Another New Guy (my first post)

Hey everyone...My names Erik, and I thought I would introduce myself before I try to link some free ringtones and a pyramid scam to get me a free iPhone (since this is my first post here and all).

***This is my story, bullet points at the bottom.***

After shelling out $80 for some Mach5 replacement blades, I decided I would look a lot cooler shaving with a straight razor. I did some internet research, read the manuals (mostly the RazorCentral PDF), and jumped in face first.

I grabbed a Kit off the KnifeCenter store, some Soap from Mühle-Pinsel, and an extremely high-quality Brush from the local Dollar General.

I started with the brush and soap, which made an unbelievable difference from the rub on gel I had been using before, even though I was still using the vibrating toy of a razor. The day my straight razor came in I was extremely excited...I boiled some water, soaked a towel, whipped up some lather, and confirmed the razors sharpness by cutting up the box it came in.

My first attempt at stroping took a pretty deep chunk of leather out of the strope (I admit, I was doing it very quickly like I saw in all those movies...let the scrutiny begin), after which I tried the 'hanging-hair' test. It failed, but I dismissed it mainly because I saw this as somewhat mythical, like that scene in 'The Bodyguard' where Kevin drops Whitney's silk on the katana. So I went on to the sideburns. I felt a really strong pull, so I adjusted angle, pressure, all that crap I had read about...only to give up and finish with my disposable.

I haven't really progressed since then. I noticed today I was actually cutting hairs, but very few and patchy and unevenly (still end up finishing with the Gillette). I've watched several YouTube videos, found in my lurking here, but they didn't really help. So, here are my questions...

1- Sharpness is apparently my first concern. Is the stone I got in my kit worth an attempt by an amateur, or will I just screw things up?

2- A friend (hairdresser) has a shop she sends all her blades/scissors to for sharpening, and she offered to include my razor. Would a grindhouse dealing with hair products be trustworthy with a straight razor (in a general opinion...I have no information on the place so I can't provide details)? If not, who are the kind folks on here who offer this service, what's the turnaround time, and how can I contact them?

3- Who do I contact to get this 'How-To' DVD I keep hearing about?

4- Once it's honed by a pro, do I need to still strope it? I feel this might ruin the edge if I do it wrong...again. I was hoping I could get at least one confirmed cut before I go back to blaming it on an insurmountable learning curve.

5- Is my strope ruined by the lost chunk, and the tiny cuts along the edge? Would a strope on a block help prevent this, as opposed to one that needs a taut pull (which is where I feel the first error came...subsequents have been caused by me being stupid and inexperienced)? Also, first time using it, it got several drops of water on it...which were wiped away (this is also where the chunk came out...coincidence?) but the water stains still remain. Good/Bad/Normal?

6- How long did it take all of you to get this down, having no one to show you the ropes, and finding it hard to ask for advice since this is essentially a lost art (reviving, yes, but still far from norm). Granted, the internet is a great place to find information, but it wouldn't compare to having a father or grandfather with know-how to show you in person...my only instruction into the world of shaving when I was 14 I got an electric razor with the poignant words 'rub it where you're hairy.'

- I'll end it there for now. I thank you all for your time and the information you've already given me. Look forward to discussing it further, now that I've made my introduction.

-E.M.

1. No, you'll just screw things up.

2. No

3. You can get it through Classicshaving.com

4. Yes

5. Its probably still ok, but might be less effective is you've lost a lot of surface area.

6. It took me about 4 years, most get it faster. Follow our advice and the learning curve will shorten. Be obstinant and untrusting and it can take forever. The razorcentral pdf is a good general resource. It has a few wivestales thrown in for "mystery" ratings, buts otherwise its helpful.

Welcome! Now first piece of advice. Get the DVD and get a professionally honed razor.

The strop and brush will do for now. You'll want to upgrade them at your earliest opportunity ('specially since the slicing). Your razor and soap look like quality to me.

1. That stone is too coarse and the main cause of your shave issues.

2. I wouldn't send it to them. Of course that's because I can hone a razor myself. I can help you. PM me if you're interested.

3. Lynn

4. You'll need to strop before every shave. Carefully and slowly for 30-60 laps. Speed is your last concern. Feeling every inch of the gentle, subtle drag of steel on leather is your focus.

5. Cut any flaps away and rub the offending areas with a pumice stone to smooth them out. You're not the first.
Hanging strops are best for daily duty and paddle strops for sharpening pastes. You can mess them both up equally.
Water stains are because the leather could be better. It's a total coincidence that you stained it where you cut it.
These are the strops we all covet. His stock is low right now, but give him a month or two and he'll have all you need. Make do with what you've got till then. Normally we advise a little leather conditioning treatment of strops like mink oil or neats foot oil.

6. Everybody's learning curve is unique, but the advancement tends to go very quickly to begin with with the right guidance. Meeting up with members, either on Skype with Randy(dance) or in person, is a great thing to do. Spending time in the Permanent Archives of the Help Files is also a great way to assimilate wisdom. That's where we keep the secret tomes of the ancients.

X

<<<< These are the strops we all covet. His stock is low right now, but give him a month or two and he'll have all you need. Make do with what you've got till then. Normally we advise a little leather conditioning treatment of strops like mink oil or neats foot oil. >>>

X,
Thanks for the plug but everything will be available within days, not months. I can see EADS post has done it's damage already. A guy takes a 2 day vacation to make new stock and some newbie creates a panic with statements of me in bankrupcy!! <g>. I simply didn't want to sell items not sitting ready to ship on the shelf and you will see 4 side paddles are already back. All the hanging strops were available and only razor and hanging strop sets are missing for a few days. Remember, I'm not a retailer shipping someone elses product off of a shelf, I make this stuff by hand here in my shop and do occasionally need to go to sleep at night and eat in between <g>

Sorry for the shameless plug but I needed to set the record straight after EADs public mis-information yesterday about me having nothing to sell, bankrupcy, etc.... I am sure most saw his lunacy for what it was but this is not the first time he has done this to me or other dealers.

Thanks guys,
Tony

Don't worry Tony we are watching your back...

EM

Your razor is ok I have two Dovo's in my collection it just needs to be "razor sharp" cutting up the box with it dulled it for sure as well as your fast stropping. Do't worry you will get it all in time. I have been at this for two years and shave every morning before work with a str8. Practice makes less blood... :D . I am guessing the others answered most of your first set of questions. I am sure there will be more don't worry, write and someone will try to help. 2 things I would recommend, get a Tony Miller 4 sided paddle strop (this works well keeping the blade shave ready) and have someone sharpen your razor for you. I am not the best at honing or I would do it for you. If you have to press hard with the blade while shaving it is not sharp enough.. PS Get a better brush you will see a significant difference in the feel.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DemonsDanceAlone

I boiled some water, soaked a towel, whipped up some lather, and confirmed the razors sharpness by cutting up the box it came in.

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So it *was* sharp, then :) Paper and cardboard are extremely abrasive. Some of us use paper to take a bad edge off razors when we're honing. Slicing the razor through a few inches of writing paper is enough to take off the edge. You can actually hone a razor on newspaper, as several members have verified to their amazement.

I agree about having someone else hone it up, not only did the cutting of the box mess up your edge, but I doubt it came shave ready to begin with. Most razors are not shave ready out of the box, and so they need to be sharpened by someone who knows how to sharpen a straight razor. I would consider sending it off to Lynn. He offers sharpening at a very reasonable price.

Thanks everyone for the quick reply, very useful stuff. I'll hopefully get my DVD order out early next week, I think I'll hold off on the strope until I've successfully ruined this one, then I'll be in contact with Mr. Miller. I've already ordered a silver-tipped badger brush, which will hopefully be better than the Wal-Mart special (hopefully, meaning if the guy on eBay doesn't screw me).

I think I'll leave the stone sit where it's at...maybe test it out on my kerambit, just so I can say it's not wasted money. When I bought the set I doubted anything would be of the highest quality, but I'm glad that, in some of your opinions, the razor is decent enough (it appears to be a 1/2 hollow...although I'm not sure what the advantages and disadvantages of each grind type is...research will tell).

Anyways...thanks again--I'm sure I'll have more later.

-E.M.

***One last thing--I didn't use my razor as a box cutter, it's simply a way for when I do do something really stupid, I can say 'Well, I could've used it to cut cardboard.' I'll try to annunciate my sarcasm a little better next time ";" .***