The Interactive Guide to Straight Razor Shaving

[moses]

That is a lot of hone wear.... I'm assuming it was not sold as a new razor.

And even my inexperienced eyes can tell it definitely needs some serious work now, to deal with those dings.

I would suggest, rather than a local barber, see if you can send it to a honer here on the board. I mean, if you can find a local barber who is an expert on straight razors, that would be great, but the odds are probably not so good. Most of them that do other straight razor shaves use disposable bladed razors. With the experts here, you can be sure, for the cost of shipping, a small fee, and a little time, that it really will be honed up sharp.

-Mo

 

[Emilius]

I bought it from a B&B member who said it had been honed by Lynn, so I presumed he had bought it new, had it honed up, decided that straight razors were not so cool and sold it. Of course, my inexperienced eye could not tell if there was hone wear or not, so now I know there is.

Yes, I thought about sending the razor to some experienced honer, preferably from the board, to have it re-honed. Actually, today I went to my usual barber, who stropped it on his paddle strop, and his comments came were quite surprising:

He said:

The razor is of very good quality.
Even now, it should shave perfectly.
I should not strop it daily, only after a number of shaves.

Since I can feel my RAD kicking in, I just NEED to have this razor in the best condition.

Thanks, Joel and Mo, for your expert advice.

 

[moses]

Thanks, Joel and Mo, for your expert advice.

What you really mean:

"Thank you, Joel, for your expert advice."

"Thank you, Mo, for your totally inexperienced and probably off base advice."


Seriously, though, I don't want you, or anyone else here, thinking I am any kind of an expert, especially with straights. I do know my way around a DE pretty well, but I'm not sure I'd call myself expert there, either....

-Mo

 

[heavydutysg135]

He said:

The razor is of very good quality.
Even now, it should shave perfectly.
I should not strop it daily, only after a number of shaves.

Since I can feel my RAD kicking in, I just NEED to have this razor in the best condition.

Thanks, Joel and Mo, for your expert advice.

Your barber is absolutely wrong, and that razor needs to be honed without a doubt; no if's and's or but's about it. You can clearly see the ding in the edge from the picture lol. Be careful when you rinse a straight razor because it is easy to cause this type of damage. If you so much as lightly tap the edge of the razor on the sink then the razor will need to be rehoned because the edge is much thinner than a sheet of paper. Also, straight razors do need to be stropped at least before every shave if you want them to perform their best. I am sorry but I really do not think that your barber knows very much about "real" straight razors based on his comments on the razor pictured. I also agree that there is an awful lot of hone wear on that razor for a "new" razor.

 

[Ishamael70]

Nick,
If you need it, I'll happily hone it up for you!

Joel, I finally got that wapi I ordered! Shoot me a PM and I can send it your way for your honing skills, if you have the time.

I am excited!

 

[joel]

Joel, I finally got that wapi I ordered! Shoot me a PM and I can send it your way for your honing skills, if you have the time.

I am excited!

Headed back your way

 

[garfinkel]

this was posted literally the day i sold my razor, strop, and stone that i had not used in 3 years after purchasing because i couldn't figure it out.

i'm happy with my DE, but some day in the future, would like to get the nerve back again. i'll wait a few years.

 

[DEwey]

Excellent job Joel - I switched to straights last Spring and they're tops.
Super info.

 

[daveesq]

First off, thank you Joel for this wonderful resource. Seriously, it's pretty much all a newbie to straights needs and this newbie is very appreciative.

The question, though, is this: when is that video link going up? I'm getting down straight shaving pretty well, but I'd love to see it. I'm certain that all our fellow B&Bers who just got their first respective straights for Christmas would love it all the more.

No pressure, Joel.

 

[papasmurf]

First off, thank you Joel for this wonderful resource. Seriously, it's pretty much all a newbie to straights needs and this newbie is very appreciative.

The question, though, is this: when is that video link going up? I'm getting down straight shaving pretty well, but I'd love to see it. I'm certain that all our fellow B&Bers who just got their first respective straights for Christmas would love it all the more.

No pressure, Joel.

+1

I have been waiting for the same thing . I would like to see how some one else does it .

I am getting really good shaves but when you see some one else do it you may learn some thing that you would have never thought of doing .


Nick

 

[joel]

+1

I have been waiting for the same thing . I would like to see how some one else does it .

I am getting really good shaves but when you see some one else do it you may learn some thing that you would have never thought of doing .


Nick

There is a video of me shaving (albeit old) with a straight Mantic has on his youtube channel under straight razors. I've been dragging my feet a bit on this however - as the B&B DVD took forever to film and the squeaky tripod made it pretty mediocre. We'd like to do a professional studio video in the distant future, but hopefully Nick and I will get some time to re-shoot a straight razor shaving segment in the next month or so.

 

[AlpinMacK]

Well, I've been DE shaving for a while now and the lure of straights is calling my name. Thanks for all the info.

Dan

 

[Shablabar]

Brilliant job! This is exactly what I've been looking for, as a straight razor newbie. Cheers!

 

[Mr-Scruffy]

Thank you for the info. It is very useful.

 

[NorgeRod]

It has been said many times, but again thanks for the great article Joel.

 

[rlandrews3rd]

OK, I'm a newbie to the forum and straight shaving. I didn't read, or even find, this forum until after I bought my razor off of eBay. It's a J Wostenholm & Sons with what appears to be ivory scales. It's in pretty nice condition, but needed sharpening. I took it to a local sharpener who said that the technique for razors is different, and said he knew how to do it. I then stropped it on the strop that came with the razor, a Torrey's Best horsehide/linen hanging strop. I have tried it several times, stropping between shaves and before shaves. It still pulls and doesn't remove much hair. It takes it cleanly off my knuckles, though! Much different coarseness, as I've found on here. I'm thinking it needs honing; are there any honemeisters in the Austin, TX area? If not, are you still offering hones to newbies? Many thanks!

 

[ScottS]

OK, I'm a newbie to the forum and straight shaving. I didn't read, or even find, this forum until after I bought my razor off of eBay. It's a J Wostenholm & Sons with what appears to be ivory scales. It's in pretty nice condition, but needed sharpening. I took it to a local sharpener who said that the technique for razors is different, and said he knew how to do it. I then stropped it on the strop that came with the razor, a Torrey's Best horsehide/linen hanging strop. I have tried it several times, stropping between shaves and before shaves. It still pulls and doesn't remove much hair. It takes it cleanly off my knuckles, though! Much different coarseness, as I've found on here. I'm thinking it needs honing; are there any honemeisters in the Austin, TX area? If not, are you still offering hones to newbies? Many thanks!

"Local Sharpeners" who say they know how to sharpen a razor often end up causing a lot of trouble on a blade. I'd recommend sending this to someone very experienced, and paying them what they want.

 

[joel]

Telly has finished the PDF of this guide, so it should be up sometime next week but... errr.... ummm.... it's 190 pages and about 10mb

 

[BarbeForte]

Thanks for this. I realized it's gonna cost me a lot more when I can afford so far for the whole kit... I'll wait a bit longer, I'm motivated...

 

[Zanzibarstar]

Wow Joel,
Many many thanks from another newbie filled with awe! This has made me realize that I've been doing everything all wrong, and that I've been shaving with an un-shave ready razor for a long time!
If you would be so kind as to let me know if you are still honing razors, and if so, how I could get in line, I'd be much obliged!
With much gratitude...