Thread: Need help with materials before school starts

I've recently gotten about 2 months ago interested in straight razor shaving (I found out my great-grandfather made a living cutting hair and shaving, but he didn't leave anything behind), and the other day while i was in Orange, California (I live in Anaheim, CA), I went into an antique shop and was only to find a straight razor. It's a Circa 1935 Black Demon German hollow razor, with celluloid handle and carbon steel blade, in pretty good condition for 25 bucks, with only a basically almost invisible chip, but can barely cut hair. High school is starting in a bit and i figured if I am to go fully prepared, it should be with a nice, shaved face (you know, be the manly man who shaves with straight razors).

There's only one problem, I don't have a hone or a strop for the razor. The place where i bought the razor didn't have them. Can anyone tell me if there is any stores that sell hones and/or strops? I'm a bit tight on cash, so I dun want to buy anything online just yet, and the last thing I bought on Ebay basically broke the very next day, so I wanna stay away from that as well. Please, help a teen trying to impress classmates. Thanks.

How important is cheap? I think the least you could spend and still get a good setup would be a Sypderco pocket sized medium/fine and a Chinese 12K. But the pocket sized Spydercos are real small, and the Chinese 12K would have to be lapped.

You could send it out to me honed and just worry about stropping. You can strop on newspaper laid onto glass, and if you get some Chromium Oxide, you should be able to keep a shave ready razor going for some time...provided you don't damage the edge.

For hone I would go to one of sports shops (they sell hones for sports knives etc). Get a very fine Norton hone.

Shaving soap - WalMart I guess (although I would seriously look at classicshaving.com). Brush - WalMart as well.

You could use a leather belt you are not using as a strop for starters.

This is bare bones set-up I guess...

Sharp razor and good brush you will need as a bare minimum from my experience.

Unless you can find something in the 8000 grit and up range you won't be able to shave very comfortably.

Woodcraft sells many stones in the grit range that you need including the Chinese 12k (which is one of the best deals for the money that there is) and they have a few stores in California: Woodworking tools, supplies, plans, projects, accessories, articles and more - Woodcraft.com

Barber hones are also a cheap alternative that are readily available on ebay (barber hones are not going to break after a few uses, so ebay is a good place to pick them up) as well as from SRP members, ask around.

But, honestly, the cheapest route for the time being would be to have it honed by a pro, there are even a few guys in Ca that are great to work with. Look around for honemeisters (search maybe) and see how they can help you out.

As for a strop, for the time being you could make do with a few layers of newspaper that have been folded over to be rigid enough to strop on when layed flat on a table/counter/sink (maybe ten layers or something). Most metal polishing compounds that you can buy at hardware stores (MAAS, Mother's, etc.) can be used on the paper to polish the edge when it starts to dull.

But the best scenario of all is to take your time and do it right. If you try to rush into this it may be dissapointing since there is a substantial amount of technique that must be learned and practiced before you'll get a really great shave. If you can save up some money for a good strop, good shaving soap and have your blade honed by a pro, you'll have a much higher chance of enjoying this new hobby than if you try to "get by with what's cheapest" (but it can be done if your stubborn like me).

I have a slightly used original strop nicked a-bit with the initials HEH on it thats a demo I would let go for $10.00 plus $7.00 shipping I can send a photo if you like. It would make for a great starter strop.

If you are interested in local honing check out the http://straightrazorpalace.com/newbi...ght-razor.html

for Ross Cutlery in downtown LA. I had a Piedmont honed there. They were quick. I dropped it off on a Sat and had a nice chat with Alan. Picked it up on Sun and talked with Alan's brother.

Max

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

Unless you can find something in the 8000 grit and up range you won't be able to shave very comfortably.

Woodcraft sells many stones in the grit range that you need including the Chinese 12k (which is one of the best deals for the money that there is) and they have a few stores in California: Woodworking tools, supplies, plans, projects, accessories, articles and more - Woodcraft.com

Wow, thanks for letting me in on the Woodcraft store. I could easily go to the OC store (serves me right- I need to visit my aunt who lives there), and I could easily get the 8k Japanese water slipstones since its affordable. So thanks again for encouraging me into keeping this great interest and art of Straight razor Shaving. I may even later offer honing services, since I like working on stuff like this. Another thanks for giving me the cheap Newspaper strop alternative, imma go run right now to the corner to pick up some of the free newspaper.

Anyway, sorry if there was any confusion about the straight razor, its from the company T. Noonan & Sons.

Yea, I already got the Badger brush and the soap from CVS