Very first shave with a SR

[Black-Tie]

After quite a long and painful learning curve with a Feather AC shavette, I finally pushed the button and acquired a straight razor.
I hesitated for months, as the honing and stropping process has been constantly putting me off. Can't even remember how many times I had a SR in my shopping basket which eventually ended up removed... I guess I was more scared of sharpening and maintaining the blade than shaving with it... Still am though, I can't really say if the blade is in the best shaving condition or not..
Well, it's done now, the razor is home, along with a leather paddle and a pot of green paste.
I had my very first shave yesterday, didn't go quite well but I wasn't expecting the perfect experience.
I was quite surprised to notice that the shave wasn't as close as it used to be with the Feather AC, and far from being as smooth. Also, I noticed that the blade isn't as easy to slide on the whiskers and requires shorter strokes in the "difficult" areas. I reckon my hands need a bit of practice.
Despite this, I'm far from being discouraged, the contrary; it's exciting to go through a different pattern and learn new things.
I didn't go this route to experiment a SR, my intention is to change my routine if necessary and regularly include a SR in my rotation, for as long as possible. So for all the experienced users out there, any advice or suggestion you might have to smooth up the process will be much appreciated! If everything has previously turned out very well with a shavette, I don't see why it wouldn't with a proper SR also.

Take care!

 

[global_dev]

Beautiful razor ! Good job on the first attempt!

The AC blades are sharp, straights can be hit or miss sometimes depending on honing.

Where did you get that grelot?

 

[BobbyB]

Congrats on this first SR shave. I wish I had the skill to master one of these.

 

[BigJ]

Congratulations!!

Absolutely FABULOUS RAZOR!!

 

[kingfisher]

May be that the razor needs to be honed. You need a very shallow angle, too.

Strop very carefully to avoid rolling the edge, and always keep the blade completely dry between shaves.

 

[Black-Tie]

Beautiful razor ! Good job on the first attempt!

The AC blades are sharp, straights can be hit or miss sometimes depending on honing.

Where did you get that grelot?

Thanks, I bought it from a TI retailer here in France.


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[Black-Tie]

May be that the razor needs to be honed. You need a very shallow angle, too.

Strop very carefully to avoid rolling the edge, and always keep the blade completely dry between shaves.

Thanks, I tried to strop it as per the instructions, but in all honestly, it must’ve been a very clumsy performance. Yes, I did my very best to dry the blade properly. Do I need to oil it between shaves? I’ll be using the razor every 3 days.



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[Invicta]

Thanks, I tried to strop it as per the instructions, but in all honestly, it must’ve been a very clumsy performance. Yes, I did my very best to dry the blade properly. Do I need to oil it between shaves? I’ll be using the razor every 3 days.
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I am wondering if it was truly in shave ready condition when you bought. Stropping alone may not get it to a shaving edge. The people in the straight razor section of the forum may be able to advise further.
It is a beautiful looking straight razor.

 

[freeasimo]

Slow but steady. Good job. Your doing great!

 

[rbscebu]

I doubt that you have ruined the blade's bevel with your stropping, however you may have degraded the edge a little. I would suggest that you get a hanging leather strop at least 60mm (preferably 75mm) wide together with three balsa strops each about 300mm x 75mm x 20mm to 30mm thick. Use diamond paste (0.5um, 0.25um & 0.1um) on your balsa strops (hand held). Never paste your good hanging leather strop.

With the hanging leather strop and diamond pasted balsa strops, you may never need to hone your SR.

Some will also use a linen of denim hanging strop and paste that. I am not a fan of that, preferring diamond pasted balsa strops.

If you decide to go the diamond pasted balsa strop method, PM me and I will offer you some guidance.

BTW, welcome to the gentlemanly art of traditional SR shaving. It only gets better with each shave.

 

[Robert Anderson]

Congratulations on your first SR shave. A couple of things come to mind. First, it is unlikely that your razor is as sharp as an AC blade. Using The Method can get you close. Second, AC blades are about 2/3s the length of a straight razor, so even if your razor was just as sharp, there will be more resistance than using a Feather AC razor.

 

[steveclarkus]

Thanks, I tried to strop it as per the instructions, but in all honestly, it must’ve been a very clumsy performance. Yes, I did my very best to dry the blade properly. Do I need to oil it between shaves? I’ll be using the razor every 3 days.



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No, just wipe the blade dry and give it a few strips to make sure the edge is dry then leave it open for a couple of hours or all day. Put a drop of oil in the pivot occasionally.

 

[camoloc]

I doubt that you have ruined the blade's bevel with your stropping, however you may have degraded the edge a little. I would suggest that you get a hanging leather strop at least 60mm (preferably 75mm) wide together with three balsa strops each about 300mm x 75mm x 20mm to 30mm thick. Use diamond paste (0.5um, 0.25um & 0.1um) on your balsa strops (hand held). Never paste your good hanging leather strop.

With the hanging leather strop and diamond pasted balsa strops, you may never need to hone your SR.

Some will also use a linen of denim hanging strop and paste that. I am not a fan of that, preferring diamond pasted balsa strops.

If you decide to go the diamond pasted balsa strop method, PM me and I will offer you some guidance.

BTW, welcome to the gentlemanly art of traditional SR shaving. It only gets better with each shave.

^^^^^^^ this

as of this morning, I can attest that balsa strops = sublime.

camo

 

[allyourbasearebelongtous]

probably the edge is not tip top. my first straight razor ( kamisori japanese grind ) was gonna be for display only. i got it because it looked cool, and i thought it would be a nice display. after i had it for a few months, i decided to use it to line my beard and shave some areas. to my surprise, it was pretty smooth and did a good job removing hairs. after the first strop, i ruined the edge. the second shave was not smooth at all. i did some research, and found a pro straight honer, right before i was gonna ship it to him for a sharpen, covid hit and everything shut down. but right before, i purchased a straight from him that he had honed. i received the razor, and used it to shave my neck which is my sensitive area. this was probably the smoothest sharp object to ever come in contact with my skin. also a clean shave. when it comes to straights, i think the shaving part is the easy part. i got that down in like three shaves. the stropping and the maintenance of the edge is the hard part. but i believe once you can get to, and maintain a tip top edge, you will have the best shaves. the blade feel of a properly honed straight is much more enjoyable then other forms of shaving. during covid lock down, sitting at home with idle hands, i purchased some more straights. right now, im in the process of switching to straights full time, acquired some strops, and practicing stropping. i only use one of straight now until im comfortable stropping before i use my new straights. i dont hone my own blades at this time.

 

[Lightcs1776]

And so goes the journey down the rabbit hole. Congrats.

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[Rosseforp]

I didn't go this route to experiment a SR, my intention is to change my routine if necessary and regularly include a SR in my rotation, for as long as possible. So for all the experienced users out there, any advice or suggestion you might have to smooth up the process will be much appreciated! If everything has previously turned out very well with a shavette, I don't see why it wouldn't with a proper SR also.

Congrats on your first SR shave

Beautiful razor, more than likely needs a bit of honing as the term "shave-ready" is a bit of a misnomer. Very few straight razors have a factory edge that provide a comfortable shave. Will the razor tree-top arm hair? If not, it probably needs honing.

And that my friend, is a very deep rabbit hole.

The Straight Razor Shave Clinic is a great place to get advice!