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Just got my first new straight, a Ralf Aust 5/8 from straight razor designs. My question is, before my first shave should I strop the razor? On the website when I ordered it, it says to strop before use, but I have read on here that you shouldn't strop before your first use if you know it's shave ready. So what should I do?
Straight Razors Designs has a reputation for delivering truly shave ready razors. That means it is actually ready to shave. Take it out of the box, set it on a towel lather and go!
Your razor is ready to shave. Don't strop before shaving. Lynn has prepared your razor for shaving. Any doubts give him a call.
I recently acquired a Ralf Aust 5/8 from straight razor designs too. It is shave ready. Being new to SR shaving I shave a couple times before stropping to see if my stropping is improving. 8 months ago I bork'd my first razor and strop. My new Ralf is still shaving great after a couple stropping so my stropping technique has improved and no dings in the strop. :rofl2:
Definitely shave first. Wipe the oil off carefully and go to it. One bad stropping is all it takes to ruin the edge. Shaving first lets you experience shave ready and let's you know that when you do strop it if you make it better or worse. Good luck and happy shaving
Did it come from SRD? If it did then shave with it. Then after that strop slowly and carefully with the spine and edge flat on the strop. Tc