straight Razor

Hi all, I thought a resource post may be useful for people looking to begin head shaving with a straight. Tips, tricks, kit etc. I've been head shaving this way for nearly a year now, having forsworn cartridge-type razors. I do use a safety razor occasionally, but the vast majority (~200 or...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[saj]

although i like learning new things after creating this thread on a few shaving forums i think the SR is not for me,
the whole honing side of seems to put me off, thats not knocking SR's its just more because of my inexperience

on a side note do these honing sharpening rules also apply to kamasoris?

 

[saj]

Hi. Some sage advice above. Learning to strop, hone and SR shave together is a challenge.

Personally I find using a straight a bit tedious on the scalp, as I can't get my edges as sharp as a Feather AC SS blade. As a result, my AC SS kamisori is my go to. I find SRs very pleasant to use on the face.

See below for some tips specifically on headshaving with a straight.

Head Shaving with a Straight Razor

Hi all, I thought a resource post may be useful for people looking to begin head shaving with a straight. Tips, tricks, kit etc. I've been head shaving this way for nearly a year now, having forsworn cartridge-type razors. I do use a safety razor occasionally, but the vast majority (~200 or...

www.badgerandblade.com

thanks i'll have a read...

 

[MurderousCrow]

although i like learning new things after creating this thread on a few shaving forums i think the SR is not for me,
the whole honing side of seems to put me off, thats not knocking SR's its just more because of my inexperience

on a side note do these honing sharpening rules also apply to kamasoris?

Others will be able to advise on kamisoris better than I. But in general the bevelled side is honed much more than the flat side. Plenty of resources on here for this, but bear in mind this will be the only major difference. The process is still long and difficult.

If you don't wish to learn to hone, the solution is a Feather AC SS. They are a solid and well-engineered bit of kit, and far more forgiving than a DE shavette. The blades last well, around 6-15 shaves depending, and cost very little. It's an awesome razor and will develop your shaving technique to the point where shaving with a well-honed straight is sheer pleasure.

 

[rbscebu]

....
oh yea btw ive also noticed seeing pics on forums etc that some peeps have like a set of straight razors, is that just being a part of their collection or is that because they shave so much they dont want to keep sharpening the one SR?
....

Having a set of SR's is having more than one SR. Having taught myself SR honing, I could live and shave with just one SR but that, to me, would be boring. Not as much fun.

I now have five matching seven-day sets (M7DS). Each SR in a set is identical and each is engraved on its spine with a day of the week. Why have a M7DS?

• They look good in their timber case.
• It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that I have them and put them together myself.
• It's a challenge to get every razor in a set to the same high level of edge.
• Using a set for a week is like using just one SR for the week. The I just do my after-shave maintenance on all one day a week for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Yes, I have my favoured M7DS(s) like others have their favoured single SR(s). I rotate thought my sets, one set each week and in the sixth week I rotate through some of my other SR's.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

some peeps have like a set of straight razors,
is that just being a part of their collection or is that because they shave so much they dont want to keep sharpening the one SR?

I don't wear the same shirt every day. Of course I want a variety of razors available so I can pick one to suit my mood for each shave (which is daily for me).

I evidently have approximately 45 moods.

 

[JohnEzra]

although i like learning new things after creating this thread on a few shaving forums i think the SR is not for me,
the whole honing side of seems to put me off, thats not knocking SR's its just more because of my inexperience

on a side note do these honing sharpening rules also apply to kamasoris?

I wouldn't be put off by the honing side of things, it ist.t nearly as difficult to learn as some people make it sound. That being said, there are plenty of people who use straight razors who do not hone their razors themselves at all. It is very easy and cheap to send your razor to be honed by one of the pros on the forums.

If you purchased two or three decent quality but cheap razors, and kept them in rotation so you had two to use while one was off with a pro being honed you would always have something sharp to shave with without any honing having to be performed by you.

 

[bluesman 7]

When I acquire an old razor, I restore (buff/polish the blade, and scales), and then I dip it in 90% alcohol for few minutes.

Off topic, but 70% isopropyl is a more effective disinfectant.