Thread: So I just got my razor

I got my razor, and when I opened it I noticed it was wet, I think it's some sort of oil though, I'm not sure. Is it supposed to be like that?

I got my razor pre honed and stroped, and there was a sticker on it saying it didn't need to be honed or stroped prior to use. So should I rinse it in water before using it? to get that oil off, or whatever it is.

I've also never used a soap and brush before. I'm just wondering if I just drop the soap in the mug that I got and rinse the brush under water and rub the surface of the soap with it?

Originally Posted by nitram

I got my razor, and when I opened it I noticed it was wet, I think it's some sort of oil though, I'm not sure. Is it supposed to be like that?

You will probably want to check with the person who you got it from, since many substances besides oil are wet. Every razor I have received from SRP members is lightly coated in oil though, and I suppose it is for rust prevention by blocking moisture from reaching the blade.

I got it from vintage blades, and on the razor case it said it was honed by Lynn. I tried the hair test thing, it didn't work :-(

Originally Posted by nitram

I got it from vintage blades, and on the razor case it said it was honed by Lynn. I tried the hair test thing, it didn't work :-(

Why ? It's oil, and you may want to ask Lynn about the hair test thing since he honed the blade. His username here is Lynn.

Carefully wipe off the oil and unless there are instructions otherwise, the razor is ready to go

Oh I'm not really :-(

It's just that I keep reading about if the blade is sharp it should be able to cut a hair just by running the razor through the hair while holding the hair with your fingers.

Originally Posted by nitram

I've also never used a soap and brush before. I'm just wondering if I just drop the soap in the mug that I got and rinse the brush under water and rub the surface of the soap with it?

What kind of soap did you get? Some of them are fine out of the box, but some of them perform better if you put a little water on top and let it get absorbed for a while.

My recommendation: fill your mug with the hottest tap water you can and set your brush in it. Then run a little water over the top of your soap (presumably the soap is in a mug, cup, dish, or other container). You can either let that sit for a few minutes, or, more commonly, take a shower while the brush and soap absorb the water.

When you are ready, take your brush out of the mug and give it a few hard shakes to remove excess water. Dump the water off the top of the soap, and swirl your brush on the top of your soap to load it with soap. Don't skimp on this step...swirl your brush until the tops of your bristles are really good and loaded with soap.

Then, add a little water back to your brush, and lather on your face. Keep rubbing the brush in circles on your face as the lather builds...merely getting your face white is not enough. You want to rub until a good lather appears.

Finally, let the lather sit for a minute or two to soften your beard (this is when I clean my ears with Q-tips, lol), and go to work!

Hope that helps,
Dave

Its very common for razors to be oiled before shipping. Don't worry about it. I would gently wipe the oil off with a towel - Be careful of the edge - don't run the towel over the edge. Then you can rinse the razor under hot water - keep water away from the pin area - and dry it again with the towel. I think Lynn suggests not stropping the first time you use one of his pre-honed and stropped razors. This makes it less likely a newb will roll the edge the first time out. After your first shave (or even second depending on how much of your face you shave) you would strop carefully before each shave.

On the soap, you'll have to experiment with what works for you. There are a few threads on lather building methods on the forum. Basically, rinse the soap off a little, and then put it in your mug. Wet your brush and shake out a good bit of the water. Dampen the soap again with a few drops of water and swirl the brush over the soap to load it up. When you have a good bit of soap on the brush and its getting pasty, start building the lather on your wet face. Some guys go to a separate bowl to build the lather. Try it different ways. Keep working the lather and add water to the tips of the brush if you think you need it. Do this until the lather is where you like it. I go for moist and creamy, but self supporting for my lather.

Then shave and enjoy. It will take some practice to get good comfy shaves so be patient. Let us know how it goes.

Jordan

Originally Posted by DaveF

...
Finally, let the lather sit for a minute or two to soften your beard (this is when I clean my ears with Q-tips, lol), and go to work!

Hope that helps,
Dave

Q-tips...hmmm Maybe I'll start using them to clear the lather out of my nostrils!

Jordan

I believe most of our honemeisters strop, shave test, and re-strop after they hone the razors. It's always a good thing to check on, but in this case you do not need to strop your razor. Well, perhaps a couple times through just to make sure the edge is clean, but otherwise it's ready to go.

As the others have said, the oil is normal. Just wipe it off, then run hot water over the blade and dry.

I wouldn't even worry about the hair test right now. Get your lather built up and shave-test that puppy. Watch your angle and pressure, and see how you do. Also, most suggest that you only shave your cheeks (maybe neck) the first time around. Just a little easier to work on your technique and not worry about nicking your chin and upper lip.

If this is your first shave, I wouldn't expect perfection. As someone stated in another thread, just because you have a nice blade honed by the master doesn't mean you're going to get BBS. Too many other factors influence a great shave.

ANYWAY! Have fun, enjoy yourself, and keep us updated.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by jnich67

Q-tips...hmmm Maybe I'll start using them to clear the lather out of my nostrils!

Jordan

LOL, hadn't thought of that...one of the advantages of a goatee, I guess.