Thread: 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...





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?

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