Thread: Hey, newbie with questions

You could call Classic to find out if it is shave ready. Nearly all
straights that are sold out of the factory are NOT shave ready
and need some degree of honing to get them there. The description
of your razor says pre-sharpened, so I don't know if that means
shave ready or not.

As for knowing when a razor is ready for shaving, there are several
tests that are done prior to shaving, such as the Thumb Nail Test (TNT),
Thumb Pad Test (TPT) and Hanging Hair Test (HHT). You should also
be able to shave arm hairs easily before moving to the shave. You can
do a search for each of these tests understand them better.

Finally, before you decide to break out that nice new hone you have, make sure you get that razor sharpened by a professional. Don't try
doing it yourself. Get a junker from ebay to practice with and get your
technique down. You'll also have something to compare it to with a
professionally honed razor. Welcome to SRP and good luck.

John

I agree with John. I would call Classic shaving and verify that the razor has not been honed after it left the factory. If not, I would buy their sharpening service. Lynn, the founder of this site, does the honing for Classic. This way, you'll have a benchmark for what a keen razor feels like. Then you can practice with some cheaper blades. Be patient and enjoy the process.

Jordan

Agreed! Call Classic. You will want a professionally honed razor before your first shave. Lynn is the best, so you can't go wrong.