Thread: First Time Straight Shaver Questions

Hi Everyone

i am asking for some help to my questions
firstly i asked my wife for a straight razor for Christmas and thankfully that's what i received, she got me a Dovo Black Handle 5/8 carbon steel open razor (link to the one she got me : Dovo Black Handle 5/8 Carbon Steel Open Razor :: Straight Razors & Cut-Throat Razors :: Razors :: The Shaving Shack)

and she also bought this for me Dovo of Solingen Leather Strop Balm :: Strop Pastes :: Accessories :: The Shaving Shack
and this Dovo Leather and Canvas Razor Strop :: Strops & Hones :: Accessories :: The Shaving Shack

my questions are:

1. which side of my strop do i use? do i use the canvas first and if so how many laps? or just the leather side?
2. do i need a paste? if so are these ones the right ones? Dovo Red and Black Strop Paste :: Strop Pastes :: Accessories :: The Shaving Shack
3. which side do i put the paste on the strop?
4. what is the one my wife me bought used for? is it just to keep the leather ok and not for sharpening?(this one: Dovo of Solingen Leather Strop Balm :: Strop Pastes :: Accessories :: The Shaving Shack)

Thanks so much in advance, i'm sure i will have more questions in the future and i am so happy i have made the move onto these razors

Don't now the shaving shack, but your razor might not be ready to shave with,maybe someone else knows who they are.
Leave the paste alone for now,, most do a few laps on the canvas and a few more on the leather, everyone is different on the amount, I do 25 canvas 50 leather just because it works for me, but the main thing is to learn to strop,properly,miss the most important skill you need right now.
I'm hoping someone will come along to give you good news about the shave shack, but most of the shaving stores sell the factory edge which isn't going to help you learn. So be prepared to send it to a reputable honer that she's straight razors and not a knife sharpener guy,, Hang on someone will be along. Tc

Welcome to an older but better way of shaving!

Please thank your lovely bride for me for helping you start down the road.

First and foremost, I feel that a factory edge isn't what you want to get started with. I highly recommend that you have it honed by someone who knows what they are doing. Also honing a straight razor is entirely different from sharpening a knife!!!!

Once your receive the razor shave ready it should be already stropped and ready to go.

Once you have shaved then you would use the cloth first for about 25-30 laps and a lap is once up and once back then about 50 laps on the smooth side of the leather.

You Do Not Want Need or Desire using a Paste for daily usage. Also once a strop is pasted, it's pasted for life/in my humble opinion.

I highly recommend that you just use your hand to rub the smooth side of the leather daily to keep it up to snuff.

There is much more to learn especially the pre-shave prep that is vital!

Take your time, go slow! It's a long strange trip but well worth the journey!

DO contact celticcrusader, he is in Merthyr Tydfil South Wales UK. An excellent honer and a person that can give you face to face coaching on all aspects of straight razor shaving. Use the PM method for first contact and go from there. In the mean time read the Library, watch the videos and look at past Beginner's Tips (a link is on the left side of the Welcome page.)

Don't be in a rush to learn all at once. Remember the tale of the Tortise and the Hare. The Tortise won because slow and careful gives good results and wins the race (the race being between your good common sense and a desire to know everything all at once.)

Thanks for the quick replies, I will have a look around my area for anybody that does honing for these razors as i do not think many people around my area does this, if not then maybe I can post it out to someone to be honed?

So for someone like me that may use this razor once every 5 days or so (my stubble grows quite slow lol) , would I need to strop before every use? Or after maybe 4-5 shaves?

Any idea if and how I use that strop balm in my original post? I would like to use it if I can as my wife got it for me and don't want it to go to waste,

Thanks for all the help, I much look forward to further straight razor shaving

I've sent Jamie (celticcrusader) an email with a link to this thread.

Yes you should strop before Every Shave.] regardless of how often you shave. There are those that strop after shaving, but I don't, I just make sure that the razor is Very Dry and then I apply a light coat of oil/I use Ballistol.

I would hold off on the balm for the leather, hand rubbing is the way to go. I know that your lovely bride purchased it for you but I doubt that it will help at this point in time. Just put it away and break it out for show and tell.

razorfeld is correct about the tortoise and the hare. Go slow it's not a race, with practice you will find shaving with a straight razor very rewarding!

Originally Posted by StevenM31

Thanks for the quick replies, I will have a look around my area for anybody that does honing for these razors as i do not think many people around my area does this, if not then maybe I can post it out to someone to be honed?

So for someone like me that may use this razor once every 5 days or so (my stubble grows quite slow lol) , would I need to strop before every use? Or after maybe 4-5 shaves?

Any idea if and how I use that strop balm in my original post? I would like to use it if I can as my wife got it for me and don't want it to go to waste,

Thanks for all the help, I much look forward to further straight razor shaving

Double Check the kit for any instructions. This would be 1st thing to do.
2nd Call shave shack and ask if their razors are shave ready, and do they hone in-house?
If No shave ready from 1 and 2 then celticcrussader.
Well celticcrussader for sure. A face to face will answer tons more questions than all the variable we try an explain.
Lastly congratulations as the others said.
Wet shaving is not speed shaving.
Slow down, I know its hard when I get a new toy, but it is imperative that you do.

If you must rush into it.
steam your face .
good soap & lather and only do short downward strokes on sideburns to jaw.
If any tugging and pulling STOP.
Go back to step 1-3
Thats the test by fire method of if its shave ready. Then we can talk about honing and stroping.

From the link provided it is only factory shave ready so it will not be as sharp as it should be. The paste your wife supplied is for when the leather starts to dry out so maybe in a year or two if you are always palm rubbing you could use the slightest smear on your palm to help. The red and black pastes are for sharpening and if applied to your strop you will no longer be able to use for everyday use.

Try to meet with Jamie. May people say they sharpen razors (knife shops etc) but most dont have a clue and do more damage than good. Keep reading there is lots to absorb and will take a bit to become clear for you. Good luck and any questions feel free to ask

Hi Steven welcome to the SRP, I have a very good friend who lives on your door step his name is Huw he lives on the mainland but works in Anglesey, he's a straight razor user he also puts a nice edge on a razor I'll PM you Huw's contact details I'm sure he will help you out if not please get back to me.

Regards

Jamie.