Please help a new Straight Razor shaver out

[abmcp13]

Hello all, I have just started DE shaving within the past month, and today I went over to my Grandpa's to rummage for some DE equipment when I came across two straight razors, a J.A. Henckels Platinum Twin Works 401 and the other is a J.C. Leineke Jim-Slick, he gave me both of these and a "Swift & Sure" razor hone. Now, I have a couple of questions:

1) First and Foremost, are the razors any good, should I try to polish them up and use them or is it a lost cause? (They are both in very good condition)

2) How should I go about cleaning them up? Can I just use some polish, sandpaper, etc? Like I said they seem like they're in good condition, little to no rust.

3) I know I need a strop, but what am I looking for in a strop and how much should I spend?

Feel free to answer any number of the above questions, I don't want to seem overbearing, but I feel overwhelmed and my Grandpa wasn't really much help as he hadn't really used any of this stuff, it was his Great-Uncles. Thanks for any input you might have!

 

[smalltank]

Pics?

 

[Wid]

Pics?

+1

 

[drocu]

1) First and Foremost, are the razors any good, should I try to polish them up and use them or is it a lost cause? (They are both in very good condition)

2) How should I go about cleaning them up? Can I just use some polish, sandpaper, etc? Like I said they seem like they're in good condition, little to no rust.

3) I know I need a strop, but what am I looking for in a strop and how much should I spend?

First of all, what a great find!

1) Without pictures, it would be hard to give you advice here.

2) Sandpaper of various grits will help you clean up the blades. Besides rust, you'll want to look out for chips/nicks and pitting. Again, pictures would help.

3) Start with a cheap strop. Whipped Dog makes some very affordable strops for you to start with. They're cheap so if/when you nick one, it won't be a big deal.

 

[abmcp13]

I'll take some pics and post them up

 

[abmcp13]

Here's the Henckels Twin Works 401

 

[abmcp13]

And here's the Leineke Jim-Slick


If these pictures are too poor of quality I can take some better one's, let me know if you can tell anything by them, thanks!

 

[EvilZeg]

They should hone up nicely.

 

[brother cavefish]

there great razors, brother------ hone them up and take care of business

 

[SinnerinRehab]

Get them honed and start up. I wouldn't bother with polishing. Those look just fine. What a great find from your grandfather. Enjoy them.

 

[cb91710]

Oh, those are junk... I'll give you $20 for the pair

 

[global_dev]

Nice, they look good. Get then honed and don't hurt em.

 

[Wid]

Send me one and I'll hone it up for ya, for free, you pay shipping both ways. PM me if interested.

 

[abmcp13]

Thanks for the reply guys, I'll get honing! Schools over now, so I have a lot of time on my hands with three days off of work a week. I'll post back when I've started shaving with them.

 

[global_dev]

get someone who knows what they are doing to hone them.. isn't clear if you can from the OP, but it sounds like you have 0 straight experience, especially based on your questions..

 

[cb91710]

+1

Honing a straight is way different from sharpening a knife.
In some ways, it's easier... I can get a sweet edge on a razor, but without a guide like the Lansky system, I'll destroy a knife because I can't hold a consistent bevel....

...but it's also a LOT easier to completely foul the edge or even chip it. One wrong move laying the blade down, or one stroke with too much pressure, and you'll need to start back at the 1000grit bevel setter and work your way back up.

 

[Brownbear]

Send them out to get honed if you aren't already competent at it. You don't want to combine learning to straight shave with learning to hone, at least not on the same razors. With few exceptions beginners doubt that the razor they are shaving with is sharp regardless of who honed it. This is because of bad beginning technique. But if you are shaving with a razor that you are also learning to hone on it is likely that it is, indeed, not sharp. And you won't know if your shaves are bad because the honing job is bad or if the edge you produce is bad when in fact your shaving technique is bad. Have these two honed and get a third to play with yourself and you will have reference blades to compare with the edges you produce. Or have one honed and hone the other yourself
I bet you can get them honed for free as indicated by Wid's offer. I'll hone them for you if you pay shipping as well. Neither looks to be in bad shape although the edge on one has some corrosion that might need serious bevel setting.

 

[abmcp13]

In response to the above posts, no, I have zero honing experience. That would be great if someone could hone one for me, and I could learn with the other! I'll send some PM's out, I would be more than willing to pay the shipping!

 

[Wid]

Send me one and I'll hone it up for ya, for free, you pay shipping both ways. PM me if interested.

I already offered to hone one for ya.

 

[global_dev]

Get a 3rd to hone before you try your great uncles, it would suck to screw it up.