Thread: Do you get what you pay for?

Originally Posted by TulaneBoy

First real straight shave today! WOW I am so pleased with myself! No cuts, thanks to my experience with the shavette I guess. I know you are supposed to take it slow at first, and just shave part of your face, or just shave one pass, but I did two WTG passes over my whole face and neck. The first one left me pretty smooth, the second one was definitely in Mach III territory. Tomorrow I will try my other straight! Or should I stick with just this one for a while? My uncle told me to only use one brand of blade with my DE and not switch around all the time, and that's what I did with the shavette, too. That way I wouldn't be always off balance and trying to adjust to a different blade while learning. So what is best... sticking with this razor for a couple of weeks, or should I try my other one tomorrow? I really think I kinda got the basics nailed. I mean, no cuts, good shave, not much irritation. Way less than from the shavette or the Gillette. The aftershave had a little burn but not much. I am really feeling pretty good about this.

One funny thing... when I was doing the second pass, it felt like the razor wasn't doing anything. I thought I had somehow got it dull during the second pass shave. I actually stopped and tried to strop it back sharp, but still felt the same, like it was just a dull piece of smooth steel sliding on my face. The first pass, it was definitely shaving. I could feel it and hear it. I had a slight tugging feeling, sort of like with any other shaving method, but a tiny bit more. There was some resistance. On the second pass, just glide glide glide. I figured I was just wasting my time when I was nearly finished with one side of my face, but when I felt my face, YOWZA! So smooth I had to laugh! Definite difference from the other side, so I finished the second pass on the rest of my face. Any other newbies out there, if you feel like your second pass isn't doing much good, keep going! That just means you mowed all the hair down pretty good on the first pass and there isn't all that much for the blade to catch up on. One reason I suspected my razor was getting dull is I half expected that, because it was my el cheapo one, but I guess it did okay. After I finished shaving and restropping, I could pass it over my forearm without touching the skin and the ends of the hairs still toppled over like a lawnmower at work, with just a barely hearable pink-pink-tink-tink kinda sound. I was told that this was a pretty good test if there is any confusion, and that the so called HHT test was really hit or miss. I guess the real test is when I shave with that razor again.

My Dad's buddy showed me how to make what he called a hobo strop out of newspaper. I now have a total of 4 leather strops, but he said I should strop on the hobo strop for a few days before risking it with a leather one. Is this good advice? I got my Great Grandpa's strop, which I am softening with saddle soap and Red Wing boot oil and it seems to be coming along... it is getting softer. There are some cracks down next to the handle but not in the middle area. I have the Poor Man Strop Kit from Whipped Dog which seems a little on the basic side, and the Big Daddy strop from Star Shaving Company, and one my Dad got from somebody. It is an Illinois model 827. I also have the balsa wood with the red and green stuff from Whipped Dog that came with the Poor Man Strop. I am reading two different ways of using that. One is to not mess with it until the razor is getting dull. The other is use it after every shave and the razor will never get dull in the first place. I am kinda leaning to prevention rather than cure, but I don't want to mess up my razor this early in the game so I am thinking I should wait a few shaves before trying it. What does everybody think?

So my questions are

1. Should I hold off on the balsa wood strop for a while?
2. Should I only use it when the razor gets dull, or use it as regular maintainance?
3. Should I keep shaving with El Cheapo until I have shaved a few time with it or it gets dull, or break out the Dovo Best Quality tomorrow?
4. Is stropping on the newspaper hobo strop okay for now?
5. How am I doing so far?

TulaneBoy, this is the Louisiana Ragin' Cajun. Sounds like you're doing just great. I switch razors because I enjoy doing it. If you can drive a Ford, you can drive a Chevrolet.

1. Hold off until the razor begins to get dull. The balsa strop doesn't sharpen, it cleans off debris, therefore restoring some of the sharpness.
2. See #1.
3. I like variety, so I would shave with the one you feel like using tomorrow.
4. I would use the Big Daddy and resist the temptation to strop fast, because that's when you nick and cut it. You can get a replacement piece of leather from Star Shaving for $21.95. Believe me, I have had my share of difficulties stropping, but I would use the Big Daddy rather than some contrived strop. Don't use Great Grandaddy's strop until you become an ace. If it were me, I'd probably just keep it as an heirloom and not use it.
5. You are doing great!

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

TulaneBoy, this is the Louisiana Ragin' Cajun. Sounds like you're doing just great. I switch razors because I enjoy doing it. If you can drive a Ford, you can drive a Chevrolet.

1. Hold off until the razor begins to get dull. The balsa strop doesn't sharpen, it cleans off debris, therefore restoring some of the sharpness.
2. See #1.
3. I like variety, so I would shave with the one you feel like using tomorrow.
4. I would use the Big Daddy and resist the temptation to strop fast, because that's when you nick and cut it. You can get a replacement piece of leather from Star Shaving for $21.95. Believe me, I have had my share of difficulties stropping, but I would use the Big Daddy rather than some contrived strop. Don't use Great Grandaddy's strop until you become an ace. If it were me, I'd probably just keep it as an heirloom and not use it.
5. You are doing great!

Thanks, CC! Okay I think I will shave with the Dovo tomorrow, and strop with the Big Daddy. I do notice though that the Big Daddy is not totally flat. It sort of has a set in it and when I stretch it tight, it still has a faint rise in it almost at the mid point. The grain of the leather looks a little different in places, too. The Illinois strop is more consistent but nowhere near as big. Will the Big Daddy have sort of a break in period? I was told to rub a glass bottle on the family heirloom and I am wondering if I should do something similar with the Big Daddy. I guess because it is brand new and looks brand new, never used, is why I am wondering if it needs to break in for best results. The Illinois has definitely seen some use. Anyway I will remember your advice to not strop fast.

For what it's worth, I didn't slice up the newspaper strop like I was told I would. So I am feeling sort of an optimistic vibration about this stropping business.

I notice the Dovo on the edge the bevel part is a lot wider at the tip end on the right side and the handle end on the left side, and narrower at the tip end on the left side and the handle end on the right side. Does this mean that the blade is twisted or something? Or did the guy who honed it mess up? It seems plenty sharp, but Mr. Cheapo has an edge that looks a little more in balance and symmetrical and even, than the Dovo. Of course I realize that the cheapie had a lot of work done to it so it could be honed, and the Dovo was probably just honed as is, but is this common? I am thinking about letting the guy I got the bargain basement razor from, hone the Dovo, if it doesn't shave. Or even if it does shave. It does seem sharp, though. I can whack the tips off my forearm hairs without touching the skin, running it about a centimeter over my arm, so I would say that is pretty sharp. I am just wondering about the unevenness of the edge and if I should even be concerned about it or not.

Whaddaya think about the Saints this year? LOL Don't answer that. That is how all my Dad's friends are saying hello and goodbye these days! Thanks again for the reply! Geaux Tigers!

Originally Posted by TulaneBoy

Thanks, CC! Okay I think I will shave with the Dovo tomorrow, and strop with the Big Daddy. I do notice though that the Big Daddy is not totally flat. It sort of has a set in it and when I stretch it tight, it still has a faint rise in it almost at the mid point. The grain of the leather looks a little different in places, too. The Illinois strop is more consistent but nowhere near as big. Will the Big Daddy have sort of a break in period? I was told to rub a glass bottle on the family heirloom and I am wondering if I should do something similar with the Big Daddy. I guess because it is brand new and looks brand new, never used, is why I am wondering if it needs to break in for best results. The Illinois has definitely seen some use. Anyway I will remember your advice to not strop fast.

For what it's worth, I didn't slice up the newspaper strop like I was told I would. So I am feeling sort of an optimistic vibration about this stropping business.

I notice the Dovo on the edge the bevel part is a lot wider at the tip end on the right side and the handle end on the left side, and narrower at the tip end on the left side and the handle end on the right side. Does this mean that the blade is twisted or something? Or did the guy who honed it mess up? It seems plenty sharp, but Mr. Cheapo has an edge that looks a little more in balance and symmetrical and even, than the Dovo. Of course I realize that the cheapie had a lot of work done to it so it could be honed, and the Dovo was probably just honed as is, but is this common? I am thinking about letting the guy I got the bargain basement razor from, hone the Dovo, if it doesn't shave. Or even if it does shave. It does seem sharp, though. I can whack the tips off my forearm hairs without touching the skin, running it about a centimeter over my arm, so I would say that is pretty sharp. I am just wondering about the unevenness of the edge and if I should even be concerned about it or not.

Whaddaya think about the Saints this year? LOL Don't answer that. That is how all my Dad's friends are saying hello and goodbye these days! Thanks again for the reply! Geaux Tigers!

A few answers from someone who has been shaving with a straight 3 1/2 years, maintains his own blades, but is not a professional like some of the members here.

The strop was probably either rolled up or folded over when delivered. I have never used a bottle or anything other than gravity (i.e. leaving it hanging down on the wall) to smooth it out. I haven't had any problems with the material due to unevenness, the only problems I've had have been with the stropper. I also haven't noticed a difference in the grain on the surface on the one I have.

Read this concerning the possibility that the blade is twisted or warped: Blade Centering - Straight Razor Place Wiki. Skip down to the part titled Cause Discovery. If the blade doesn't close properly in the scales, read the whole page. I encountered a twisted blade a few months ago and didn't know it. After honing it, I shaved and it took 5 passes to get the results I'm accustomed to getting with 3. I looked at it with a 100X microscope and found that only half of it looked honed. Then I asked around here and was directed to the article I have provided you.

I'm the type that has to see what he is doing, so I keep a portable 100X microscope around that has a light runs on AAA batteries. Others run on watch batteries. My first one lasted three years until the light burned out. Very inexpensive. Here's mine: Amazon.com: Carson Micro Max Lighted Microscope: Sports & Outdoors.


It took some practice to learn to hold it still but once I did, I saw the edge up close and personal. If your blade is twisted or bent, the edge, the part that meets your face, is not uniform all the way across. What you are pointing out to me is cosmetic, although it might not be cosmetic to a professional. But that microscope is invaluable in situations where you're not sure about something.

The Saints should be better. Not having a coach last year really messed them up. I think their biggest obstacle this season will be the 49ers. Can the Saints beat them if they meet in the playoffs?

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

A few answers from someone who has been shaving with a straight 3 1/2 years, maintains his own blades, but is not a professional like some of the members here.

The strop was probably either rolled up or folded over when delivered. I have never used a bottle or anything other than gravity (i.e. leaving it hanging down on the wall) to smooth it out. I haven't had any problems with the material due to unevenness, the only problems I've had have been with the stropper. I also haven't noticed a difference in the grain on the surface on the one I have.

Read this concerning the possibility that the blade is twisted or warped: Blade Centering - Straight Razor Place Wiki. Skip down to the part titled Cause Discovery. If the blade doesn't close properly in the scales, read the whole page. I encountered a twisted blade a few months ago and didn't know it. After honing it, I shaved and it took 5 passes to get the results I'm accustomed to getting with 3. I looked at it with a 100X microscope and found that only half of it looked honed. Then I asked around here and was directed to the article I have provided you.

I'm the type that has to see what he is doing, so I keep a portable 100X microscope around that has a light runs on AAA batteries. Others run on watch batteries. My first one lasted three years until the light burned out. Very inexpensive. Here's mine: Amazon.com: Carson Micro Max Lighted Microscope: Sports & Outdoors.


It took some practice to learn to hold it still but once I did, I saw the edge up close and personal. If your blade is twisted or bent, the edge, the part that meets your face, is not uniform all the way across. What you are pointing out to me is cosmetic, although it might not be cosmetic to a professional. But that microscope is invaluable in situations where you're not sure about something.

The Saints should be better. Not having a coach last year really messed them up. I think their biggest obstacle this season will be the 49ers. Can the Saints beat them if they meet in the playoffs?

The microscope looks like it would be really handy when I start honing my own razors. My razor closes okay in the scales, and under a magnifying glass, it looks like the bevel runs continuous all the way down the blade. What I mean is I think it is functionally sharp. The only thing that concerns me is will I be able to sharpen it when the time comes, or are there tricks to sharpening a slightly twisted blade. Okay, well I won't worry about it.

I think I will rub the Big Daddy down good with saddle soap and just let it hang for a few weeks. I can strop on the Illinois strop for now. Anyway it isn't bad. Maybe I am over-critical. If I pull it REALLY tight, it is pretty flat.

Coach Sean Payton was THE major factor in the Saints finally going to a Superbowl and winning it. Without him, last season was a lost cause from the start. The fans knew it and the players knew it. The other teams knew it, too, and walked all over the Saints in games they otherwise would have won even back when they were known as "The Aints". Got my fingers crossed this year. The 49ers are tough but when the magic is there, the boys can beat 'em I think. They need to save a few tricky tricks for going up against those guys, and absolutely be playing the best ball they can play. I have to look at the 49ers lineup and see a couple of games but they are definitely a serious obstacle to another Superbowl win. Or even getting in the game.

I found these easier to use. From the 'bay:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...0Tools/60x.jpg
Microscope 60X. Microscope 45X
~Richard

Another good shave! But I was a little disappointed. I was advised to go with the cheapie again, and by someone else to try the Dovo, and the dilemma was like overwhelming. My Dad said just go for it and go with the Dovo. Of course he was in the bathroom coaching and cautioning until I reminded him that I now am an experienced straight shaver and he is not, and properly chastened, he hastened out of the bathroom. Well, I thought WTH, and I was really curious about the Dovo, and it was kinda like eeny meemy miney mo and so away I did go with the brand new Dovo.

First of all I don't know if I mentioned it but the edge is sort of uneven from one side and one end to the other. Apparently that's not supposed to be a big deal as long as there is a bevel on both sides all the way down, and the width of it doesn't matter. Still, I am still sort of miffed about it because the cheap razor is more consistent and even. Of course a lot of work was done on it so I am sure it was worse right from the factory, and I am sure the Dovo can be made as even as the Gold Dollar by the right guy. I am so confident of that, in fact, that I have made arrangements to send the Dovo to the same guy I got my Gold Dollar from, so he can fix it up like he fixed up the Gold Dollar. I also ordered a full blown custom Gold Dollar from him for $60. Is that too much? I saw some pics of some he has done and they are pretty cool looking. He says he can make the Dovo look like a Klingon ritual combat razor ROTFL! He says he will do it for free and just charge me a few bucks for the scale material and pins and stuff, cause he just thinks it will be fun to customize a Dovo like that.

But back to the shave. I was a little worried that it wouldn't shave all that well, especially since my Dad's friend said not to expect much from the Dovo on account of it was Dovo's entry level razor, but it did pretty good. As good as the cheapo? Well, not sayin. But I just kind of feel like for the money difference, it should have shaved way better than the cheapie. I don't feel like I really got my moneys worth. Well, I did, but compared to the low price I paid for the cheapo it wasn't such a hot deal. But hey, I'm just starting so take all this with a grain of salt. I gave the Dovo a good workout on the balsa after I got done shaving, and it mows arm hair down like grass, now, without touching the skin. I think the next shave with it will be better. I am feeling a lot more comfortable with the straight razor now. At first I couldn't decide whether to shave both sides of my face with my right hand, or switch hands. I finally decided that once a rightie, always a rightie and so that question is out of the way. This second shave I was a lot smoother with it and I got it done a lot quicker, like maybe 20 minutes for two passes including lathering and stuff. But the Dovo did leave my face nice and smooth and the aftershave didn't hardly burn at all. In fact it burnt less than it did after my first shave.

The Dovo feels a lot lighter and less stable. The Chinese junk razor is heavier and just feals more steady in my hand and has more momentum, like it goes CHARGE! into the enemy whisker camp, spearing and slashing everything standing. The Dovo kind of hesitates a little, like, "Hey General Custer, can I be excused for the rest of the afternoon?" LOL! I had to force it a little. My shave angle might be the cause of that I don't know. It shaved my face nice and smooth, but the Gold Dollar was like eager to slay those whisker hairs and never wimped out on me. I am hoping that as I get used to it, I will like it a lot more. And I do want to get a nicer mid level Dovo so I have something that is definitely high quality. I guess I need a few more shaves with the Dovo before I do anything rash.

Oh, I did get one small cut, right on my chin, where I cut myself several times before with my shavette straight. Not the razor's fault though. I was getting too careless.

I started to strop on my Illinois strop but the razor sort of sticks and drags on the leather so I finished on the newspaper hobo strop, 50 laps. That was before my shave. After shaving as I mentioned, I stropped on the balsa wood strop and then 20 laps on the hobo. Tomorrow I will do the Dovo again and see if that helped any.

I am really impressed with regular straight razor shaving so far, and it is a way improvement over the shavette straight razor. It is easier and gentler on my face. Don't want to sound like a wimp, but the shavette felt kind of punishing sometimes, especially slapping on the aftershave. The regular straight razors are a lot nicer to my facial skin.

UPDATE

I tried stropping a little bit on the Big Daddy and it had that same pully-sticky feeling so I wiped it down good with a rag and paint thinner to get the excess oil and saddle soap off of it. After drying for an hour I stropped again and wow! Much nicer! The dryer leather is way easier to use! I just wonder if it is having any effect on the razor because it is just gliding over it. Should I re-oil it a little? My Dad's buddy said rub it with the palm of my hand and let the skin oil do it. He sounds like he knows what he is talking about, but does that sound like good advice to you guys? Should I be looking for just a little bit of a resistance, or a lot, or none at all? Does it even matter?

Thanks a bunch, guys!

Originally Posted by TulaneBoy

Another good shave! But I was a little disappointed. I was advised to go with the cheapie again, and by someone else to try the Dovo, and the dilemma was like overwhelming. My Dad said just go for it and go with the Dovo. Of course he was in the bathroom coaching and cautioning until I reminded him that I now am an experienced straight shaver and he is not, and properly chastened, he hastened out of the bathroom. Well, I thought WTH, and I was really curious about the Dovo, and it was kinda like eeny meemy miney mo and so away I did go with the brand new Dovo.

First of all I don't know if I mentioned it but the edge is sort of uneven from one side and one end to the other. Apparently that's not supposed to be a big deal as long as there is a bevel on both sides all the way down, and the width of it doesn't matter. Still, I am still sort of miffed about it because the cheap razor is more consistent and even. Of course a lot of work was done on it so I am sure it was worse right from the factory, and I am sure the Dovo can be made as even as the Gold Dollar by the right guy. I am so confident of that, in fact, that I have made arrangements to send the Dovo to the same guy I got my Gold Dollar from, so he can fix it up like he fixed up the Gold Dollar. I also ordered a full blown custom Gold Dollar from him for $60. Is that too much? I saw some pics of some he has done and they are pretty cool looking. He says he can make the Dovo look like a Klingon ritual combat razor ROTFL! He says he will do it for free and just charge me a few bucks for the scale material and pins and stuff, cause he just thinks it will be fun to customize a Dovo like that.

But back to the shave. I was a little worried that it wouldn't shave all that well, especially since my Dad's friend said not to expect much from the Dovo on account of it was Dovo's entry level razor, but it did pretty good. As good as the cheapo? Well, not sayin. But I just kind of feel like for the money difference, it should have shaved way better than the cheapie. I don't feel like I really got my moneys worth. Well, I did, but compared to the low price I paid for the cheapo it wasn't such a hot deal. But hey, I'm just starting so take all this with a grain of salt. I gave the Dovo a good workout on the balsa after I got done shaving, and it mows arm hair down like grass, now, without touching the skin. I think the next shave with it will be better. I am feeling a lot more comfortable with the straight razor now. At first I couldn't decide whether to shave both sides of my face with my right hand, or switch hands. I finally decided that once a rightie, always a rightie and so that question is out of the way. This second shave I was a lot smoother with it and I got it done a lot quicker, like maybe 20 minutes for two passes including lathering and stuff. But the Dovo did leave my face nice and smooth and the aftershave didn't hardly burn at all. In fact it burnt less than it did after my first shave.

The Dovo feels a lot lighter and less stable. The Chinese junk razor is heavier and just feals more steady in my hand and has more momentum, like it goes CHARGE! into the enemy whisker camp, spearing and slashing everything standing. The Dovo kind of hesitates a little, like, "Hey General Custer, can I be excused for the rest of the afternoon?" LOL! I had to force it a little. My shave angle might be the cause of that I don't know. It shaved my face nice and smooth, but the Gold Dollar was like eager to slay those whisker hairs and never wimped out on me. I am hoping that as I get used to it, I will like it a lot more. And I do want to get a nicer mid level Dovo so I have something that is definitely high quality. I guess I need a few more shaves with the Dovo before I do anything rash.

Oh, I did get one small cut, right on my chin, where I cut myself several times before with my shavette straight. Not the razor's fault though. I was getting too careless.

I started to strop on my Illinois strop but the razor sort of sticks and drags on the leather so I finished on the newspaper hobo strop, 50 laps. That was before my shave. After shaving as I mentioned, I stropped on the balsa wood strop and then 20 laps on the hobo. Tomorrow I will do the Dovo again and see if that helped any.

I am really impressed with regular straight razor shaving so far, and it is a way improvement over the shavette straight razor. It is easier and gentler on my face. Don't want to sound like a wimp, but the shavette felt kind of punishing sometimes, especially slapping on the aftershave. The regular straight razors are a lot nicer to my facial skin.

UPDATE

I tried stropping a little bit on the Big Daddy and it had that same pully-sticky feeling so I wiped it down good with a rag and paint thinner to get the excess oil and saddle soap off of it. After drying for an hour I stropped again and wow! Much nicer! The dryer leather is way easier to use! I just wonder if it is having any effect on the razor because it is just gliding over it. Should I re-oil it a little? My Dad's buddy said rub it with the palm of my hand and let the skin oil do it. He sounds like he knows what he is talking about, but does that sound like good advice to you guys? Should I be looking for just a little bit of a resistance, or a lot, or none at all? Does it even matter?

Thanks a bunch, guys!

From what I am able to sift from your shaving reports I think you're doing very well, and asking the same questions we did when we started.

I would find out once and for all if the Dovo is bent or twisted if you have a gut feeling something is wrong with it. I get the idea that it is all right because of the way you described your shave with it.

A Dovo at any price point (that's not defective) should be an excellent shaver. Reading between the lines, I'd say that the "wimpiness" stems from the fact that it is a smaller and lighter razor than the Gold Dollar you have. When I was a beginner I liked larger, heavier razors because they helped shave off the whiskers while my skills were lacking. Now I prefer smaller razors, because I can maneuver them better.

The knock on Gold Dollars is not the steel, but the workmanship. A lot of hobbyists enjoy buying them and either working out the imperfections, or totally re-designing the razor into something original. I see a lot of these for sale, and I even have three of these. I also think a key to selling their razors are to convince people that the cheaper Dovos are inferior to their creations.

Long-time straight razor shavers who aren't trying to sell you anything try to advise you to stick to the tried and true brands of straights during the learning curve. After that, you can have a bad experience with a razor and be unscathed by it.

I think you are a fast learner and it won't take you very long to become an skilled straight shaver.

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

From what I am able to sift from your shaving reports I think you're doing very well, and asking the same questions we did when we started.

I would find out once and for all if the Dovo is bent or twisted if you have a gut feeling something is wrong with it. I get the idea that it is all right because of the way you described your shave with it.

A Dovo at any price point (that's not defective) should be an excellent shaver. Reading between the lines, I'd say that the "wimpiness" stems from the fact that it is a smaller and lighter razor than the Gold Dollar you have. When I was a beginner I liked larger, heavier razors because they helped shave off the whiskers while my skills were lacking. Now I prefer smaller razors, because I can maneuver them better.

The knock on Gold Dollars is not the steel, but the workmanship. A lot of hobbyists enjoy buying them and either working out the imperfections, or totally re-designing the razor into something original. I see a lot of these for sale, and I even have three of these. I also think a key to selling their razors are to convince people that the cheaper Dovos are inferior to their creations.

Long-time straight razor shavers who aren't trying to sell you anything try to advise you to stick to the tried and true brands of straights during the learning curve. After that, you can have a bad experience with a razor and be unscathed by it.

I think you are a fast learner and it won't take you very long to become an skilled straight shaver.

Thanks again, CC!

Craig, the guy I got the Gold Dollar from, is eager to do his magic on the Dovo but I want to shave with it a couple more times, first. I got a "raw" Gold Dollar and it is really something to laugh at, compared to what he did to my good one. Wow... those things sure are crude right out of the box! Robinson, my Dad's buddy who put me in touch with him, says I won't be disappointed in either the reworked Dovo or the full custom Gold Dollar. He's gone right now but when he gets back he says he has a bunch of razors and I am welcome to just pick one and keep it, or swap it back in for a different one, like a razor library or something. I got to say, my Dad has a lot of really cool friends. Don't matter what the subject, my Dad knows somebody who is like an expert at it. Seriously... I check with him before looking on google or Wikipedia cause he always comes up with somebody whose got the answers. And then the one guy, well he usually knows still other guys, which is how I connected with Craig, my Gold Dollar mechanic. And it was Robinson, my Dad's friend, who first sent me to this website. He showed me another one but they are mostly all about safety razors and I am only interested in straight razors so I came here.

My Dad just interrupted my typing and gave me something. I didn't even know he had it. I am just speechless about it but not type-less so I will tell you what he gave me. My Great-Grandpa obviously was a straight shaver cause I now have his strop. Well if he was a straight shaver, then what else would he have had? Yuppers you guessed it. I would have thought that any razor that old would be covered in rust byt actually my Dad just gave me my Great Grandpa's straight razor! He said it had a little rust on it at one time but he cleaned it up and polished the daylights out of it. I am gonna get my Dad's friend to sharpen it but it is already kinda sharp. It is a Barnsley Bros razor made in Monett MO. I just wiped it down with a little motor oil and wrapped it in wax paper and stuck it back in its case for now cause I don't want to mess it up. I really got all lumped up in the throat over that. That was just so cool.

Nice! I like your writing style. Entertaining.

Well I thought I better catch everybody up on what's going on with me. My Dad's buddy has been teaching me to hone and I am now the proud owner of a genuine imitation Swatty barber hone, a King 1k/6k stone, and a bunch of lapping film. I have also been using my Dad's biggest translucent Arkansas stone but it takes forever with that bad boy. I was really amazed at how easy it actually is to sharpen a razor if you don't give up and rush through the different grits. He lent me several razors to practice on and I have got good shaves from every edge except maybe the first attempt on the first razor. This morning I honed a "worn out" Double Duck Satin Edge and had probably my best shave yet, and tonight I will re-hone my souped-up Gold Dollar cause I think now I can actually improve the edge I got it with. He also gave me a couple of in the rough Gold Dollars still in their cheesy thin cardboard boxes to mess around with after showing me all the issues I need to fix on one. Actually he gave me another one a week ago but I didn't listen and I ruined the temper by grinding too long on it without a cooldown. He called it the Blue Stain of Death LOL! Apparently that razor is totally useless now. He says that since it has already been ground to final thickness, it is too thin to re-temper it or re heat treat it or whatever. So garbazh. I will be more carefull next time. He has my Dovo and says he will tune it up when he gets time after restoring a bunch of ebay razors he has waiting. My Dad has got the bug now. I just taught him how to straight shave LOL! Finally after all the stuff he has taught me, I was able to teach him something besides how to reset a router and stuff. He shaved Friday and this morning he still looks like he has been shaving wildcats unstead of his face LOL! But he is getting it I think. I got my Chinese Virginia Sheng brushes in Friday and they are kind of nice, especially for the money I think. I got a big ol silvertip and a smaller black badger my Dad (happy birthday Dad!) and another for traveling so if I lose it I am only out ten bucks. The Big Daddy strop is flattening out nice. I don't see why I would ever need another strop. That Big Daddy really rocks.

I got to say, these vintage razors are actually pretty cool. They ALL seem to shave good once you know how to tune them up and get em sharp. I got my own magic brew for sterilizing them. A bottle of Old Spice, some Listerine, HEET gas additive, and Lysol. Maybe I ought to add some acetone too. Anyway even without the acetone I don't think any microcritters can survive a soak in that stuff. Would acetone harm plastic scales, though? The HEET is nothing but methyl alcohol and it doesn't seem to hurt anything but I only soak razors in it for a half hour or so.

And the Saints are 3-0! Yow! Who Dat? Superbowl here we come again!