Thread: Beginners Tips: March 2014

I thought I should do a little something for our March installment of our beginner’s tips.

All things needed to get started on straight razor shaving is already present on this site, but it sure can be hard to find the bare essentials in between all the other stuff that is filling all the various sub-forums.


The thing about SRP is that we are a very diverse crowd from all parts of the world.


We have those looking for how to shave on a bare minimum.
And we have collectors, hobbyists and those geeky characters chasing the rainbow so to speak
(present company included)
Some love the honing aspects of this sport, others are into scales and not the razors themselves.
Yet others have interests in razors from certain areas or time-periods, others have favorite makes of straights based on a whole number of criterias.


What all those above provide on the forums are what keeps this community vibrant and moving forward, but at the same time it can be daunting for a newcomer looking to start out straight razor shaving.


So, as a beginner it is just as much about sifting thru all the stuff that is not essential for a close, comfortable shave as it is about finding the needed info.


As have been stated countless time on SRP, what you need for a comfortable and close shave is simply this:
A shave-ready straight razor of decent condition, a good soap or cream, a decent brush, be it synthetic or some kind of natural hair, and a strop.
That is it.
Seriously, that is it!


Sure, a barber hone or a Norton 4000/8000 grit stone would make you even more independent of outside help.
But in the beginning, send it out to someone who knows how to hone a razor.
Learning to use the razor, and stropping it to keep the edge keen, is enough when starting out.
There’s always help to find when the time comes to get the edge back to shave-ready.


When starting out, focus on learning the basics.
Try to find a local mentor, an hour or two with a seasoned straight razor shaver/honer can and will shave off weeks of the learning curve.
If you cannot, fine, then just peruse the beginners section on this site, and ask away.
We are all here to help each other out.
It is what makes SRP the #1 resource on straight razor shaving online.
I’ll say that one more time, ask away, there are no stupid questions, we have all been there!


Good luck with your endeavor.

Bernando, thank you for a concise, to the point post that ALL newcomers should be required to sign off on. But there are always that select group that reads (scans, more like it) that post and says, "That's not me, I know it all. I've honed knives, how difficult can a razor be? I'm going to tell them that I find 'x' soap is the best and they should not be using anything else. All those experts are behind the times, don't they know that I've been around the world and I now know everything about everything and I should be running the show". "And don't forget the "bargains available on eBay!"

Pardon my cynicism, but every so often we cycle through a bunch of new shavers with those attributes and every so often I have to complain about them.

Catch me tomorrow, when my good mood arrives.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

Bernando, thank you for a concise, to the point post that ALL newcomers should be required to sign off on. But there are always that select group that reads (scans, more like it) that post and says, "That's not me, I know it all. I've honed knives, how difficult can a razor be? I'm going to tell them that I find 'x' soap is the best and they should not be using anything else. All those experts are behind the times, don't they know that I've been around the world and I now know everything about everything and I should be running the show". "And don't forget the "bargains available on eBay!"

Pardon my cynicism, but every so often we cycle through a bunch of new shavers with those attributes and every so often I have to complain about them.

Catch me tomorrow, when my good mood arrives.

Pardon me, sir. I resemble those remarks

Seriously, though. Haven't we all made beginner mistakes?

@Birnando,

Great thread. I'd add that it's helpful to center oneself to the "Beginner's" subsection of the forum. Read other beginner's posts and not just your own. And, READ THE STICKIES! and, when finished, READ THE STICKIES again. What may have had little meaning or value to you during your first read, suddenly becomes revelation. The same goes for the videos. Revisiting periodically is both refreshes and adds new meaning to our experience.

Regards,

Awesome post! Should be required reading for site membership!

Birnando,

Well said...

And well worth saying again...and again...and again.