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Recommended SR Starter Kit - Titan ACRM-2 for about US$22 including shipping worldwide

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
They can be made to shave, but I'm glad I didn't try it as my first razor. I think the point some people are trying to make is, without ANY experience of what a properly shave ready razor is supposed to feel like, how is a newbie going to know how and if they are getting there? Even with hones it would be hard enough, let alone stropping hundreds of laps, probably with dubious stropping technique, and saying to themselves "Hmmm.... I think it hurts less today?" While at the same time trying to work out their shaving technique, and all the other variables.
What you say is true. There are however many who would like to try SR shaving and do not have access to an outside source to hone a SR for them. I didn't when living in the Philippines. I also had to work out my SR shaving technique and all the other variables while not knowing if I had a good shave-ready SR.

Then there are others who, for whatever reason, have a limit on the budget they are willing or able to spend on their first venture into SR shaving.

I still remember the trials and tribulations that I went through as a beginner in the gentlemanly art. It is from these memories and the experience I have now acquired that allows me to still think like a beginner and advise them accordingly.

Yes, if you have plenty of money to throw at your endeavour and a reputable honemeister within cooee, I don't deny there are much easier ways for a beginner to get into SR shaving.
 
They can be made to shave, but I'm glad I didn't try it myself for my first razor. I think the point some people are trying to make is, without ANY experience of what a properly shave ready razor is supposed to feel like, how is a newbie going to know how and if they are getting there? Even with hones it would be hard enough, let alone stropping hundreds of laps, probably with dubious stropping technique, and saying to themselves "Hmmm.... I think it hurts less today?" While at the same time trying to work out their shaving technique, and all the other variables.
I get that, but someone getting an expensive Dovo or other razor that's not shave ready is in the same position, aren't they? I think lots of people just like to pile on when something from China is mentioned positively.
 

Legion

Staff member
I get that, but someone getting an expensive Dovo or other razor that's not shave ready is in the same position, aren't they? I think lots of people just like to pile on when something from China is mentioned positively.
Yes. I don't recommend buying a Dovo, or many other razors off the peg with a factory edge as someones first razor. The price of the razor isn't the issue. It's the fact that a newbie needs to be confident that the edge on their razor, whatever one it is, is truely shave ready. Unfortunately the only way I know of to get that is have it put that way by someone with experience, who shaves with them. Anything else is just crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.

It might cost more money, or be difficult with postage to your location, or whatever. But that is the price of removing one very important variable, instead of saving money and buying frustration or uncertainty.


My first razor was an inexpensive vintage razor, but I traded it from a member here who I trusted, and he had it honed by someone with a good rep. So at least I felt confident that my razor was sound while I learned. And after that, while I learned to restore and hone razors myself, I had a benchmark to aim for. If my benchmark was some razor I KNEW was not shave ready when I got it, and I just started stropping it until it was some degree better than that, how am I ever going to know if my edge is as good as it could or should be?

I am sure there are many people shaving with sub par edges because they have literally never tried a good one and know no better.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
From my experience I would expect a beginner, following the instructions in both preparing this Titan SR and shaving, would hopefully find that the SR actually shaves. This intial shave will most probably not be comfortable or close. As the blade's edge and the person's technique starts to develop. I would expect that the shaved would start to improve.

After a couple of weeks of daily SR shaving, the beginner should start to know if SR shaving is a path they wish to tread. If so, they can consider (still on a budget) a leather strop, another (better?) SR, putting together lapping films, possibly diamond pasted balsa strops and following the Bed&Breakfast Method in honing. This is going to set them back probably more than another US$200.

Once they are hooked on SR shaving, then comes the custom-made matching seven-day set of Koraat SRs, a custom made Kanayama Llama leather strop, and a swag of Jant whetstones.
 
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From my experience I would expect a beginner, following the instructions in both preparing this Titan SR and shaving, would hopefully find that the SR actually shaves. This intial shave will most probably not be comfortable or close. As the blade's edge and the person's technique starts to develop. I would expect that the shaved would start to improve.

After a couple of weeks of daily SR shaving, the beginner should start to know if SR shaving is a path they wish to tread.
If they didn't give up by then thinking it's too much work to get a mediocre shave, when a DE safety razor can be better. I am not saying a DE safety razor is better or worse than a straight razor, but though the eyes and experience of a beginner, it may seem like a DE safety razor is clearly superior.

Regardless if one starts shaving with a budget or expensive razor, the most important thing is to have one without defects and which is properly honed to use it as a reference. But for this, they need a service/help from someone, which is not easy when just starting on. Then, using GD or Titan razors can learn how to strop, hone and so on. For this, budget razors are excellent, but so are the vintage ones. Eventually, if the user wants to buy new and more expensive razors it's up to them.

But those are just suggestions and one's mileage may vary. I wish straight razor manufacturers would offer the option (for an extra fee, of course) to properly hone a razor before being shipped. I think this would help a lot of people which are interested in trying a straight razor for the first time.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
.... I wish straight razor manufacturers would offer the option (for an extra fee, of course) to properly hone a razor before being shipped. I think this would help a lot of people which are interested in trying a straight razor for the first time.
I agree. I have helped a few beginners to SR shaving here in Australia. They order their Gold Dollar or Titan SR on AliExpress and have it delivered to me. I hone it up and post it on to them. I expect that DC Blades (Dion) in Gladstone may do the same.
 
^ Someone with interest in pursuing the SR path will probably go this way, even if it's not optimal. However, for the average Joe, it's just too much work even to unwrap and install a blade in a DE safety razor. Or at least that's the feeling I get when speaking with people of my age. For the record, I am 29, turning 30 soon :c1:.

Off topic, as I remembered this just now and made me chuckle: last year, I offered someone a shaving kit (DE safety razor, Feather blades, brush, stand, bowl and soap) as a birthday present for their 55th birthday anniversary. The person came back a week after that it shave as well as a cartridge razor. Few weeks ago, he returned the present back to me. When I checked the razor, the blade was still in. What surprised me was the person installed the blade with the waxed paper on and somehow, the cutting edge was exposed, it looks like the paper was ripped apart. For the record, when I offered the present, he told me he knows how to use it. YMMV saying made a lot of sense in his case.
 
This is not a reflection on the Titan razor, just a general comment...correcting a bevel on a pasted hanging strop is not something I would want to do as an experienced shaver, let alone as a new guy.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
This is not a reflection on the Titan razor, just a general comment...correcting a bevel on a pasted hanging strop is not something I would want to do as an experienced shaver, let alone as a new guy.
It may not be what you want to do but what would you do if it is all that you have available - not even try?
 
It may not be what you want to do but what would you do if it is all that you have available - not even try?
If my only option for shaving my face was a cheap razor with a factory bevel and a pasted strop, I'd probably grow a beard and save up to get it honed, or to buy a set of lapping films. Either of which would cost me about $30 USD.
 
Well I decided to have the razor honed and stropped by a "professional". I went to pick it up today and said it will never be able to hold an edge that would be shave worthy. That the metal was chipping out as it was being honed. But since the blade was kind of honed unevenly I am not sure if he was doing a quality job.

So I am going to try to clean up the mess he made and if I get the same results I am going to try and return it. I am not sure if the "professional" is very professional. He sharpened my two of my Benchmade Griptillian knives that I had just had new tonto blades put in. Well he rounded the tontos and kind of ruined what I use them for. As I sharpen them I am slowly working them back to where they need to be. Being a barber and so called "knife expert" I didn't think he could mess up a straight razor.
I contacted Titan Razors and sent them pictures of the chips in the blade and they are sending me a new one. I will still try to see what I can do with the old blade anyway.

We will see if the new blade will take an edge any better.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Shave number 38 with this CeOx edged SR this morning. Two more shaved and I will then be home. Once home I will be able to perform a comparison shave against an identical Titan SR normally honed and finished/maintained on 1μm lapping film.

This morning's shave felt a little rough but it could have been me as I was in a bit of a rush to make a transport connection. Will see how I go with this SR tomorrow morning when I won't be under any pressure.
 
Shave number 38 with this CeOx edged SR this morning. Two more shaved and I will then be home. Once home I will be able to perform a comparison shave against an identical Titan SR normally honed and finished/maintained on 1μm lapping film.

This morning's shave felt a little rough but it could have been me as I was in a bit of a rush to make a transport connection. Will see how I go with this SR tomorrow morning when I won't be under any pressure.
How would you describe your beard?
How many shaves can you get from a DE blade?
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
I contacted Titan Razors and sent them pictures of the chips in the blade and they are sending me a new one. I will still try to see what I can do with the old blade anyway.

We will see if the new blade will take an edge any better.
When you get your replacement Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60 SR, follow the instructions in post number 8 of this thread and see how you go.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
How would you describe your beard?
How many shaves can you get from a DE blade?
I would describe my whiskers as pretty average for an old(er) man with greying hair and whiskers. I shave daily with three passes; WTG, XTG+CdM and XTG in the opposite direction.

My technique is not perfect as I am only up to about 1,200 daily SR shaves. Still learning.
 
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So, I thought I would check in.

I got my Titan out again and stropped it a bit more. Still couldn't get it to shave arm hair.

I have an old Rolls razor (missing the handle) and I popped the stone out of the door, and stuck it to a short piece of oak 1x2 with some carpet tape, to use as a hone, since I had lost patience with the denim strop.

After running the blade over the stone on my Mickey mouse "paddle strop" for a while and looking at it with a loupe, I could see that I had created a compound bevel, so I grabbed some wet/dry paper and started my amateur version of "honing" with 600 grit on my wife's granite counter top. I figured I need the practice, and it's a cheap razor, so...

After the 600, I used 1000, 2000, and 2500, then went back to the stone...and then back to the pasted denim...

...and I actually got my arm hair to tree-top.

I really have no intention of trying a shave with this "practice" razor, but still surprised at being able to get it this sharp with very limited resources.

I've got three honed razors on the way to try some shaves, but I've also got a lapping film kit (assorted film and glass plates) on the way to re-sharpen the Titan "proper"...or at least learn something, and then MAYBE use it for a shave.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
@gpjoe thank you for trying. I hope the T.H.60 eventually works out well for you.

I have finished my assessment of the Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60 kit and will post my findings here later today when I have some free time.
 
@gpjoe thank you for trying. I hope the T.H.60 eventually works out well for you.

I have finished my assessment of the Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60 kit and will post my findings here later today when I have some free time.

No problem, and no regrets. I've learned a tiny bit about what it takes to maintain a straight razor, with loads more to learn and explore.

I fully intend on continuing, and absolutely intend on having a shave with the Titan after sharpening it properly. Once I have my shave-ready razors, I'll know what that looks like.

Honestly, the Titan gained me experience with a strop and is a perfect, inexpensive razor to experiment on with no risk.

It's been a win for me.🙂
 
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