As my one year anniversary has come and gone (June 1, 2016), I've been thinking about writing this retrospective for several weeks now. Actually started writing several days ago. More thoughts kept popping into my head. Jot them down, let them germinate. But a year ago I started with zero knowledge and no tools for straight razor shaving.
Why straight razor shaving? Frankly, I needed a hobby while in my truck. I was tired of reading books and watching movies. I've read more books on George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of Little Big Horn or Kit Carson or the Texas Rangers over the last 4 years than I care to count, and I needed something else to do.
One night in the truck I was looking at YouTube videos on hobbies and up popped Lynn Abrams on honing. I watched one, which led to another. Then this guy, geofatboy. Then drmatt357. Then Howard Schechter's video on the Shapton Glass series with Nick Shaves. I was hooked. Got home from my run, made a deal with my wife: no more guns, I'll even sell some, which I did. Traded one hobby for another. (Really, I haven't been to the gun range in 8 years. Got 2 guns at home, never fired). Now I got a bunch of blades and stones, and I anxiously look forward to shaving every night. Can't keep my hands off my face. Weird!
So, here we go. There is no particular order to my observations below.
This hobby of straight razor shaving has many facets to focus on. My interests lie with new production and new/old stock (NOS) razors, and honing my own edges. I'm not at all interested in vintage razors or restoration work, or buying some one else's.
As I've said in other posts, I'm a truck driver on the road most days and nights. Most nights you'll find me at a Loves truck stop waiting for a shower room so I can shower and shave. I use a fishing tackle bag, heavy nylon, to carry my shaving gear while I'm on my hauls. I don't have a lot of time to waste, so I have to have what works.
I know others will strongly disagree, but take up learning honing as you start your straight razor shaving journey. Start learning the skills. You'll be amazed what you can do by the end of your first year. Learning to hone well enough to shave on your own edge will even make pajama-boys feel like real men.
The first 12 months of my straight razor journey has lead me to this place: All you need is steel, stone, and leather. Good razors, excellent hones, and quality strops. (Credit to Will at Classic Shaving for planting the "minimalist" seed during my visit there). Not to mention the dead badger. Anything else is superfluous and a waste of money. (Pastes are for toothbrushes).
Size of blade. Buy what appeals to you and learn to use it. I have them all 5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 8/8. Same with point style. Believe me when I say, it's not that big a deal. As with anything, there's a learning curve.
Magnification - Still trying to figure this one out. What am I looking at? What am I looking for? And how do I fix it?
Bevel setting - I must be doing okay. All the edges I hone for myself shave easily as good as those from the vendors from whom I buy razors.
Striations - This one I get. Don't move on to the next stone until all the striations from the previous stone are gone.
Maintenance - This one is easy. Blade starts to tug take it back to the preferred finishing stone for a dozen licks and strop on leather. So far, it really is just that easy.
When I started last year I bought 3 razors. One Dovo Bismarck and two Gold Dollars. The Bismarck came vendor honed and shave ready. I also ordered the Norton 4K/8k. While waiting for other ordered accessories to arrive, I started honing with the GDs.
Not long thereafter I started ordering the Shapton Glass series hones. Buy quality stones and learn to use them. Remember, it's only metal on stone. Develop your honing skills using inexpensive razors, like a GD. You are developing honing skills on a cheap razor so when you get that first Dovo, Thiers Issard, or Wacker, you won't be afraid to draw that steel across the stones.
Let the stones talk to you as you hone, and they will. You have to be ready to listen to them. Get the feel of the feedback. That only comes from putting metal to stone. (Special thanks to drmatt357 and Howard Schechter at The Perfect Edge on this point. Watch drmatt357 YouTube series on the coticule for a demonstration on this very point). The same is true with stropping.
Natural and/or synthetic hones - The foundation of my honing set up is the Shapton Glass series. Everything else flows from that whether BBW, coticule, Arkansas hard black, translucent, or Zulu Grey. IMO, whether natural or synthetic, if you go quality stones, doesn't make much difference. Just learn to use them.
Make sure the spine and edge lay completely flat on the stone. (See drmatt357, YouTube, bevel setting and wobble test).
Follow the wave, edge of water along the blade. Best single thing I leaned from gssixgun.
As you buy better razors they will probably come shave ready, honed by the vendor. Your vendor honed razors will become your gold standard for comparing your own honing development.
The shave is the ultimate test for your honing development.
Shave at least every other day. Heard said: men who shave in the morning love their jobs. Men who shave at night love their wives.
Don't listen to those who tell you to send your razor off to someone for honing. You don't learn much by letting someone else do it for you. Remember, I'm talking about new production and NOS razors here.
Develop your own method, habits of honing and straight razor shaving. Watch lots ofYouTube videos. Gather many sources of information, of which SRP is only one. Since starting I've talked to or corresponded with Howard Schechter, The Perfect Edge, Jarrod Connerty, The Superior Shave, John Crowley, The Shaving Shop, Will of Classic Shaving, drmatt357 of YouTube. Ive found all these gentlemen courteous, helpful, and willing to visit about about srs.
Special mention to Lynn Abrams. Lynn's were the first videos I watched. His vids gave me the confidence to jump in and start the journey. As I watched his vids, he kept mentioning SRP. I paid it little attention. But as I began to absorb the content and practice the skills with him in front of me on the TV, I eventually made my way here. The SRP search engine is a great source of information, and has been my friend on many a night in my truck. Here's a hat tip to the many posters I've read and learned so much from because you took the time to write.
Separate fact and good practice from hype and arrogant elitism.
Straight razor shaving is not an inexpensive hobby, if you really get after it. Still, don't try to get by on the cheap. You'll only be disappointed.
Hones I've purchased in the last 12 months. Prior to this, the only hone I knew anything about was my dad's, which I broke 40 years ago. He wasn't happy I can tell you.
Shapton Glass Stones: 500, 1k, 2k, 4k, 8k, 16k, 30k with stone holder and lapping plate
8x3 Belgium coticule - The Shaving Shop
8x3 Belgium coticule - The Perfect Edge
8x3 Belgium blue whetstone - The Perfect Edge
8x3 Arkansas Hard Black - Dan's Whetstones
8x3 Zulu Grey - The Perfect Edge
And a Norton 4k/8k - Amazon
Travel stones
4x2 Belgium coticule - The Superior Shave
4x2 Arkansas Hard Black - Dan's Whetstones
4x2 Arkansas Translucent - Dan's Whetstones
Shaving experiences...
Be patient. It will take nearly a year, more or less, to get confident, comfortable with the straight razor shaving process.
There will be blood. My very first straight razor shave resulted a cut just left of my mouth. Took 2 hours to stop bleeding, but I didn't give up. Later, I cut my middle finger, left hand, just above the nail. My hands were crossed and as I brought the razor back to my right side, crossing my left hand, zap. Don't give up. You will get better.
Remember the whole 3 pass scheme, (WTG, ATG, XTG), is a disciplined structure to give the beginner a formula to follow. Practice it while learning and improving. Later you'll no doubt stray to find your own way.
The beard growth pattern - Every man's beard pattern is different. No one can tell you how to shave your face. I still have difficulty with 2 hollow areas on each side of my Adam's apple. No matter how I stretch my skin, adjust my angle and pressure, and blade stroke, I'm not getting a clean cut in my hollows. You'll have your problem areas too, just keep trying something different.
Focus on angle and pressure. Things really started getting much better when I started using less pressure. But it really does take a learning period. You go from insecure, inexperienced, scared to death of cutting your own jugular, yet seemingly determined to do it, to a slicing motion at 30 degree angle diagonally across your own throat with grace. Once you ease up on the pressure and find your correct angle, the whiskers get whisked away, the blade sings out, and you are left with a baby butt smooth face with minimal irritation. (Use the alum block).
Splurge on good brushes. Try different kinds and sizes. Shaving creams, too. (I love that Poraso). Don't be worried about wasting lather. You'll figure it out.
I know gssixgun says its called wet shaving for a reason. But avoid water and faucets near your blade. It's easy enough to just wipe it off on a towel.
It has been a very rewarding year since starting straight razor shaving and chasing the perfect edge. I can only imagine the years ahead with my grandchildren. I've already shaved my 6 and 11 year old grandsons. Wasn't going to touch my 13 year old granddaughter's legs. Though she had shown interest in her granddad's new hobby. She likes the beautiful razors and the honing.
Hope this has been interesting reading and helpful to a young rookie out there.
Pictures follow.
Attachment 238700
Dovo Bergischer Lowe 5/8 Spanish point
Dovo Bismarck 6/8 Round point
Attachment 238704
Thiers Issard Spartacus 6/8 Round point with Festoone spine
Thiers Issard Bijou de France 7/8 Square point
Thiers Issard Eagle 5/8 Round point
