Thread: "Shave Ready" ... Yeah, Right.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

What stones are you working with?

I havent got any yet. I was thinking DMT plate, Norton 4/8, Sharpton 16. Or maybe a coticule, but they are small, expensive and coarse from what I understand. But make the edge "smooth"? I'm so confused!

Originally Posted by Cornelius

I havent got any yet. I was thinking DMT plate, Norton 4/8, Sharpton 16. Or maybe a coticule, but they are small, expensive and coarse from what I understand. But make the edge "smooth"? I'm so confused!

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. We all were in the same boat at the start. Reading the tutorials in the Wiki (they were forum posts then) and Lynn's and Heavydutysg's videos helped me sort it out with lots of practice and I am still learning.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. We all were in the same boat at the start. Reading the tutorials in the Wiki (they were forum posts then) and Lynn's and Heavydutysg's videos helped me sort it out with lots of practice and I am still learning.

I read all the posts, threads, wikis, FAQs, stickies... got a link to the videos?

Originally Posted by Cornelius

I read all the posts, threads, wikis, FAQs, stickies... got a link to the videos?

Read 'em again ... I still read them from time to time. Sometimes you absorb things as you progress that you wouldn't have noticed without a little more experience. Here is a link.

Originally Posted by Cornelius

I read all the posts, threads, wikis, FAQs, stickies... got a link to the videos?

Thankfully, there are videos in the posts, threads, wikis, FAQs, & stickies

Originally Posted by Chris L

Where did you get the information that a coticule is "coarse"? We may need to have the person that posted such info make a correction, addendum or clarification if that info is in the Wiki.

I agree! We need a quality control team - I nominate you

Originally Posted by Cornelius

... maybe a coticule, but they are small, expensive and coarse from what I understand. But make the edge "smooth"? I'm so confused!

Where did you get the information that a coticule is "coarse"? We may need to have the person that posted such info make a correction, addendum or clarification if that info is in the Wiki.

Chris L

Cornelius,

One of the problems with this forum is that it is so rich in information, it can become very confusing.

Take the razor you received off the forum member. Wet your face with warm water and apply soap.
Now holding the razor at an angle no more than 30 degrees (This means the razor is almost stuck to your face so the edge can not possibly hurt you) gently shave down your cheek. No more. Now, wash your face and feel if the razor removed your whiskers. If it did you may wish to reconsider your views. If it didn't shave your face, you have a right to complain.

Let us know what happened.

If your not prepared to even try the razor on your skin, nobody can help you.

Incidentally, you will only get more disappointed by spending money on hones at this point.
First you need to feel the razor on your skin. It should cut your whiskers just the same as a plastic gillette twin blade.

Please let us know. We can then help you to move along the path to shaving happiness. It does however take a little patience and at the start quite a bit of time. So hang on in there.

Originally Posted by English

One of the problems with this forum is that it is so rich in information, it can become very confusing.

Aint that the truth!

Originally Posted by English

Take the razor you received off the forum member. Wet your face with warm water and apply soap.
Now holding the razor at an angle no more than 30 degrees (This means the razor is almost stuck to your face so the edge can not possibly hurt you) gently shave down your cheek. No more. Now, wash your face and feel if the razor removed your whiskers. If it did you may wish to reconsider your views. If it didn't shave your face, you have a right to complain.

I'm not complaining nor accusing anybody, just need to air my frustration You know, I'm new to all this and dont want to take any chances, so I'm reading as much as I can trying to figure out what to do. I almost bought a USB microscope yesterday. I'm ready to buy the hones, I just dont know which ones I need. Some people seem to do without coticules, others swear by them. How's a newbie supposed to know what to do? Sure, I could buy a Norton 4/8, a blue coticule, a yellow one, a Sharpton 16k, a microscope, a strop, a DMT plate, and now as I just learned in the videos I'm watching, a 1200 diamond bevel setting coarse stone. It all makes sense. But still, you've gotta wonder how hard it can be! My granddad used to shave with a straight and I doubt he had all this equipment or even all the knowledge we can so easily and instantly access these days and I'm sure he got decent shaves. Or maybe he didnt, I have no idea.

Originally Posted by English

If your not prepared to even try the razor on your skin, nobody can help you.

LOL, that's for sure. I was prepared to try it, but read on here that "new razors are NOT shave ready no matter what they tell you" and everything related to it, which confirmed the idea that this is indeed so unless you buy the razors from SRD or RW or an experienced member, so I'm holding off until I know what to do, that's all.

Originally Posted by English

First you need to feel the razor on your skin. It should cut your whiskers just the same as a plastic gillette twin blade.

Ok, I'll try it and will let you know.

Originally Posted by Chris L

Where did you get the information that a coticule is "coarse"? We may need to have the person that posted such info make a correction, addendum or clarification if that info is in the Wiki.

Chris L

Here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/285357-post16.html

Originally Posted by Cornelius

Here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/285357-post16.html

This is my fault.

I linked to that post a couple of days ago. I should have linked to the entire thread.
It's an advanced discussion. Coticules don't rely to grit ratings well.
Peoples always want to think of hones as of sandpaper. They want to give each hone a number and line them up in a honing progression. Coticules do not work that way.

80% of my presence on this forum is because I like to help people out with honing and shaving.
This makes me want to give up.

I am sorry.

Bart.