Rasiermesser - Straight Razor purchase in Germany

[aodenkou]

Gents,
I am still in Grmany, on my way home. But I make the big step (for me) of my 1st Straight Razor. I was walking around Regensburg and found a knife shop, so I went in and had a look. Got talking to the man there and he helped me pick out my first. It is a razor by Bob Klaas with Solingen blade. I "think" it's a full ground blade. It has "Original Klaas" Solingen with a bit of what looks like gold. I picked up a strop at the same time. He took time to pull out a hone and spend about 10 min working on the blade, then stroping it for me. I have tried several shaves and no cuts or nicks But I am not getting a nice clean shave and end up touching up with my DE. Is this normal for the learning curve?

Thanks to all for previous help......oh I forgot the price was 99 euro which I thought was reasonable. Any thoughts?

 

[life2short1971]

My thoughts on the razor are Klaas blades are high quality steel so you have a great blade and the price is reasonable. The Gold is real although it is very very thin and will wear one with daily wiping over time. Sa far as not getting clean shaves you just need to work on your technique and pulling the skin tight. Watch some of the shaving videos and less pressure shaving with a straight actually gives a closer shave. Try to keep the blade as flat to the skin as possible so only a couple mm are between the back of the blade and your skin that way you are slicing more than scraping and your edges wil also last longer. Congrats on a fine looking razor and I would reccomend professional honing instead of doing it your self until you can hone very well so you do not cause unneeded wear and tear on a fine razor. Enjoy!!!

 

[Shave_Rat]

Very cool razor, grats on the find. I know I still touch up with a DE a little after the straight shave, and have read that others to as well, so it seems to be a pretty common part of the learning curve.

 

[BakerAndBadger]

+1 for the learning curve. Soon you'll never want to see the DE again though so keep at it! Looks like a nice razor. Is the Christmas market in Regensburg yet? Went there last year and had some great mulled wine.

 

[BZiel]

Ein schönes, hochwertiges Rasiermesser.

One thought - I would suggest getting the blade honed by someone who knows what they're doing. That way you'll have a baseline from which to judge your technique, good, or bad, and can move forward from there.

 

[aodenkou]

No it was not the Christmas market in Regensburg yet - but they had one going on in the Rapperbahn in Hamburgh - we drove by and did not stop I'll be 64 in Dec. so that "market" does not interest me as much as it would have when I was in my 20's

 

[aodenkou]

The man at the store seemed to know what he was doing when he honed it and then stroped it. It "looked" right from some of the vids I have watched and he was very careful with the stone and razor. He used water and built up a bit of working material with another stone before he started to hone. It cuts the hair on my arm with ease, but my face ........... well perhaps I am stil a bit nervous

 

[tomjr]

nice razor! but it should be honed by a razor honer IMO. sen it out for honing so u will know what 'shave ready' is.

 

[aodenkou]

Gents, a word of "advice" if you are a noobie with a straight, and you wake up with jet lag - PICK UP YOUR TRUSTY DE - put the straight down, don't pick it up, leave it alone, let it rest, unless you want to sport the look of the old German guy with a monocile, and a nice fencing scar down your cheek. Not that I'll have a scar, but let's just say, that white wash cloth was not white and it made me a "bit" more than nervous. So it's going to be the DE for a few days