Straight Razor Newbies

[richmondesi]

After seeing a lot of threads from Newbies to straights asking for recommendations, I thought I'd put a few thoughts in a post that I hope will be expounded upon by other straight razor users. NOTE: THESE ARE JUST MY BELIEFS BASED ON MY EXPERIENCES... YMMV AND ALL OF THAT
They are also geared towards gentlemen interested in their own personal shavers.

1. "What should I get?"

It doesn't really matter as long as it's shave ready. You'll see a lot of thoughts about this from a lot of guys, but I know gents who've started out with everything from a 3/8 wedge to 5/8 full hollow to 8/8 wedge. It doesn't really matter as long as it's legitimately "shave ready". Sure, a 5/8 or 6/8 is a nice starting place because of the relative ease of shaving and stropping of those sizes, but it's not a hard and fast rule. I've personally discussed with one gent how his "3/8 razor was much easier to use in my noob hands". It's not typical, but he'd previously used a 6/8 and wasn't having as much luck... The point is this: a) you don't know enough your about preferences (irrespective of how much reading you've done to REALLY know what you want), b) being new to the process, you have a good chance of messing up the edge by dropping it or improperly stropping it anyway, c) you don't REALLY know that you are in it for the long haul, so get in as cheap as possible.

Also, spend some time researching who to listen to when they proclaim a razor shave ready.

2. Strops?

You will damage your first strop.

3. Honing?

You do not need to hone a razor all that frequently, so that expense is: a) not really worth buying a full set of expensive stones for your own personal maintenance (unless you plan on buying a ton of eBay specials), b) not enough of an expense to be problematic in the long run anyway (especially after learning really good stropping technique), c) can be minimized significantly by utilizing pastes, a barbers hone, or a couple of high grit stones.

4. Maintenance in general...

Stropping is king (there's a great thread on SRP to this effect): The point of a strop is to a) remove oxidation, b) draw out the metal (restoring sharpness), and c) aligning the edge. A single latigo strop will be the most cost effective way to accomplish all 3 purposes. However, a linen and horsehide strop will provide the optimal means of maintaining an edge accomplishing all three jobs quite effectively.

People are willing to help you through anything... Free honing, advice, gear etc. is offered on a consistent basis.

So, if you have an itch, scratch it

Enjoy the journey, gentlemen

 

[soapbox]

Great post, Paul. Thanks for putting the voice of experience down for all to read.

(Yes, I damaged my first strop...)

 

[shm]

Great post, Paul. Thanks for putting the voice of experience down for all to read.

(Yes, I damaged my first strop...)

+1

And I followed richmondesi's advice on a cottonweb/leather strop when I put my question forward - haven't regretted.
Now I just has to obtain the skills of stropping

 

[texbilly]

Paul - thanks for taking the time to put this together. Sage advice indeed. I haven't harmed my strop yet, but likely will now that I've fixed your prediction in my mind!

Well done, Sir!

 

[chickpea]

From a Straight newbie:

100% accurate as far as I can tell and yes, my Vintage Blades Latigo has some nasty nicks in it.

 

[JPM]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Bertilak]

From an ex-newbie who feels he just graduated from newbie status to whatever the next level is -- that's 100% my experience.

So newbies -- read and heed!

 

[r0ckrat]

I was fortunate to find a workable vintage strop with both linen and leather components that had, uhm, "character" built in already, and have not added any additional character to them yet...

Great post Paul, and I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[Scissors]

Excellent post, Paul! Who do you talk to to request the "stickification" of a post? If there ever was a candidate to be a sticky...

The point is this: a) you don't know enough your about preferences (irrespective of how much reading you've done to REALLY know what you want), b) being new to the process, you have a good chance of messing up the edge by dropping it or improperly stropping it anyway, c) you don't REALLY know that you are in it for the long haul, so get in as cheap as possible.

True, true, and true.

To dwell on (a) in particular: Being unable to handle razors is one of the downsides of the death of brick and mortar stores. The only way to know if you like an m/n size razor is, of course, to handle it. I got the chance to discover I like 'em substantial. Also: blade width isn't the sole determinant of a razor's heft. My Le Grelot and Livi New Grind are both 6/8, but Le Grelot feels a lot more like my Robt. Williams 8/8 than it does the Livi. Go figure.

2. Strops?

You will damage your first strop.

Oh yeah. But even knowing that doesn't mitigate the heartbreak when it happens.

3. Honing?

You do not need to hone a razor all that frequently, so that expense is: a) not really worth buying a full set of expensive stones for your own personal maintenance (unless you plan on buying a ton of eBay specials), b) not enough of an expense to be problematic in the long run anyway (especially after learning really good stropping technique), c) can be minimized significantly by utilizing pastes, a barbers hone, or a couple of high grit stones.

I had a half (quarter? one-eighth?) baked notion that I'd like to restore razors, so I bought a bunch of hones without really thinking what I was doing. I certainly got more than I needed to maintain my razors, and mostly stuff that was not appropriate to maintain razors that were shave-ready.

I had a nice shopping spree (I admit it, I like buying things), but unless I suddenly find I have to put a 16K finish on our kitchen knives (don't laugh, I tried it...er, maybe that should be laugh because I tried it), think about why you're buying a hone over and above the few items recommended here.

 

[DSB]

Great post, Paul!

 

[Luc]

Good post Paul!

I would add something under the strop, either a leather only or canvas/leather strop (that's what I started with, I still use it).

 

[r0ckrat]

Rather than a "sticky" I think this would be great information to include in the wiki or something. Too many stickies force readers to scroll to far down to get to new information. And this particular section already forces users to scroll based on the sub sections and 6 existing stickies...

 

[richmondesi]

Rather than a "sticky" I think this would be great information to include in the wiki or something. Too many stickies force readers to scroll to far down to get to new information. And this particular section already forces users to scroll based on the sub sections and 6 existing stickies...

Done

Please add any additional FAQs and answers if you would.

 

[soapbox]

Done

Please add any additional FAQs and answers if you would.

Yay for the wiki! Thanks for adding the content, Paul.

 

[MWS]

Great post Paul, thanks for the info!

 

[English]

Great post Paul.

That thing about damaging your first strop.......and your second....and your third...........

Actually, making strops must be a great business to be in.

 

[bandit82ta]

Awesome post... I just got my first dovo and now just waiting on ruprazor razor/filly combo.... Figure'n better hold off on the shave till i get a strop here otherwise how long would I have to wait for shave 2.......

 

[leighton]

Methinks Paul just got tired of answering the same questions over and over again.

 

[soapbox]

Methinks Paul just got tired of answering the same questions over and over again.

That's why I keep writing Wiki articles.

 

[leighton]

I took a hiatus from the SR forums.