Thread: What second job have you taken to finance your razor obsession?

Originally Posted by AndrewJM

Thanks. I have just emailed Larry at Whipped dog, and ordered a sight-unseen razor and the poor mans strop, to practice my stropping etc, and will be the blade I eventually use to try honing for the first time. I have also ordered a ralph aust razor kit from SRD, for my starter shaver. Once I learn how to strop the sight-unseen razor I will move to the Ralph Aust, and then to which ever fancy blade I end up purchasing.
Purely as a beginner for honing, what should I buy at a minimum? Any recommendations for the cheapest / yet still performing honing kit?

To begin with you will most likely do no more than refresh, or touch up the edge when it gets a little off. All you need for this is something around 12k. Though people used to and still do use a barber hone for this, they are around 8k.
Naniwa stones are popular but slightly more expensive than nortons or kings.
If you want a natural then I will step aside and let someone else advise, though you will probably be advised to steer clear of naturals as a starting hone as they are less predictable and therefore it is bard to give advice on their exact use, whereas a known synthetic will perform exactly the same as any other identical stone.
I tried to nut out this myself a while back, and a common progression would be 1k, 3 or 5k, 8k, 12k.
I have decided on a 1k chosera after some cajoling com a certain member here, a3k and 8k naniwa, and I already have a 10 and 12k naniwa, in hindsight the 10k was a bit of a mistake as it is kind of redundant.
I also have some.Welsh slates which are quite good too, in fact Geoff uses them on occasion so maybe he could show you when you go over.
In answer to your original question I am a fifo electrician, and my second job is working for myself on day of each of my r&r's in my own electrical business.

thank you. Im going to take up the kind offer of other forum members for a demo once Ive got the gear.

Thanks Ed, appreciated as always. Andrew

p.s. Ed, who coined the phrase you quote re bread and water? I like it.

Originally Posted by AndrewJM

p.s. Ed, who coined the phrase you quote re bread and water? I like it.

To be honest I don't know, I saw it on a mug I think when I went back to the uk last month. I liked it too, it seemed kind of comforting.

I think its great. I have 2 favourite sayings... 1) It's nice to be important, but more important to be nice ; and 2) There are 3 kinds of people in this world, those who can count and those who can't.

What you need is dependant on what you are doing. If you are touching up as Ed said the naniwa 12k is great or a crox strop then the naniwa. If you are doing restores or ebay buys a 600, 1, 5, 8, 12k would be more in order. These grits are approx and going to be dependant on the system you buy and how much you want to spend. I like to buy high end razors that have seen better days and clean them up to like new again and get great bargins this way it just takes time to get them really looking good again but have $200 blades I paid 30-40 for so for me is worth it and I like to do it. I was meant to be selling some to make cash but none seem to be leaving. Damn RAD.

I have gotten a second job so i could have extra money coming in so that i could get a straight razor but whenever i have extra money one of my five kids needs somthing. Lol life .
So for now i am de shaving untill i get the cash or a act of god happens.

Its a security job at jackson insurance

started off with honing and restoration, brushmaking, pen turning. but lately don't get into the shop much. coached volleyball, referee volleyball, custom paracord craft works.

a little bit of a lot, a lot of a little.

darren

I had to start another hobby to help pay for this hobby. Wife would get P.O when stuff would show up at the door. Now when stuff shows up, not a peep.