I must have the devil's own luck then. I don't think I've paid over $20.00 for an antique razor, outside of buying razor sets.
Total straight noob
- Thread starter Odysseus
- Start date
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
And if you were a newbie and knew nothing about straight razors, and selected those $20 razors essentially at random, how many would have been shave ready or even hone ready?
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
Being a n00bie and knowing next to nothing about SR's, my first purchase was a cheap new RSO from China. I then joined B&B where I learnt what a real SR is all about.
Many here recommended that I buy a vintage off BST but none were available. I didn't have the knowledge to buy a vintage off eBay so settled on a new Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60 from Taiwan for about USD 20 including shipping. That needed to be honed to shave-ready but I had the B&B Method instructions to solve that little problem.
I didn't feel knowledgeable enough to look at buying vintage SR's until about 18 months and 500 SR shaves later. Even then I failed a few times and bought some that were useless and had to be binned.
So my recommendation to a n00bie now is to buy a new SR from a reputable manufacturer and, if needed, have it honed by a recommend honemeister. Without the appropriate knowledge and experience, I would not recommend that a n00bie just go out and buy a vintage SR.
Many here recommended that I buy a vintage off BST but none were available. I didn't have the knowledge to buy a vintage off eBay so settled on a new Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60 from Taiwan for about USD 20 including shipping. That needed to be honed to shave-ready but I had the B&B Method instructions to solve that little problem.
I didn't feel knowledgeable enough to look at buying vintage SR's until about 18 months and 500 SR shaves later. Even then I failed a few times and bought some that were useless and had to be binned.
So my recommendation to a n00bie now is to buy a new SR from a reputable manufacturer and, if needed, have it honed by a recommend honemeister. Without the appropriate knowledge and experience, I would not recommend that a n00bie just go out and buy a vintage SR.
Oh, none of them. I did all my own sharpening myself. I'd been sharpening pocketknives and kitchen-knives for years before I started using straight razors. The process wasn't that different. It just took a bit more finesse. Then I started shaving.
As I mentioned in other threads, I started straight-shaving dead-cold. Didn't know a thing. I was 19, maybe 20, when I started experimenting with straight-razors. Everything I know, I taught myself from the ground up. My first straight was an old German thing. 4/8 hollow-ground. $15.00.
Sharpened it on the stone I had at home, and got it to shaving level. Stropped it and went off to try shaving with it.
When it started cutting, I knew I was doing something right, so I just carried on. I have to say it was very exciting doing it all myself with nobody else around to help, either online or anywhere else. There was an enormous sense of satisfaction knowing I made that far entirely on my own. I did a bit of reading and video-watching, but back then there weren't the online resources like there are now - YouTube barely existed, and most of the websites that focus on this stuff now were in their infancy, if they even existed at all.
That was 14 years ago. I never looked back.
If I could do it, I see no reason why anybody else couldn't.
Last edited:
Haha oh mann. I don't know how I could have figured any of this stuff out without the help from the internet and other people kind enough to take the time to message me back with answers to questions. Even with all of the help it was difficult (but super fun) to learn how to hone and produce a decent edge. I did find shaving a bit more intuitive and caught onto it faster. On an individual level I did feel alone in the process though because nobody in my "real" life had any experience doing such a thing. It would have been cool to have been side by side with someone experienced while hitting the stones in those early days. I hear my great-grandfather was a beast with his Arks. Unfortunately my dad did not hold onto them.
Everyone starts differently. There may be a perceived optimal way to go about doing things, but at the end of the day if someone really wants to learn how to shave with a straight razor and learn how to hone, over time they will figure things out despite what they started out with. It takes time, persistence, learning from mistakes, and (hopefully not too much) wasted money. Not everyone is an idiot and needs their hand held.
Someone may find success or failure in starting with a GD, and someone else may have success or failure starting with a vintage razor. Enjoyment in the process is all that matters. Arguing about such a thing is merely ego-stroking and (from my experience) a bit of a turn off when I was researching how to go about getting started. I've always felt that the honing community in general has this weird level of toxicity/elitism going on.
Like I said earlier, it's shaving. Hopefully @Odysseus chimes in on his progress at some point.
DIY. If you can source a good-quality piece of leather you can make something much cheaper, much longer and much better than any budget strop.
^ Very much this ^
Neither shaving nor honing are rocket science, though the latter will take a bit of practice and you'll get gradually better with time.
If your GD has been honed really well that's a big +ve as you'll know what you're aiming for. Though it might be difficult to tell in the first place as you have nothing to compare that to. A very good SR should shave as smoothly if not moreso than other types of razor. If it doesn't work - try stropping it, if that doesn't work try honing it yourself. If you follow advice from people here, you should get a decent shaveable razor quite easily, and from there you'll notice improvements in your honing technique over time.
Because of that I'd say - do learn to hone with a razor that you're using. Shaving's pretty easy; you don't need to practice it ad nauseam, and that way you can actually feel the effects of your honing, what's working and what isn't.
And focus at least as much on perfecting stropping as honing - it's very important.
---
I'm quite new to SRs btw, so perhaps the above is all nonsense, many of my opinions are.
Welcome to the financial rabbit hole of SR shaving. Many straight razors sold as 'shave ready' may require honing and stropping before use - read up on both of these before trying either for the first time, since they are an easy way to ruin a blade edge. Your shaving technique will develop over time - learning what you do to cut your face less. More important is how you treat your razor(s). Strop before every shave. After shaving, attend to your razor before attending to any first aid that your face may require: dry the blade and pivot well (I use tissue, soft cloth (both as if stropping the blade and to ensure that the blade edge is dry) and a hairdryer) - carbon steel can start to spot/rust before your very eyes if left wet - followed by the use of a mineral razor oil on the blade/pivot. If the razor is going to be left for an extended period of time (weeks/months) smother the blade in vaseline/petroleum jelly. Enjoy your journey.
Knowing what to look for when buying vintage SR is not always enough. I only have two vintage SR, a C.V Heljestrand mk 32 and a TI. The mk 32 looked grate in the photos, but it turned out to be trash. The seller had ruined the temper on a buffer. I have a NOS mk 4, so i know how these razors are suppose to perform. Unless you find a good seller you never know what you are going to get. The second one i got was a TI razor. If i had two identical i could have used it as an airplane propeller
I have learned my lesson. I need to do more research if i am trying my luck again.
I have learned my lesson. I need to do more research if i am trying my luck again.
I've perused this thread, looking to see if I can offer any advice, and I have little to offer that hasn't already been said. This is a great community we have, and the amount of knowledge (and willingness to help) here is amazing.
I started my SR journey on a GD 208 from the same vendor (Grooming Network - aka Classic Shaving). It was the perfect Gateway drug to get me into buying other, better SR's, and the perfect sacrificial lamb to learn basic honing skills (and correcting a wonky spine and uneven bevel). Nothing wrong with starting with one of these.
Regarding the OP's question about a good starter strop, I'm actually going to disagree with some of the advice on this thread. It's been my experience that noobs will tend to destroy their first stop while trying to learn proper technique. It definitely worked out that way for me. IMO, even the most affordable Tony Miller Strop would be more than I recommend spending on a first (emphasis on first) strop.
I actually have a $20, 3" wide strop from a company called Garos goods that is actually very good. The draw on it is perfect (for my taste), and the build quality is excellent. At that cost, I wouldn't be devastated if I destroyed it. Barber Strop - 3 Inch Black - https://www.garosgoods.com/collections/barber-strop/products/barber-strop-3-inch-black.
I recommend starting with something like this. Once the stropping motion becomes muscle memory, then treat yourself to a nice Heirloom strop. That's my $0.02.
I started my SR journey on a GD 208 from the same vendor (Grooming Network - aka Classic Shaving). It was the perfect Gateway drug to get me into buying other, better SR's, and the perfect sacrificial lamb to learn basic honing skills (and correcting a wonky spine and uneven bevel). Nothing wrong with starting with one of these.
Regarding the OP's question about a good starter strop, I'm actually going to disagree with some of the advice on this thread. It's been my experience that noobs will tend to destroy their first stop while trying to learn proper technique. It definitely worked out that way for me. IMO, even the most affordable Tony Miller Strop would be more than I recommend spending on a first (emphasis on first) strop.
I actually have a $20, 3" wide strop from a company called Garos goods that is actually very good. The draw on it is perfect (for my taste), and the build quality is excellent. At that cost, I wouldn't be devastated if I destroyed it. Barber Strop - 3 Inch Black - https://www.garosgoods.com/collections/barber-strop/products/barber-strop-3-inch-black.
I recommend starting with something like this. Once the stropping motion becomes muscle memory, then treat yourself to a nice Heirloom strop. That's my $0.02.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Indeed. A good strop is basically just a piece of good leather. If you keep it at 2-3/4" or less wide, and at least 24" long, you can basically just hammer in a grommet on each end and strop away. A "D" ring on each end is a lot nicer, though. You can sew, or you can use Chicago screws. Or evem pop rivets. TBH I would like to see more newbies just making their first strop. It is hard for a pro to find the time to make $40 strops. But when you make it for your own use, it doesn't really matter what your labor is worth. Bam badda bang bang bangity bam bang bang. Done. Almost. Then rub rub rub rubbadub rubbity rub the leather. Okay that's it, but still it is time consuming and while leather and D rings and Chicago screws are cheap in quantity,, labor must be compensated, and time is something that is easy to run out of but impossible to buy more of. So a noob making his own first strop sounds like a really good idea to me. Upgrade later.
A few here have recommended making your own strop. I'd also recommend the same. Mr. McCoy gave all the reasons I would give, so I'm not going to repeat.
If you do make your own I'd also go with a D ring on both ends. I am still using a roo tail strop I made years ago. I attached a swivel clip to a hook on a door and clipping that to a D ring. Therefore no issues with swapping ends.
If you do make your own I'd also go with a D ring on both ends. I am still using a roo tail strop I made years ago. I attached a swivel clip to a hook on a door and clipping that to a D ring. Therefore no issues with swapping ends.
The best answer to the OP that already has a GD Razor is to get it truly shave ready, and to purchase a strop that is inexpensive, yet of good enough quality to get him started and successfully shaving. As his journey continues, he'll either be hooked or he'll sell his kit in B&B’s BST section without being out much. My 7th grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Lambert, once said “the smartest person isn’t the one that knows everything, it’s the person that knows where to look for the answer,” so the OP made a good choice to seek advice from the many old heads here on B&B who freely (read no charge!) share their knowledge, advice, encouragement and photos/videos to anyone willing to seek it out. My best advice to the OP, is to keep reading and learning, and to not give up.
The responses to the OP’s question go to show the diverse viewpoints and passion of the B&B SR community, and as a “SR Noob” I think how you approach SR shaving depends on your background, abilities and how you learn. Reflecting on my own "SR Journey" (SR shave #27 this morning) to this point, I didn't follow the good advice to start with a Gold Dollar or shave ready setup—mainly because I'm cheap, stubborn, and I like a challenge (okay, I'm mostly cheap). I was looking for an inexpensive solution to get a better edge on my Rolls Razor blades, so I researched B&B, and discovered lapping film and the method and adapted it to the Rolls. Everyone claimed that a Rolls is the closest thing to a straight, after a lot or research and reading about what to look for in a vintage straight razor (American/German/Sheffield-good), when I came across this razor and a Bresduck Strop for under $20 at an antique store, I figured “what the hell.” After more research, sandpaper, elbow grease and neat's-foot oil for the strop, they were restored to a usable condition. I broke out the lapping film, a piece of marble tile and spray bottle, then set the bevel with the burr method and honed the blade w/lapping film and stropped on the linen and leather, and between this razor and about 7 other vintage SRs off eBay and antique stores (all under $20, most under $10), I've been getting shaves in. Are they the best edges giving the best shaves I could possible get? Absolutely not, but they will be as I continue learning to hone a better edge on film (I picked up a loupe, and now a USB microscope) and will eventually try balsa stropping. I’m working on my first set of test scales (fashioned from a taillight lens found along the side of the road—why screw up your first really nice set of horn scales?), and while they won't be the best peened scales, the second or third set will be better. This isn't crowing/attention seeking because I'd give myself a C+/B- grade overall, but I’m a hands on learner and it’s what worked FOR ME. I’m basically too stupid, too stubborn and too cheap to go buy a ready to go kit online, because it would have been easier and quicker. On the flipside, I also wanted to be on the record that it's possible (not advisable though, as a shave ready Gold Dollar razor would've been a GREAT place to start) for an absolute noob to learn enough here from the old heads on B&B to find a razor and strop to restore, then hone and strop it well enough to shave (and gain an appreciation for SRs) for under $60. The downside is that I’m hooked and feel like I have to make it a point to use all of the DE/SE razors I have accumulated and keep them from collecting dust.
The responses to the OP’s question go to show the diverse viewpoints and passion of the B&B SR community, and as a “SR Noob” I think how you approach SR shaving depends on your background, abilities and how you learn. Reflecting on my own "SR Journey" (SR shave #27 this morning) to this point, I didn't follow the good advice to start with a Gold Dollar or shave ready setup—mainly because I'm cheap, stubborn, and I like a challenge (okay, I'm mostly cheap). I was looking for an inexpensive solution to get a better edge on my Rolls Razor blades, so I researched B&B, and discovered lapping film and the method and adapted it to the Rolls. Everyone claimed that a Rolls is the closest thing to a straight, after a lot or research and reading about what to look for in a vintage straight razor (American/German/Sheffield-good), when I came across this razor and a Bresduck Strop for under $20 at an antique store, I figured “what the hell.” After more research, sandpaper, elbow grease and neat's-foot oil for the strop, they were restored to a usable condition. I broke out the lapping film, a piece of marble tile and spray bottle, then set the bevel with the burr method and honed the blade w/lapping film and stropped on the linen and leather, and between this razor and about 7 other vintage SRs off eBay and antique stores (all under $20, most under $10), I've been getting shaves in. Are they the best edges giving the best shaves I could possible get? Absolutely not, but they will be as I continue learning to hone a better edge on film (I picked up a loupe, and now a USB microscope) and will eventually try balsa stropping. I’m working on my first set of test scales (fashioned from a taillight lens found along the side of the road—why screw up your first really nice set of horn scales?), and while they won't be the best peened scales, the second or third set will be better. This isn't crowing/attention seeking because I'd give myself a C+/B- grade overall, but I’m a hands on learner and it’s what worked FOR ME. I’m basically too stupid, too stubborn and too cheap to go buy a ready to go kit online, because it would have been easier and quicker. On the flipside, I also wanted to be on the record that it's possible (not advisable though, as a shave ready Gold Dollar razor would've been a GREAT place to start) for an absolute noob to learn enough here from the old heads on B&B to find a razor and strop to restore, then hone and strop it well enough to shave (and gain an appreciation for SRs) for under $60. The downside is that I’m hooked and feel like I have to make it a point to use all of the DE/SE razors I have accumulated and keep them from collecting dust.
Attachments
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
@Lord NSIC you bring memories back to me from a couple of years ago when I was learning to SR shave and hone at the same time. Not easy but it can be done.
Similar threads
