Thread: starting again

I made a thread a few years ago inquiring about buying a complete set but now when I checked the link, the original post that I wrote is gone:
https://straightrazorpalace.com/begi...r-package.html

I'm not sure what happened. So, I guess I will inquire again since I'm not sure what I wrote there.

I have an idea of what I posted there vaguely. My gf currently still has the Feather (disposable) razor, shaving cream, pre-shave oil, mug, brush and balloons that I bought her from the previous thread. None of which have been used by the way. But anyway, I now would like to purchase an actual straight razor that can be sharpened, honed, stropped, etc. (with equipment needed to do said actions also).

So, this is what I was thinking:
1. razor
https://www.westcoastshaving.com/col...h-black-handle

2. strop (and strop dressing)
https://www.westcoastshaving.com/col...azor-strop-127
https://www.westcoastshaving.com/pro...strop-dressing

3. honing stone
https://www.amazon.com/Norton-Japane...on+4000%2F8000

As far as I know, that's all. How does it look?

Save yourself the expense of strop dressing and possible risk of over-conditioning a perfectly good strop. Most here simply palm-rub the strop until warm -- say 20-30 seconds -- prior to stropping. This keeps the strop working well.

As for hones, many here recommend focusing exclusively on the shave and requisite skills of stropping, lathering, and shaving before tackling the art of honing. The Norton 4/8k works well and is a great stone for beginning honers. You may have just missed one for sale in B/S/T for $40. May be worth looking into if you're determined to jump into honing immediately.

You may also want to consider going with a vintage razor from B/S/T here (or, eBay if you're cautious). You will wind up spending less money for a higher quality, shave ready razor on B/S/T, IMHO. Dovo entry-level razor production quality has taken a dive in the past few years. When I first started into wet shaving, I bought some brand-new Dovo razors. Although they are fine shavers, I don't use them nearly as often as the vintage blades I've found.

Good luck with your straight razor shaving journey! Be sure to peruse the beginner's articles in the Library:

https://shavelibrary.com/

Speedster tells ya true.

For a razor, you would be much better off buying a vintage razor off of the B.S.T. thread here on the forum. It will be shave ready! Not like a Dovo that claims Shave Ready and is really not. Some Dovo's are fine but most are not. Plus if you wait and watch you will find one for a lower cost here, better quality and has a real Hand Honed edge. Not a machine edge. It might not be as pretty as a new Dovo, but looks mean nothing in the beginning when your learning to S.R. shave.

A strop is something when starting out as a new guy, you need to go cheap as possible. You are going to cut it, nick it, and you don't need paste. Clean leather with a secondary material. I've always recommended the Poorman or Richman strops from Whippeddog. Its basic and when you nick it, you can sand out the bad spot and keep using it. Then when you get to the point that you don't nick your strop anymore, wait another few months and buy a nice one. By then you will know if Straight Razor shaving is right for you or not before you spend good money on a strop. Seriously, It a piece of leather! It doesn't need to cost you 300 bucks! Until your hooked. Then you will find a few 200 to 300 dollar strops hanging in your shave den.

Stones are something left for someone else when you are learning to shave with a straight. Don't try to learn to Shave, Strop, make lather correctly, and learn to hone at the same time. It takes much longer to learn to Hone properly, and the last thing a new guy needs is an edge that is not 100% right when learning to shave. If at a later time you want to touch-up your razors yourself then get a 12k and you will be set. If you want to restore, then buy a real set of stones and start learning but, expect it to take you months and months before you are turning out a great edge.

We are more than happy to help you to learn this hobby and want you to succeed, so start with a truly honed razor, don't invest a lot of money right off the bat and learn the basics before you dive in deep into this rabbit hole.

One more thing. It's best to have two razors at a minimum, as you will need to send one off for honing soon. You will damage the edge from bad stropping and shave angles. It always happens. So while you send one off you have a fresh one to keep you shaving. Don't stop for a week or days at a time. This is something that takes a while to learn. Keep at it and learn the details. They say it takes 100 shaves with a straight before you understand what you're doing. Then at 200 shaves, you will know you didn't know as much as you thought you did at 100 shaves.

Be sure to read the info in our library for beginners. It will help a lot in understanding how to begin.

Well, I’ll go against the grain here a little and say that I think the Dovo would be just fine... but then I don’t follow blade lore and hadn’t heard that Dovo is no longer reputable.

As for honing, I went that way right off the bat. I’d advocate for it, but I don’t know if that one stone would be enough for me.

All said and done, why not just give your Feather a shot for a while? It would suck if you bought more stuff only to see it never used either. The feather works great - master it, and then get your straight I say.

My first new straight was a Thiers-Issard and I haven’t regretted that purchase. The original edge lasted well over a year with at least twice a week use.

I suggest you invest in a paddle strop. You can get them in 3” width. With a paddle, you don’t have to worry about tensioning the leather to avoid rolling the edge and you can develop good technique. 2 1/2” to 3” width allows you to strop without worrying about mastering the X-stroke right away.

If you purchase your razor from a reputable vendor or from one of the BST sellers on this website, you will get one that is shave ready and honed by an expert. That edge should last quite a while if you don’t ruin it with poor stropping or honing.

Originally Posted by Jacob21

I made a thread a few years ago inquiring about buying a complete set but now when I checked the link, the original post that I wrote is gone:
https://straightrazorpalace.com/begi...r-package.html

Uhhh, no; it's not... the link is good, blah-blah-blah.

@speedster - I took a look around B/S/T but I haven’t seen anything that strikes my fancy. I am going to purchase soon but I’ll have another look and if I see something I may jump.

@Gasman - Thanks for the whippeddog link. I’m considering a paddle strop from them since I don’t really have anywhere to hang a strop in my small studio. I guess I could find somewhere if absolutely necessary though.

But I don’t understand the iron/chromium oxide abrasives, etc. I seem to have found a video that explains this a bit though:

https://www.classicshaving.com/blogs...ow-to-use-them

@earcutter - The Feather is the disposable one for salon professionals. I assumed she would be using it professionally but alas..

@DZEC - Yes, I will get the paddle strop, thank you.

@JBHoren - Yes, the link works but my first post in that thread is not showing up. Does it show up for you? If so, can you please quote it here?

Originally Posted by Jacob21

@JBHoren - Yes, the link works but my first post in that thread is not showing up. Does it show up for you? If so, can you please quote it here?

You're quite right -- what appears to be the original post in that thread is, obviously, not so: A "child post" cannot, by definition, be its own "parent". (Kardash/Appalach-ian shenannigans aside)