Thread: Beginners help

So I bought a straight razor back at Christmas and took it too a shop to get sharpened, the guy who sharpened it didn’t do it properly and left it still very blunt to the point it won’t shave hairs at all, when I took it back to the shop I was informed the guy who does the sharpening wouldn’t be in for a number of weeks and the guy in store suggest I buy a sharpening tool and do it myself, which I did. Now after many unsuccessful attempts to sharpen it, I took it too a different store and was told it needed repaired before being sharpened. Does anyone have any idea the best places to get a razor repaired ?

Send it to Straight Razor Designs  
or Gemstar Contact GemStar Customs - Gem Star Customs
Either will do it for a reasonable price.

I am very curious about the razor.
Gemstar is very good. Of course where you are might change who is best to send it to. If you are in the UK for example, I’d say there are closer places.

There is more to this story that should be queried. Here’s a question: is the razor ruined? Just because a shop can sharpen kitchen knives and lawn mower blades doesn’t mean he know anything about straight razors. To OP: can you much more specific as to details of your story?

Originally Posted by David1996

So I bought a straight razor back at Christmas and took it too a shop to get sharpened, the guy who sharpened it didn’t do it properly and left it still very blunt to the point it won’t shave hairs at all, when I took it back to the shop I was informed the guy who does the sharpening wouldn’t be in for a number of weeks and the guy in store suggest I buy a sharpening tool and do it myself, which I did. Now after many unsuccessful attempts to sharpen it, I took it too a different store and was told it needed repaired before being sharpened. Does anyone have any idea the best places to get a razor repaired ?

Please list your location and brand of razor, it will help a lot

Straight razor sharpening is a very different process from knife sharpening, I would never take a razor to a random shop unless he specifically listed razor sharpening and then I would still be very wary. Many of us love helping new users and love honing. You will get help here!!

Yes, Please let us know whereabouts you are so we can help. Maybe a pic of the razor too or at least a name brand. Lots of folks here will be willing to help if we get a little more info. Welcome to SRP and hope to see what you have that needs to be repaired.

Hey guys, thanks for getting back to me! So bit of background, I’m in Brisbane, Australia, I bought the razor from a place called tommy gunn’s original barbershop, which is a barbershop chain here in Australia, they actually advise me to go to a knifesjop to get it sharpened. https://tommyguns.com.au/collections...-handle-fs2618 - that’s a link to the razor on their website. I know little to nothing about these razors, the guy I spoke to today seemed to know what he was talking about, he said it needed repaired before I could get it sharpened, he’s the one that actually pointed me toward this forum to ask for some help.

We have the same chain here in Canada, and I have not had one that I could do any work to, but they do not look like actual straight razor but razor shaped objects. There are members in your country that you can contact and work out the details as to whether or not the razor you have is worthwhile or if you need to find something else.
https://straightrazorpalace.com/members/onimaru55.html Is very knowledgeable and is likely your best contact.

Originally Posted by RezDog

We have the same chain here in Canada, and I have not had one that I could do any work to, but they do not look like actual straight razor but razor shaped objects. There are members in your country that you can contact and work out the details as to whether or not the razor you have is worthwhile or if you need to find something else.
https://straightrazorpalace.com/members/onimaru55.html Is very knowledgeable and is likely your best contact.

That has been my impression of the straight razors offered by Tommyguns also. Be sure and contact the member linked to get straighten out with that razor.

Bob

I was once interested in bidding on a Damascus razor offered on eBay for what appeared to be a bargain price. After I contacted the vendor and asked how he could offer such an apparently high quality shaving piece for so little, he replied that it was a razor-like object and could not actually be used for shaving. I declined to bid.

Caveat emptor.