Been lurking... had a few questions now that the first razor is on it's way.

So... I've been intrigued by the idea of shaving with a straight since...well... for a while. Always put it off, on account of this, or that. Finally hit that breaking point with... other... methods.

I've been lurking on this forum for a couple weeks. the wiki is an amazing resource (thanks for all those guys that contributed.) but there were a couple things that weren't quite mentioned, or I'm not quite getting just right.

With the strops, especially the hanging strops... where do you guys normally attach them? In the 'shaving 101' video by Lynn, it's attached to hooks under the sink's edge. Is that a normal placement? I was thinking the towel rack, which is more or less sturdy, and stands about chest high on me.

Secondly, I stumbled into a thread started by Obie, some time ago, talking about his most-liked soaps and creams. (he and a few other's about sold me on trying MdC...but I figure I'll wait till I actually know what I'm doing.) He mentions the factors he uses to list which goes where... it's lather, the cushion, glide and fragrance. What the heck is cushion? Is that how well it protects the skin?


Finally, mostly because I have a fairly morbid curiosity (and enough intelligence to let somebody else go first...) ........ horror stories and shaving accidents.

This one is actually more than somewhat prompted by a passage in an amazing fantasy book (pawn of prophecy, by david eddings, the series is called the belgaraid.) the main character is at that point in life where he's learning to shave... and all the men who've happened to surround him are lending advice. One of them points out that he should be rather careful around the nose. because a man looks funny without a nose. For some reason, the comment has always stuck with me... but has anybody lost a nose to shaving mishaps?:w:

Where you attach your strop is a personal choice. Mine is attached about chin level simply because I already had a hook there. Some like them towel rack high. The most popular may be bathroom counter high. Once you gain some skill, it really won't matter where you hook it up.
I've never sliced my nose, but did my earlobe once. Ever since then, I pull my ear back with my stretching hand.
Your definition of "cushion" is a pretty good one. "Cushion" and "Glide" both serve to protect the skin. Glide plays more of a role in how smoothly the razor travels the skin. Welcome to SRP.

Welcome to the forum.

With hanging strops I'd attach them wherever it is convenient and whatever you attach it to will hold.

That is a good thread on soaps you refer too. I wish I could tell you what "cushion" was but I don't get it myself. If you have never used a brush and soap to make lather with it will be awhile before you get the hang of it and consistently are able to make a good lather. Most soaps and brushes I have tried will make a good lather that won't stand in the way of getting a good shave. I am sure any soap mentioned in that thread will do the job well if you learn to make it lather.

As always when playing with something extremely sharp there is a chance of cuts. See this thread http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...0-cut-day.html . No idea about anyone loosing a nose though.

Bob

Strop height... it took me a while to figure out. I started with it on the towel bar. Then I moved it to the underside of the counter. It was ok there, but it always had to be unclipped and put away after every use. Then I put a hanger on the hinge pin on the inside of the bathroom door, but after almost getting hit by the door a couple of times, I did not like that spot either. Also I spend 50% of my time working in a remote location, and my bathroom at work has only got the towel bar as a spot to hang my strop, so at home I went back to the towel bar and have not looked back.

I'm terrified one of my wife's cats will shred my new Roo strop so for now it's hanging from a towel hook near eye level. Traveling and improvising on hotel room doorknobs has me preferring a downhill sloping strop now so waist height or slightly lower works best for me, then I hold my end at about belly button height. I haven't settled on a fix for that at home. May have to keep it high. I also prefer not to hang it too near the sink because I'm messy & splash water around like a little kid at the park. Water makes little raised swollen spots on my felt strop so it has to be kept dry.

I've had one or two fairly deep cuts that took a few hours to heal, but that's because I broke one of the cardinal rules of straight shaving in a hotel room one night. Never shave drunk. I also had some killer razor burn to keep my mind off the cut.

Pretty much any decent soap or cream will do just fine for you. I would recommend a good brush. Not an expensive brush, just a good one. There are some fairly inexpensive brush options out there that'll do you just fine.

Personally, I have my strop hanging, at bathroom sink height (about waist high). Even when I use a paddle (which I recently purchased), I still rest the end on the counter and hold the handle about waist high. I guess it's what I got use to. While I've never tried it, to me it would seem awkward to hang it higher. And until KenWeir mentioned it, I was never worried about the cat using as a scratching post. Thanks!:nono: lol

Not sure about "cushion" of soap.

Knock on wood, I still have my nose (and both lips and ears, for that matter). I only (again...knock on wood) had 1 cut. And that was due to the square toe and me not stretching my neck skin tight enough. Luckily, it was barely a nick and only bled for a week or so! Just kidding. A dab of styptic pencil stopped it. Which reminds me. While no one seems to mention it, but a styptic pencil stings like heck! (But, then again, it may just be the 'evil' side of us not telling each other. Because the first time my wife nicked herself using a DE, I told her my S pencil would stop the bleeding. Nope! I didn't tell hetr it would burn. But I did watch and laugh (probably out loud louder than I should have) when she yelped! ):w:y

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Originally Posted by AcesandEights

And until KenWeir mentioned it, I was never worried about the cat using as a scratching post. Thanks!:nono: lol

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:beer1: Any time, bro

Ah yes we can be a little sadistic. Once upon a time I worked on the commercial longline fish boats. Every time there was a new guy on board, the second they got a cut I would always say you better take care of the, and then give them a bottle of Abosrbine Sr. veterinary lineament to douse it with. They would scream like school girls every time. It was always better to see the surprise reaction. It does work like nobody's business for infections. The styptic pencil does have a certain bite to it for sure. But don't tel anyone it too is better as a surprise.

Door knob, just loop a length of para cord or a shoelace on the end of the strop and the knob. Puts it at waist height and stores out of sight. Strop with the door open.

Welcome to SRP, a lot of great folks here to help you out.

My strop hangs at about belly button height, I strop pretty level so it works for me. I added a small hook on the side of the cabinet to hang the strop on, it's out of sight for the most part as well so it has a home there.

As to cuts, yeah they do happen but the longer you SR shave the more rare they become. I've never had a bad cut, but some bled like they were serious.

Strop height...Doorknob. I zip tied a key ring around the narrow inside part of my bathroom doorknob and just clip the strop to it.
Cushion...kinda refers to the thickness of the lather. Put a good dab of lather between your index finger and thumb and lightly squeeze. With good cushion you will almost feel the lather push back. Sorta springy. No cushion the lather offers no resistance and just collapses.
As far as the nose...if you do a "fools pass" and shave your upper lip against the grain...well the risk is yours!

Pete <:-}

You can put the strop anywhere and you can even just use a paddle strop and hold it in your hand.

Soap is soap. It all works, just don't let it dry out.

I don't do against the grain strokes under the nose (actually, I don't do them anywhere with a straight).

Thanks for all the answers! the kit actually arrived today, hanging out with grandpa...whose honing it for me, and showing off *his* collection of razors, pointing out exactly who he had inherited them from, and learning the ropes. some how the 'quick little thing' turned into 'most the morning' and then... 'Oh crap, I have to go to work'.

As it happens, first shave was a success!

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Originally Posted by Dieseld

[...snip]
As to cuts, yeah they do happen but the longer you SR shave the more rare they become. I've never had a bad cut, but some bled like they were serious.

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as a matter of assumption, I figured it'd go that way. I did alright today- no visible bleeding, and the shave was better than I had in years with cartridges. (Mostly because, with cartridges...I hated shaving. left my face feeling raw, even if the cartridge was new.) Definitely not going back... okay so it takes more time... but it's fun. and relaxing.

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Originally Posted by RezDog

Ah yes we can be a little sadistic. [...snip...]It was always better to see the surprise reaction. [...snippity snip...] The styptic pencil does have a certain bite to it for sure. But don't tel anyone it too is better as a surprise.

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That's not sadistic. that's brilliant. :\ I'm manager for a security company... during training for tools (taser,baton, handcuffs...that sort of stuff) we like to tase/mace the new guys at least once. supposedly for empathy, but it really doesn't work that way.

my usual prank on the new guy, is during the post-training uniform inspection (where we go through the whole kit and caboodle- the post's AED, trauma kit, other stuff) and at some conveniently innocuous moment, point out that they're missing the spare chemlight batteries. It's hilarious. unless the new guy happens to be a former service member... at which point, they typically chuckle and smile a bit. Then, I pull the gag with flex-cuff keys. (you know the 'zip-tie' handcuffs. our particular brand doesn't have keys...).

usually by the time he's done he has a fairly good understanding of where to go if he actually needs something. but... that's a massive digression... hmm... maybe we should start another thread in a more appropriate section...