Do I have everything I need to shave for life?

Hi all. I'm hoping to get some advice from folks who are more seasoned than I am on what I need to be self-sufficient in my shaving gear for life.

Since I started straight razor shaving a little over 2 years ago I have tried to buy everything I need to be self-sufficient. In terms of razors I have the following:

Boker Linden Elm
Boker King Cutter
J.A. Henckels Twin Works 18
Gold Dollar 66 (I bought it to practice honing but takes a decent edge)
Puma Special 89 (by far my favorite)

For stones I have a Norton 4000x8000 and a Fernsler's Ruby Hone. I also have an Illinois 827 linen/leather strop.

I have followed the paste debate and the consensus seems to be that .05 chromium oxide would be the way to go. I've seen Lynn use the CrOx .5 micron on the back side of a linen strop to freshen up blades and I know some swear by using it to finish an blade after honing. I feel like 8-12 laps on the Fernsler gets me a really nice edge, and I also use it to touch up blades between honing.

Do I need something finer than the Fernsler or anything else to maintain my blades? It's hard to justify spending $300+ for a Shapton 30,000, Jnat or Belgian coticule given that I'm middle income, only use my equipment for personal use, and I seem to be getting pretty good edges as it is. Will getting a .5 micron CrOx paste give me a finer edge than the Fernsler or do people just prefer doing a couple laps on a pasted strop to refresh rather than taking out a small finishing stone? Do I really need to buy anything I don't already have to keep my blades shaving for life?

I appreciate any advice.

If you're getting good shaves with what you have I'd say stick with it. A Naniwa 12k might put a bit of icing on the cake, but lots of guys used to be happy with the 4/8 and maybe a bit of chrom-ox on a paddle (aside from the regular untreated hanging strop)

How are your shaves? It seems that you are looking for something more. If you are not happy then you need it. If not....

My shaves have felt good, but I've only ever shaved on blades I've restored myself so I don't have much of a frame of reference. I was watching honing demonstrations and reading comments about the expensive equipment some people were using and then started reading about using pastes, and I wondered if I was missing out on something. I feel like I'm getting good shaves on the equipment I have now, but I don't know if a few laps on .5 micron CrOx after I finish with the Fernsler would make it better. I'm also not sure where one even gets quality CrOx anymore since half the forums I read suggested Hand American which evidently hasn't been in stock in years.

As to the Naniwa 12k, I saw an experiment that seemed to indicate that the Fernsler's hone is roughly in the 15k neighborhood. Would the Naniwa 12k be better than this? I guess there's more to stones than just the fineness, and I am only comparing numbers.

If you are getting shaves that are close enough, comfortable enough and smooth enough to satisfy you, then you are more or less set. OTH if you want to experiment a bit to try and see if you can improve your edge and shave that is a different story.

As far as expensive equipment goes, just remember that previous generations were able to shave well with far less gear than we use today.

Bob

My $0.02...

Admire your restraint - you seem to be on the path to a great set up.

If you want to try another finisher I would suggest sending one of your razors out to someone to hone. It would give you a frame of reference without committing to another rock.

But if this is working for you...many of us would like to have been able to stop in your spot...

Smooth shaving...

Funny you would post this, I am in the midst of the same consideration. I have more than I need at the moment and intend to divest myself of the un-needed remnants of purchasing rather than deliberately collecting. I feel that you really "need" very little if you are getting good shaves and that you can look after your favorites in a better manner than having a large quantity of gear.
Just my .02
Mike

I agree with what was said ^^^^ there. It would be a real good idea to get a razor professionally honed. You may be right on with what you're doing, but until you've shaved with a masters edge, you'll just never know.

I also admire your restraint.

if you can avoid all the "_AD's" you are set for life as long as you don't ding up a blade or cut the strop badly.

I 2nd getting one pro honed just to have a benchmark to compare your progress with.

I'd agree with JimmyHAD, get yourself a Nani 12k, nothing better for putting a really nice finishing edge on a razor, and IMO is the absolute best way to refresh your razors when Crox alone won't do it.

Some lap time on the Nani 12k, some laps on the Crox strop, and IMO again, a superb edge is ensured every time.....

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Originally Posted by Phrank

I'd agree with JimmyHAD, get yourself a Nani 12k, nothing better for putting a really nice finishing edge on a razor, and IMO is the absolute best way to refresh your razors when Crox alone won't do it.

Some lap time on the Nani 12k, some laps on the Crox strop, and IMO again, a superb edge is ensured every time.....

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Plus it ain't 300$. Tc

No quarrel with the Naniwa 12k. I own one and it shines on blades with a heavier grind; Jerry Stark and Hart Steel readily come to mind. But for $75 and up?? Wht not try a coticule? Great edges can be had with one. Just takes some practice and the end results are wonderful

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Originally Posted by jschwegel

Hi all. I'm hoping to get some advice from folks who are more seasoned than I am on what I need to be self-sufficient in my shaving gear for life.

Since I started straight razor shaving a little over 2 years ago I have tried to buy everything I need to be self-sufficient. In terms of razors I have the following:

Boker Linden Elm
Boker King Cutter
J.A. Henckels Twin Works 18
Gold Dollar 66 (I bought it to practice honing but takes a decent edge)
Puma Special 89 (by far my favorite)

For stones I have a Norton 4000x8000 and a Fernsler's Ruby Hone. I also have an Illinois 827 linen/leather strop.

I have followed the paste debate and the consensus seems to be that .05 chromium oxide would be the way to go. I've seen Lynn use the CrOx .5 micron on the back side of a linen strop to freshen up blades and I know some swear by using it to finish an blade after honing. I feel like 8-12 laps on the Fernsler gets me a really nice edge, and I also use it to touch up blades between honing.

Do I need something finer than the Fernsler or anything else to maintain my blades? It's hard to justify spending $300+ for a Shapton 30,000, Jnat or Belgian coticule given that I'm middle income, only use my equipment for personal use, and I seem to be getting pretty good edges as it is. Will getting a .5 micron CrOx paste give me a finer edge than the Fernsler or do people just prefer doing a couple laps on a pasted strop to refresh rather than taking out a small finishing stone? Do I really need to buy anything I don't already have to keep my blades shaving for life?

I appreciate any advice.

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I would say you've got everything you really need. Out of the 20 some odd rocks and hones I have, more than half are finishers. Each of my razors is finished on a different rock, and a funny thing happens after about 3 to 5 shaves, it becomes fairly indistinguishable which blade was touched up with which hone. They're all a little different, but not by a lot. And they all shave well enough.

I'd say just be happy with what ya got. Unless you enjoy honing and playing with different stones to see the effects it's not particularly beneficial to have a large collection of rocks. If you're getting close clean and comfortable shaves that you're happy with chasing that last %1 is just gonna be an expensive rabbit hole. First it'll be a Naniwa 12k. Then a Gokumyo 20K. Then you'll get curious about Natural stones and want a Jnat, or Coticule, or Arkansas stone, or...you can see where I'm going with this.

I don’t know what the grit is in the Ruby hone or what size the grit is. And that is the problem with Barber Hones.

I doubt they are much finer than 8k, most are not. But as said, if it is working for you…

.50 um paste is about 20-30k grit equivalent, so if you go from 8k, and can strop well enough to enhance the edge, Chrome Oxide is really all you need, (About a 10 dollar investment. Millions of folks have shaved on much less for hundreds of years.

After 2 years of stropping, you should be getting to the point where your stropping will make a difference, and stropping, alone, will make a big difference.

So, do you need anything more? NO.

Is there a lot more out there? Yes.

The difference is, a 2 percent improvement. But most probably, if you just continued with what you are doing with the equipment you have, your edges and shaves will continue to improve, dramatically.

Remember that many of us here, are searching for that 2 percent improvement, you can choose to join in the search or not.

No you don't have enough, you need,
1. 35 more hones
2. 48 more razors
3. 20 more brushes
4. 115 more soaps
5. 6 scuttles
6. 15 more aftershaves
7. 10 more strops
11. Lots more money.

Tc

Stick with what you've got. I still shave off of a set of razors that I've maintained with a couple of barber hones that are not as fine as your Fernsler's hone. The difference in the quality of the shaves between those and my other razors done on "better" hones is trivial. There is a recent thread in the honing section about shaving off of a 1k, and you can in fact get comfortable shaves even off of a 1k hone. As long as you are capable of maxing out the hones that you have, then you can have excellent comfortable shaves with what you already have.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tcrideshd

No you don't have enough, you need,
1. 35 more hones
2. 48 more razors
3. 20 more brushes
4. 115 more soaps
5. 6 scuttles
6. 15 more aftershaves
7. 10 more strops
11. Lots more money.

Tc

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When were you in my bathroom/shave den? :roflmao

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dieseld

When were you in my bathroom/shave den? :roflmao

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:rofl2::rofl2:";"";":w:w

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dieseld

When were you in my bathroom/shave den? :roflmao

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Well, TC does like to travel.
:w

If I were you I would send your blades (other than the GD blade) to someone and have one finished on a 12k, jnat, thuri, and maybe a coti. I think you can get a good jnat/thuri for under 200, the 12k SS from naniwa is like 80$, and there are some cotis (if you don't mind size, although picking a good coti can be difficult) that cost just 60-80$. See which finish you enjoy the most. Sure you might be middle class but life can be short, why not treat yourself to a 100-200$ gift that will make everyday shaving that much better. Although that is only if you like the finishes you are getting. You might also want to send in one of your blades to be professionally finished on the finishing stone you already have, who knows it might be just what you are looking for when you are a master at honing.