Here's my first straight razor! Now what...

Hello everyone! This is my first post on this forum!

I have used shavettes for years, and DEs (though I don't find those as comfortable), and now I got my first straight razor.

I bought it from an antique shop, and they told me that they had found it in a box with another straight razor, both in unused condition (NOS). It doesn't look unused to me, but it's in excellent condition overall, along with its original box that it came with. However, I cannot say the same for its edge...

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I do not have a honing stone of any kind, or a stropping leather, at this point. I also cannot buy a proper kit anytime soon, as I am on the move. I just want to know whether I can make this usable easily with a couple of cheap honing stones and a cheap stropping leather I can get on aliexpress.

The antique shop I bought this from also had an Iberia Double Temple in alleged NOS condition. Maybe I can return this and get that one if it has a finer edge. Should I? These were $43 each. Or does this edge look fine enough to you for a NOS razor? If they had the same fineness, would you prefer the ERN or the Iberia? Or should I have bought them both? :D

Thanks!

They probably need a honing, even if they are truly NOS. At minimum, a thorough stropping is needed.

I would forgo the cheap stone solution. Learn shavin and stropping first, keep it simple at first.

As such, I would recommend getting it professionally honed.

If the Iberia is in as good condition as the Ern, I would buy both if I had the money.

+1 to sending your razor off to be honed by a pro. Even razors fresh from the factory need to be honed.

Welcome to Straight Razor Place!

Is that cancer traveling up the edge in several areas? If so, it will need a professional breadknifing and honing...

Send if off for a professional hone as mentioned above. While you're waiting for it grab a strop and a butter knife, start watching vid's of stropping, and start practicing...I'd start by looking into the SRP Library.

Congrats and enjoy.

Hello and welcome. Where are you located? I would have it honed. Stay away from Ali express I think they are in China. It would take a month to get. Good luck.😎

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I would pay to have someone hone it first two times, by a nice strop that you can replace the leather on should you knock it. When you do move to stones I'd suggest a naniwa set

Thank you all for the replies!

Unfortunately, I don't think there is any such place around here that I can send or take it to be professionally honed, so it either has to wait until I am out of here, or I try doing it myself.

It seems that I will be here (Turkey) for long enough to receive a package from China, even though it would take a month, but any package more expensive than €30 gets stuck at the customs here, and usually can't be retrieved without paying hundreds of dollars.

I guess I can get honing stones from a local hardware store, and a strap of leather from a workshop, though the stones probably wouldn't be any better than aliexpress quality.

I left my toiletry bag containing the Zwilling brand shavette I'd used for many years, somewhere I can't get it back from. I've always had my mind on getting a decent straight razor and using it instead of a shavette, and since I don't even have the shavette now, I would rather somehow make this straight razor usable, and use it.

I have watched several videos on how to hone and strop, and read many articles, and I can practice with a knife or something. Do you all think it is that hard that I would most probably ruin it if I tried honing and stropping it myself (especially with cheap tools)?

I will post the pictures of the Iberia one I had mentioned, once I buy it. From what I remember, its condition was as least as good. I will also see what I can find around here for honing and stropping, and let you know.

There are members that are from all over the world, so don't discount sending or taking it to someone quite so quickly.

A NOS Iberia for $43 is a very good deal. Rarer than the Ern and good shavers. Condition is everything though. If it has been stored correctly and has no rust, I would be on my way back there right now.

Sent from a moto x far far away

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Originally Posted by RezDog

There are members that are from all over the world, so don't discount sending or taking it to someone quite so quickly.

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It's just that I don't know such place here where they have expertise in razors. Even if there is such place, I just don't know where. I also don't know a place abroad that I can send it for honing, and I'm not sure if I can get it back, considering the strict customs regulations.

Also, I need to learn honing myself at some point. So, even if not to be used right now with this razor, maybe I better get some stones and start practicing.

These are some of the locally available honing stone brands (though I'm not sure whether I can find all of these in the needed grades):

Kanetsune
Taidea
Ruixin
Kaishun
Uusharp
Mannesmann
Wüsthof
Buck
Spyderco

Any brands you see here that you can suggest? What grades would I need to get?

I also saw an antique adjustable stropping stick, but its leather had several deep cuts on it. It was for less than $10. Maybe I should get that too?

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Originally Posted by Grazor

A NOS Iberia for $43 is a very good deal. Rarer than the Ern and good shavers. Condition is everything though. If it has been stored correctly and has no rust, I would be on my way back there right now.

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;) I had already decided to buy that one too, after seeing the post from Leatherstockiings! However, it was already past open hours. I will go there again and get it once they open.

Just a thought, there must be some old time barbers around in Turkey still. Might be worth asking around, see if any can help you.

Sent from a moto x far far away

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Originally Posted by Grazor

Just a thought, there must be some old time barbers around in Turkey still. Might be worth asking around, see if any can help you.

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Hmm... I don't think there would be any barbers here who use straight razors. They probably all use razors with disposable blades. Even if there are barbers who ever used straight razors, they probably wouldn't know anyone who would hone such thing anymore. Even in the old days, I'm guessing they used to buy cheap ones in bulk, and only strop them, and discard them once they were blunt, and start using a new one. That said, if I see any authentic looking old barber shop, I can ask.

Off the top of my head, member Frans is in the Ukraine and well respected. He may be willing to provide his services.

Search through the members based on location, I do believe there are members in Bulgaria as well. Most likely there is someone from Turkey who can at least point you in the right direction for equipment.

I would wait until you get back before I started honing them. You really need to find someone with razor honing experience or you run the risk of ruining those nice razors. Honing is a skill all to itself. The proper hones mean a great deal. Good luck whatever you decide to do. I know first hand how hard it is to wait. I also know haste makes waste is true also.

I had a small discount for the Iberia, so it cost me $40 to get this, and its edge seems to be flawless:

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I also bought this old stropping tool. The cuts on the leather are too deep for the strap to be saved, I guess. I shouldn't use this without changing the leather, right? Anyway, I'm willing to refurbish this old thing. It was only $8.5.

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It seems that I will start using the Iberia, and the Ern will have to wait until it gets honed. Now the question is... Would it be enough to get a cheap stropping leather (or use a belt) to start using this Iberia? I have a feeling that I already know what your answer is going to be... :p

If you are going to try to hone those yourself, please read up on honing with tape. Those razors are too nice to be ruined by incompetent honing, which happens far too often. If you tape the spine, and replace it regularly long before it wears all the way through, you potentially will prevent decades of hone wear during your very first honing session.

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Originally Posted by zeedl

Now the question is... Would it be enough to get a cheap stropping leather (or use a belt) to start using this Iberia? I have a feeling that I already know what your answer is going to be... :p

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Yes, you know!

The thing is, the quality of your shave initially depends on the quality of the honing but from then on the quality of the shave is maintained by your stropping. Unfortunately, you cannot keep a good edge if you are stropping on a poor surface.

a professional honing is only as far away as a mail box,,, they have postal service in Turkey, and buying cheap crap hones just makes you spend bad money,, learn to shave after its honed then learn to strop right now with a decent strop or make you a newspaper strop for the time being. Tc

Excellent deal on those 2 razors. Looks like you will need to replace the leather on that strop before using it on your blades. Listen to the advice here and see if you can get help honing. If you manage to find an old school barber, perhaps they still have their honing equipment and can help you out. Straight razors were not meant to be disposable items, so even if they use shavettes now, they may have had experience in the old ways.

Without a mentor to assist you one on one, you are taking a big risk damaging the razors honing yourself or at minimum not achieving the desired shave ready results. That ERN is a wonderful razor, but it will require some work to remove the edge damage. Maybe someone else here can provide information on those hone brands you suggested, but I am not aware of their viability for putting a quality edge on straight razors.

We have a member in Sakarya, Turkey named Jaws. He is active and makes razors.

i would contact him for help.

Thank you all!

I am not going to try honing these. Don't worry! I am not even buying honing stones.

That Ern is going to get honed professionally, whenever possible. It doesn't even have to happen soon.

About the Iberia... I think that maybe it doesn't need honing. Yes, maybe it will be a bit dull without honing, but it looks like I can at least attempt to use it after only stropping.

So now, all I'm going to do about these razors, is to get a stropping leather, strop the Iberia, and use it.

If I can find a decent stropping leather, I will get it.

How does this sound to you now? Do you think I have to get the Iberia honed too? Don't you think it could become useable only after stropping?

I'm also going to clean that old stropping stick, and get a new leather strap for it, possibly from a leather workshop. Is there anything you would suggest me to look for when getting a replacement strap from a leather workshop?

Good deal on two good looking razors! :beer1:


Mike

The Ern looks like somebody was cutting carrots with it, but after a professional sharpening the edge will be good as new and definitely shaveable. As already said, there are many honemeisters that the razors can be mailed to. Keep us updated. ;)

Great idea, those are not the razors to learn to hone on, very nice find. While they are good razors, you will probably never find 2 in that condition and at those prices…

If there are razors like that laying around, find a couple beaters to learn to shave maintain and hone on, save those two and have them honed properly by a straight razor honer, someone who shaves with them.

Buy a good strop, SRP $50 with replaceable leather and learn to hone. Buy proper equipment from folks that specialize in them. Yes, you could make or have one made, but why. Eliminate as many possibilities and set yourself up for success. Learning to shave and maintain a straight razor is a bit tricky, why make it more difficult?

Nothing wrong with the Ern that a good honing will not fix. It was either put away wet, or someone did a “test pass” on their face to check the keenness of the razor and put the razor away with skin and stubble on the edge. The moisture from the smutch, rusted the edge. I see this occasionally on Antique Store razors, people…

Super nice find.

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Originally Posted by Euclid440

If there are razors like that laying around, find a couple beaters to learn to shave maintain and hone on, save those two and have them honed properly by a straight razor honer, someone who shaves with them.

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I'm afraid I need to start using the Iberia after stropping it myself.

You will probably say it's completely different to shave with a straight razor, but years of experience using a shavette gives me the confidence that I can probably get used to using one quickly. Am I wrong to assume? Also, I've been waiting for quite a long time to get my hands on one of these since I left my shavette somewhere.

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Originally Posted by Euclid440

Buy a good strop, SRP $50 with replaceable leather and learn to hone. Buy proper equipment from folks that specialize in them. Yes, you could make or have one made, but why. Eliminate as many possibilities and set yourself up for success. Learning to shave and maintain a straight razor is a bit tricky, why make it more difficult?

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I ordered this one, as it was the best one available here (and I chose the paddle version over the hanging one, thinking it would be easier to carry, and better for a beginner):

MÜHLE Shaving Culture | Leather strop from MÜHLE for sharpening straight razors | purchase online

So... Can I now have the blessings of the community to go ahead with stropping it myself without getting it honed, and using it? :w

Have never shaved with a shavette but what I have read here you use less angle with the straight, spine closer to your face.
Purchased a similar razor a few years back. Filarmonica 12, it was NOS and I was able to shave with the factory edge. Not spectacular, but it did shave OK.
I would highly recommend practicing with a butter knife and newspaper so you can get a bit of technique going before stropping your razor. Not uncommon at all to trash a strop and the edge of the razor while learning.

Sent from a moto x far far away

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Originally Posted by Grazor

Have never shaved with a shavette but what I have read here you use less angle with the straight, spine closer to your face.

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Hmm... The technique probably differs from person to person, but when I use a shavette, I keep it as parallel to my skin as I can (the angled surface at the tip of the blade edge tangent to the curve of the skin surface). That's how I can get it shave further in one move, without the edge of the blade slipping over the hair or getting stuck.

Go for it…

I doubt you will be able to get a shaving edge on it by stropping. Stropping is the most difficult thing for a new guy to learn, it is all about pressure.

Be careful to not use too much pressure. Get some magnification and look at the edge, straight down on the edge, 60X will cost you but a few dollars.

If you look straight down on the edge and see any reflection, that is where the bevels are not meeting or is chipped.

Worst case, is you will need to send it out for honing. Make sure to clean the razor with 000 steel wool and a good metal polish or you will imbed your new strop with any rust on the blade.

Update: Fantastic shave!!!


Thank you everyone for all your help.

Thank you for stopping me from honing the Ern myself, and thank you for making me buy the Iberia and a decent strop, and thank you for all your warnings which apparently made me careful enough to do it properly!

Iberia was already flawless and with no rust or dirt of any kind that was visible. I cleaned it further, and stropped carefully, first on the green side of the paddle for 100 times, and then the plain leather side for 100 times. Then I shaved, after applying Cella as my pick of the day.

It was the easiest, most fun shave I ever had!

Easier to shave than with a shavette or DE. With a shavette, I always had to use it at as close to a tangent angle as I could, whereas with this straight razor, it cuts no matter what the angle is. A disposable blade on a shavette is probably slightly sharper and gives a closer shave, but it doesn't matter at all, as with this straight razor, I was able to complete an even smoother shave much quicker than with a shavette or a DE. With a shavette or DE, I usually get a few nicks. With this straight razor, I didn't need to use the styptic pencil at all! And no burn on the skin! I even forgot to use the balm.


Now, another question:

What is the proper way to clean the soap residue on the blade after a shave?

I used a microfibre cloth this time, but I wonder whether this is safe, considering the pressure from the fingers could bend the blade.

I did it very carefully, applying almost no pressure, grabbing it closer to the spine from both sides with as equal pressure as I could, moving the cloth in parallel strokes and always from heel to toe. I was wondering whether this is the best method.

Most of us use the same method as you to remove the soap from the blade.

Some rinse the blade with water before wiping but I do not. I want to keep water away from the blade at all costs. Also, putting the blade in the faucet area increases the chances of dinging the edge on metal. Best to keep the blade away from the sink.

That is exactly how I do it.

Leave the razor open so it will dry thoroughly. The next day strop on linen to clean the dried soap from the edge, then strop on clean leather.


When using your loom strop, be careful to not use too much pressure.

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Originally Posted by Euclid440

The next day strop on linen to clean the dried soap from the edge, then strop on clean leather.

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The loom strop I have has no linen side. It has the fine leather side, and a green side which is also leather but coated in green paste with probably coarse particles (which I guess sharpened the edge).

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I suppose the green side acts as a light honing surface, is not to be used excessively, and therefore this strop isn't providing me with a surface that does what a linen strop does. What do you suggest?

You will need a proper strop for maintenance, preferably a hanging strop that includes a linen. Also, a wider strop will make stropping easier.

Until then you can hand strop or strop on a folded newspaper or piece of cardboard, inside of a shirt or cereal box. This will clean the razor of soap, skin and oxidation and keep that off your leather strop.

Yes, the green side, may or may not be pure Chromium Oxide, some “Green” paste contain other abrasives. It is interesting to note that their description of the paste does not claim it to be Pure Chrome Oxide, usually an indicator.