I had to try this.

I had to start at a new school a couple of months ago because the last one I went too went bankrupt. At this school we have to be clean shaved at all times and I guess the same would go for the rest of my career.
All the different shaving methods I have tried so far has been kind of hard to my skin, if I shave two days in a row, it feels like someone lit my face on fire. It goes for electric and disposable. I guess it is because I try to get a really close shave and overdo it.
One and a half years ago I was in India for three months and could actually afford to go to the barber quite a lot. The straight razor shaves was amazing! So now I am trying this out and hope to be able to achieve the same results by my self.

This is what I have ordered:

DOVO Best Value Ivory Yellow Straight Razor 5/8"" Full Hollow Ground

Standard Pure Badger Shave Brush Off White Handle

Styptic Pencil

Shave Soap

DOVO German Razor Strop Leather Conditioner

Illinois Razor Strop 2"" x 20"" Top Grain Cowhide with Handle

Thiers Issard Low Grease White Paste for Razor Strop (for canvas side?)

Col Conk glycerine shave soap

And I am thinking about ordering a 4000/8000 Norton

Does this sound like a good start?

Welcome. Sounds pretty good to me. Razor honed?

No, it is not honed, my plan is to try it myself with a pyramid and lots of patience.

I have been working as a mechanic on jets, so I am used to both being patient and using a fine touch. It might be a bit optimistic, but I am an optimist and don't see any reason why I cannot do this.

Welcome aboard! You sound like me when I got started, of course there was no SRP to make the trip a little easier!

Thanks!

By the way, how did it go for you? I guess it can't have been too horrible since you are still doing it.

And if it doesn't work out at all, I could always send it to Lynn

if i were you i'd have started with a honed razor, but see how it works for you.
yeah, pick the norton.

You got a good list there. I would also recommend sending the razor out to get honed. While I'm sure you won't have much problem getting it right if you're patient, having a razor properly honed for you for your first few shaves saves you from asking this question:

"Is it that I don't know how to shave well enough with it yet? Or is the blade just not honed properly?"

If the blade comes honed properly, you know your answer without having to ask the question.

Most of all though, be patient and give it time. Some people (like myself) have an AMAZING first shave, while others have mediocre shaves that only get better over time. Stick with it and you'll be sure to be pleased with the results.

How long time does it usually take when a blade is sent out for honing?

I am slightly impatient

This may sound counter intuitive, but since you have already invested quite a bit of money, why not take another 30-50 USD and get a second razor from the classifieds. One which is actually shave ready. That way, you will have a benchmark razor for your own honing efforts.

WRT the Norton, What hone(s) do I need? - Straight Razor Place Wiki should give you a good overview of what is required, and what is optional. With the canvas pasted, you should do just fine with a Norton 4/8k.

Good luck, and welcome to SRP.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BeBerlin

This may sound counter intuitive, but since you have already invested quite a bit of money, why not take another 30-50 USD and get a second razor from the classifieds. One which is actually shave ready. That way, you will have a benchmark razor for your own honing efforts.

WRT the Norton, What hone(s) do I need? - Straight Razor Place Wiki should give you a good overview of what is required, and what is optional. With the canvas pasted, you should do just fine with a Norton 4/8k.

Good luck, and welcome to SRP.

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Great piece of advice. It is soooo nice to have a professionally sharpened razor around. Gives you an idea of not only how comfortable a straight shave can be, but also gives you an idea of how "sharp" (or not) your honing jobs are.

I really don't know if I can afford that right now, even though I would like to do so.

And I just got a mail that the package is shipped :)

I think if you asked nicely, you could arrange to have a razor shipped to someone overnight, honed and sent back overnight that same day. So...3 days? Just ask real nice and be willing to throw the person a few dollars for their trouble.

And before you ask, no, I don't hone. I wouldn't dare hone my own blade yet. I like it too much and don't trust myself enough to hone. I barely trust myself enough to shave with the durn thing!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flyboy

This is what I have ordered:

DOVO Best Value Ivory Yellow Straight Razor 5/8"" Full Hollow Ground

Standard Pure Badger Shave Brush Off White Handle

Styptic Pencil

Shave Soap

DOVO German Razor Strop Leather Conditioner

Illinois Razor Strop 2"" x 20"" Top Grain Cowhide with Handle

Thiers Issard Low Grease White Paste for Razor Strop (for canvas side?)

Col Conk glycerine shave soap

And I am thinking about ordering a 4000/8000 Norton

Does this sound like a good start?

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Sounds just fine.
I started out with a Dovo. I believed the little note that came with the razor, stating that it was ready to go, out of the box. (after being stropped). I hadn't discovered SRP yet, so I had no reason to doubt Dovo's note.
Guess what? The shaves went just fine. I did about 15 shaves before the edge started to shave uncomfortable. I'm not alone in that experience. Hence my advice is to read about stropping, and try the razor first. Try shaving a bit of arm hair. If it does that with ease, try shaving your beard. If you can manage to get parts of your face smooth, it's okay. If not, send it to Lynn.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flyboy

I am used to both being patient and using a fine touch. It might be a bit optimistic, but I am an optimist and don't see any reason why I cannot do this.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by flyboy

How long time does it usually take when a blade is sent out for honing?

I am slightly impatient

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I think we have that in common. :D

I don't recommend learning how to hone before you have gained some confidence shaving with a straight razor. You need shaving skills to assess your honing results.

Good luck with the Dovo,

Bart.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flyboy

I really don't know if I can afford that right now, even though I would like to do so.

And I just got a mail that the package is shipped :)

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well, depends how busy the person is, with thanksgiving tomorrow there's another day...
mail will take 2-3 days each way, then honing i'd say between 2 days and 2 weeks, so I'd say you're looking at a week to three week period. ask the person who you're sending the razor to for an estimate.

being impatient would suggest you want somebody else to hone your razor, it'll probably take you much longer to get as good of an edge. i guess you'll have your hone by monday (if it was shipped usps), then you can try honing your razor for the rest of the week and if you're not getting anywhere i'd say send it out.

G'day & Welcome flyboy.
If you plan to hone your own I'd add a microscope or 30x jewellers loupe to your list.
You may find visual confirmation of your edges helpful.

Welcome my friend to the world of straight shaving and to the forum.
I will have to agree with others and recommend that you get your razor honed the first time so you know what a sharp razor should feel like. You can waste a lot of time and endure quite a bit of pain not knowing whether the problem is your razor or your technique. It is just a matter of paring down the number of variables in the early going.

Enjoy the journey!

Great advice here - you'll do well to follow their advice.

Welcome, your shavs will far outpaced and be far more comfortable than you ever though...eventually.

Keep us posted on how you're progressing.

Mark

P.s. Patience is really a virtue. Take your time with this, if not you'll become frustrated and do damage either to your razor or yourself.

Now it looks like the stuff might arrive tomorrow; really looking forward to it!

My plan is to first try to strop it like Bart suggested, if not there is a barber-shop here where they sell straights, if I ask nice they might help me out. (only thing is that it looked really pricey) And as a last resort sending it in to someone for sharpening.
Does it sound like a plan?

if the barber shop can hone the razors, that's a good option. if they just sell them i would just send it out.

Now I finally got my stuff. I was exited like a little kid on christmas when I started stropping it. After like 100 draws on each side of the strop, I tried the hanging-hair-test. It popped hairs all along the edge, so I figured it had to be shave ready. Am I right?
Then I Made some nice lather and stropped some more. I started out with the sides of my face, but got a bit exited and did the whole face. I got a small nick (2mm) on the left side of my mouth, but that was all. The left-handed part under my nose was a bit tricky, so that was where I cut my self.

I am overall happy about it, being my first time and all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flyboy

Now I finally got my stuff. I was exited like a little kid on christmas when I started stropping it. After like 100 draws on each side of the strop, I tried the hanging-hair-test. It popped hairs all along the edge, so I figured it had to be shave ready. Am I right?

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A razor that pops hanging hairs is surely sharp enough to shave a beard. (the "overhoning" exception left aside, but that is not something to worry about with a razor that came straight from Dovo)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flyboy

Then I Made some nice lather and stropped some more. I started out with the sides of my face, but got a bit exited and did the whole face. I got a small nick (2mm) on the left side of my mouth, but that was all. The left-handed part under my nose was a bit tricky, so that was where I cut my self.
I am overall happy about it, being my first time and all.

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Congratulations! :tu
You're doing great.

Bart.

Congradulations and welcome aboard.
Sounds like you are off to a great start!

You have heard really good advice thus far, there will always be dozens of guys here that can help out down the road as you progress, myself included.

Good luck,

Sean

One question: what is razorburn, I read about it all the time in here, but don't really know what it is.

Hey Fly Boy, I just responded to another one of your posts and then I saw this one. This one answers most of the “where is he at” questions going thru my mind as I wrote the other response. From this posting …..

You have a strop. Great. There are actually newbies that say “Do I really need one?” ABSOLUTLY.

Dovo razor. Great. Still amazing that it is as sharp as you have described, few new razors actually shave ready, even the good brands.

Norton 4000/8000 Great. Get it. Cheapest way you can get serious about this sport. This is the workhorse that many serious honing addicts use.

A paddle strop pasted with CrOX is all I would add.

You are a mechanic? I’ll take a blind leap of faith and assume you like to fix stuff, fidget with things, figure it out and do it yourself. Sharpening and honing is not rocket science, you will get it all quickly with what you can read here. Just do it and you are going to have a roaring good time.

Congrats on a great first shave! Sounds like you did really well.

Razor burn is that painful (almost burning) feeling you sometimes get after a particularly harsh shave - the skin is pretty much abraided and raw (hence slightly painful).

Mark

Now I am off for my second shave, today I am going to try to let the beard be lathered up for a longer time, so I hopefully totally avoid razorburn :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flyboy

Now I am off for my second shave, today I am going to try to let the beard be lathered up for a longer time, so I hopefully totally avoid razorburn :)

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Many of us lather up before we start stropping the razor. After that, I usually just rework the lather a bit, but it's even better to rinse it off with the hottest water you can stand, and reapply a new coat.

If razor burn is an issue, back off on the pressure. A razor only needs to touch the skin to shave well.

Best regards,

Bart.

Have had 3-4 shaves now, and by now it is better than my mach3, it gets better every time and I enjoy the process. got a cut after trying to shave XTG, how do you guys stretch the skin with al the lather in the way?
Just had a midnight-shave :) Awesome! My first totally burnfree shave in years.
I was really careful, went two times WTG, XTG and ATG is a bit scary yet. Got a really good shave and the best part was that I finally managed to get a comfortable shave :)

Regarding the sharpness of the razor: I took it to a local barber and he said it was sharp enough, so I just go with that for now.

So now I have been shaving with a straight for one and a half week. I am getting consistently ok results.
It is still some stubble left on my chin that are kinda sandpaper-like when I drag my hand ATG but feeling WTG it is smooth all over. I get some areas that are BBS, parts of my cheeks and a spot in the middle of my chin.
The not so good thing I have is a vertical scar almost an inch long under my ear after my first XTG pass, but it is fading quickly.
I also bought an alum block in an Indian market and really like the feeling of it.

It is kind of funny how earlier I would dread my weekly shave, and now I just can't wait for my beard to get long enough for a shave. So at least I am not scared away after 10 shaves.

Sounds like you are right on track. :) I completely recognize everything you wrote out of my own "straight" shaving history.
Take a chore and turn it into a hobby, isn't that a great achievement?
:tu

Best regards,
Bart.

I really burned myself this afternoon. I think I didn't have enough water and heat on my face before I got started. I got a small cut on my chin trying to go ATG. I think I have to get some more moisturizing aftershave, cause my face gets really dry after shaving.
I found a great way to get cold water for the alum-block today; just add a few icecubes to the water in the sink

Now I found a solution on not knowing if the edge is good enough, ordered a razor on the classifieds and then I will compare. I ordered the 11/16 "reaper" put out by Ronnie Brown. He is a senior member and sais it is shave ready, so I will Thrust him on that and use that razor as my reference.