About to get my first straight

I won a straight in a pif and it is due to be delivered tomorrow. It is supposed to be shave ready. I have a strop coming, so I believe I will wait until it gets here before I shave my cheeks. I promise to go slow. I would really like to learn this skill. I am an avid SE/DE shaver already, so face prep should not be a problem.
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Remember. if it is shave ready when it comes to you DO NOT strop before the first shave. Most likely you will dull the edge. Read the wikis and watch the videos on stropping before you attempt it. (There is a large graveyard of ruined strops because people didn't do their homework)

In that case, I may go ahead and do a cheek shave. I can strop it when the strop arrives. I have been watching some good stropping videos. I am not interested in visiting the strop graveyard.

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Originally Posted by Jayaruh

In that case, I may go ahead and do a cheek shave. I can strop it when the strop arrives. I have been watching some good stropping videos. I am not interested in visiting the strop graveyard.

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Good decision. The worst that can happen, barring a serious laceration, is you decide it needs to be stropped, or maybe honed by someone more expert.

I have no expertise in straight razors. Could you tell us more about the one you got? What brand is it? What are the scales made of? Do you know the year it was made?

Thanks!

Bob

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Originally Posted by BobCochran

I have no expertise in straight razors. Could you tell us more about the one you got? What brand is it? What are the scales made of? Do you know the year it was made?

Thanks!

Bob

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I am told it is a J. M. Schmidt, made in Germany. It looks to be a 5/8. That is all I really know.

Good luck and have fun. Let us know how you go.

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Originally Posted by eddy79

Good luck and have fun. Let us know how you go.

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I will, indeed. I just finished my morning shave with my Schick M Adjustable. It was excellent. I am so stoked about receiving my new straight today.

If you have an old leather belt lying around that is flat and clean, you could practice your stripping on that to avoid damage to your high dollar strop when it arrives! Just make sure there is nothing wrong with the belt before you ruin your edge on it.

*stropping.... Stupid auto correct.

I second the comments about not stropping when it arrives. If it is truly "shave ready" you'll want to feel how it feels at it's sharpest. Then compare that to how it feels after you start stropping. This will help you gauge how well you did, or how much you need to improve.

Let us know how she worked. Good luck!

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Originally Posted by EngineerJim

If you have an old leather belt lying around that is flat and clean, you could practice your stripping on that to avoid damage to your high dollar strop when it arrives! Just make sure there is nothing wrong with the belt before you ruin your edge on it.

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if you are going to practice stropping, just use something similar to a straight, like a butterknife or similar, get comfortable with the action then you will be fine

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

if you are going to practice stropping, just use something similar to a straight, like a butterknife or similar, get comfortable with the action then you will be fine

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Thanks, will do.

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

if you are going to practice stropping, just use something similar to a straight, like a butterknife or similar, get comfortable with the action then you will be fine

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+1. Exactly what I did and it worked like a charm. No nicks in my strop and my first razor is still in great shape.