Will my first straight be ruined?

[Toucan]

How certain of a thing is it that my first straight razor will be ruined? Either by rust, misuse, honing inability, etc.?

Did /you/ ruin your first straight razor?

Because I want to get a straight razor. I was looking at the Whipped Dog selection, but don't want one which has a poor quality scale unless I'll surely mess up the razor. Otherwise, I'd like to splurge a little. Maybe on a Solingen Renaissance :hopeful:

 

[Firewalker]

My very first razor is still in fine condition, I do dry them off and store them standing upright so that there is air all around them though.

never mind the quality of the scales, you can repin the razor with some pretty horn, warm, ivory or bone or wild exotic woods. Head over to the classifieds and look a round. All the hardware is there.

 

[smalltank]

Q tips work perfectly in between the scales

 

[AjaxLepinski]

Like all new straight razor users, I dulled my edge fairly quickly and needed to do some edge maintenance, stropping and touching up.
Edge maintenance takes a bit of practice so, I wound up buying a few extra, shave ready straights to keep me shaving while I learned to hone.

You're already on the right path with a Whipped Dog - you'll get a shave ready blade at a good price. Just watch out for the faucet as it can put a nice chip in your razor! Have fun!!!

 

[Relentless]

ARGH!

Now I hear about the faucet. I hit my only straight real nice last night, just as I was starting.

 

[Firewalker]

ARGH!

Now I hear about the faucet. I hit my only straight real nice last night, just as I was starting.

EOUCH!!! Sorry to hear about that Darryl. When I built out my master bath, I made sure to get a sink/faucet combination that allowed me 100% access to the bowl with no faucet intrusion. That was years before I got into straights and I am so glad I did. I bet you are at Lowes today looking for a new one huh?

 

[wrinkles2]

when a B&B member let me borrow his Straight, I kept a sponge near the sink area to wipe lather off the blade.
worked fine.

 

[Toucan]

I won't hit it on the faucet; I've heard of that story way too many times to not be wary as I'm rinsing it - in fact, I think I'll be towel drying my blade just to be extra cautious of rust damage.

Ok, so just go all out? 'Cause I really wanted a Solingen Those things look really nice. In fact, it was a Solingen I saw that first made me want to get into this.
Again, the really cheap price of those on Whipped Dog really deter me.

Maybe I'll have some luck and snag one on the B/S/T. Heck, eBay works with me too. Otherwise...*sigh*, I guess a Whipped Dog works...

 

[Prof. Moriarty]

Go for a Whipped Dog beginners package thing. Really is the best investment. That is how I started and I don't regret it one bit. You do not want to be dropping one of your nice razors, or letting it rust at the beginning just because you are not used to it yet.

 

[global_dev]

I won't hit it on the faucet; I've heard of that story way too many times to not be wary as I'm rinsing it - in fact, I think I'll be towel drying my blade just to be extra cautious of rust damage.

Ok, so just go all out? 'Cause I really wanted a Solingen Those things look really nice. In fact, it was a Solingen I saw that first made me want to get into this.
Again, the really cheap price of those on Whipped Dog really deter me.

Maybe I'll have some luck and snag one on the B/S/T. Heck, eBay works with me too. Otherwise...*sigh*, I guess a Whipped Dog works...

knock on wood, 'cause that's how you cut your hand by accident..

the cheap price of the whipped dog has to do with appearance and size. they are likely mostly solingen too.

 

[Shave_Rat]

when a B&B member let me borrow his Straight, I kept a sponge near the sink area to wipe lather off the blade.
worked fine.

+1

I use a large natural sponge in the sink with hot water, then wipe the blade off on it as needed using a stropping type motion away from the edge. Since my sink faucet is pretty in the way, I actually pick the sponge up and hold it while wiping just to be really sure the blade is clear of anything that could damage it (or that it could damage).

 

[Weaselsrippedmyflesh]

I'm still using my first straight. For that matter, I'm still using every straight I've ever purchased (9 of them, so far). Take the plunge, buy something you like, take reasonable care with it and have fun!

 

[cadomniel]

I ruined the edge on my first straight with poor stropping technique but then I bought a set of hones and used it as honing practice

No longer have interest in honing so have sold off the hones and I plan on keeping just a handful of straights in my collection.

 

[cb91710]

Ditto on Ajax.
None of my seven straights are ruined, and in fact, my first still has a very nice edge on it.
Early on, I was dulling them quickly (a week or two) and couldn't figure out why I had to go back to the hones so often.... It was a combination of poor technique and poor honing technique.
I'd take a perfectly good shave-ready blade honed by a pro and kill the edge in a week... and when I'd put my edge on it, IF it was a decent edge, it was only "that sharp" for a couple of shaves.

Now, almost 18 months later... Last time I honed my Wacker 15/16 was late January. Last time before that was last July.

One of these weekends, I'm going to pile up the whole collection and spend 10 or so hours bringing the rest all up to snuff.

 

[drmatt357]

Probably ding it a few time but just another reason to buy another one

 

[crunchthetroll]

Do both if you have the money. Get a whipped dog kit to start with and practice. Get a nice one you want for a back up or when you're ready for it.
I still have my whipped dog and I still use it.

 

[RADisorder]

ARGH!

Now I hear about the faucet. I hit my only straight real nice last night, just as I was starting.

No complaints. I hit a finger on my left hand. Better to learn on a faucet!


If ordering from whippeddog, pickup the poor man's strop kit as well. The balsa paste will help you with the edge. And you can ask for the flawed strop and save a few more bucks. Mine works great.

 

[Seraphim]

argh!

Now i hear about the faucet. I hit my only straight real nice last night, just as i was starting.

hungry!!!!!

 

[hokahay]

+1 on the sponge. Watch the famous

Chimensch's Shaving Video

Almost obligatory now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIM0Coix6Gg

 

[RADisorder]

+1 on the sponge. Watch the famous

Chimensch's Shaving Video

Almost obligatory now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIM0Coix6Gg

I like his one hand technique. Getting the blade that close to the nose makes me squirm though. Then, he actually hits his right ear on the upstroke ..*shudder.*

Might just have to go with the sponge and maybe get one of those expensive scuttles one day.