My intro to straight edge shaving

i received a 100 year old Rodgers & Sons straight razor from a friend a few years back. I tried to hone it and noticed that, when run flat on a 1000 grit stone, the edge wasn't even touched by the stone. Apparently, it was honed incorrectly somewhere along the way. Being an amateur knife maker, I re-hollow ground the razor, both sides, until the thin parts were meeting again. I flat honed it on the 1000 grit stone to remove the wire edge and finished with a backwards pull honing on 2000 grit sandpaper on plate glass. My latest shave, this morning, was acceptable, and my face was actually less irritated than it was with a triple blade.

Needless to say, I'm hooked. Now I want to get a dovo, but I see the prices are pretty high. I have no qualms about buying the best, but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for a middle-of-the -road dovo? I'm pretty sure I don't need mastodon ivory scales, but I don't want anything thats too low quality (if dovo makes such a thing)

I am going to invest in a quality strop, I just thought I would use what materials I had on hand to see if I enjoyed straight razor shaving. I've had a tendency to shave once a month for most of my life due to laziness/sensitive skin. I think with a little practice and patience, my love for blades combined with the challenging lost art of straight razor shaving could keep me looking presentable

Hi! to all the other posters, and thanks for such an interesting web site.
Travis

Hi Travis,

You can't go wrong with just an Imitation Tortoise Dovo either in 5/8 or 6/8. Their Inox blades are pretty good as well and you don't have to spend the money on more expensive scales unless you gots ta has 'em. I also really like the Ebony pike point Dovos and spike point Dovo Bismarcks.

Have fun,

Lynn

I appreciate your response, I see classicshaving has dovos at the lowest prices, but they're closed until January 5th. That'll be here soon enough.

thanks again, I just ordered my DOVO, shave ready from the suggested sight. In the mean time, whilest waiting for the postman, I'll try to gather my other supplies, strop, brush, etc. I already have more hones than you can shake a stick at. :w

welcome to srp travis great to have you onboard:D

Shaving off a 1000 grit stone?! :eek:
I'm gonna go ahead and say you'll probably notice a liiiiiiittle difference when you put the SRD honed Dovo to your face ;)

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Originally Posted by travis789

thanks again, I just ordered my DOVO, shave ready from the suggested sight. In the mean time, whilest waiting for the postman, I'll try to gather my other supplies, strop, brush, etc. I already have more hones than you can shake a stick at. :w

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Well dont keep us waiting.... what one you getting ?


Do keep in mind that you will not have to strop on the first shave. When they send it shave ready it is just that. There will be a light coat of oil on the blade but all you need to do is rinse it off and your good to go. As for the second shave and there on you will need to storp.

Congrats

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Originally Posted by travis789

i received a 100 year old Rodgers & Sons straight razor from a friend a few years back. I tried to hone it and noticed that, when run flat on a 1000 grit stone, the edge wasn't even touched by the stone. Apparently, it was honed incorrectly somewhere along the way. Being an amateur knife maker, I re-hollow ground the razor, both sides, until the thin parts were meeting again. I flat honed it on the 1000 grit stone to remove the wire edge and finished with a backwards pull honing on 2000 grit sandpaper on plate glass. My latest shave, this morning, was acceptable, and my face was actually less irritated than it was with a triple blade.

Needless to say, I'm hooked. Now I want to get a dovo, but I see the prices are pretty high. I have no qualms about buying the best, but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for a middle-of-the -road dovo? I'm pretty sure I don't need mastodon ivory scales, but I don't want anything thats too low quality (if dovo makes such a thing)

I am going to invest in a quality strop, I just thought I would use what materials I had on hand to see if I enjoyed straight razor shaving. I've had a tendency to shave once a month for most of my life due to laziness/sensitive skin. I think with a little practice and patience, my love for blades combined with the challenging lost art of straight razor shaving could keep me looking presentable

Hi! to all the other posters, and thanks for such an interesting web site.
Travis

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Ive had quite alot of Dovo's over the years & my own personal recommendation would be the entry level Super Bismark 5/8 half hollow .I got one of these earlier in the year when I bought my Bergisher Lowe 5/8 from Trumpers Here in the U.K. ,it was bought as a cheap travelling razor after I sold off most of my collection.I have quite a tough fast growing beard that lies very close to the skin when it grows.& Ive found that the Half hollow seems to be an excellent compromise between a full hollow & a wedge.
Its been my daily shaver for about the last 3 months so much so that my other blades are not seeing much use.
Its not the prettiest razor I've owned but it has become My favorite.
The only thing ive found is that after a week of shaves it performs better if I give it a few laps on my Spyderco Ultrafine Hone ,then its good for another week. I hope this helps Paul

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Originally Posted by stolenmirth

Shaving off a 1000 grit stone?! :eek:
I'm gonna go ahead and say you'll probably notice a liiiiiiittle difference when you put the SRD honed Dovo to your face ;)

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Here's the one I started with, Rodgers and Sons, cutlers to their majesties Norfolk St.
After I hollow ground it, I finished with 2000 grit sandpaper on plate glass and 'stropped' the edge the poor man's way, with the ball of my thumb (dangerous, I know, but I've been working on knives a long time) I know there will be a world of difference, but my techniques gave me a general idea about what shaving with a straight would be like:D

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Originally Posted by Earthdawn

Well dont keep us waiting.... what one you getting ?


Do keep in mind that you will not have to strop on the first shave. When they send it shave ready it is just that. There will be a light coat of oil on the blade but all you need to do is rinse it off and your good to go. As for the second shave and there on you will need to storp.

Congrats

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Professionally Sharpened Dovo Imitation Tortoise Shell, 6/8" (170106)
as per recommendation. I didn't import a picture in here yet, but I'll sure post one when it gets here!
Thanks for all your help

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Originally Posted by jszabo

welcome to srp travis great to have you onboard:D

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Thanks, great to be here!

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Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

You shaved with a razor honed on 2k sandpaper?

You shaved your beard, with a razor finished on 2k sandpaper? And you still have a face, and still want to continue? And it was less irritating than a Scmach3?

WOW.

I can't wait to hear what you say, once you get a razor thats been honed by someone with experience at honing.

You could buy a Dovo, or check out the classifieds, for a cheap, shave ready vintage.

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sheesh, I've been sharpening for 20 years, I'm just saying its acceptable:shrug:

I appreciate everybody's input. Here's a shaving story y'all might find amusing. When I was about 16, I used to shave in the shower with a single blade disposable. One day after work, I shaved, got my pants on, and then fell asleep on the recliner in the living room, not knowing that I had cut a mole by my left ear CLEAN OFF. As I slept in the chair, it bled and ran all the way down to my belly. My brother came in, saw me in the chair and thought I'd shot myself in the head. He screamed, which made me scream, WHICH MADE HIM REALLY SCREAM. Haha, good times...

:roflmaoThats just too good! Thanks for the laugh!

I'm waiting for my dovo to arrive, in the meantime, I've been working on the Joseph Rodgers razor. Rehoning, stropping on an old leather belt, and the edge is getting smoother. My question today is about shaving. I'm getting some nicks, but nothing that gonna leave a scar, lol. Do you normally switch hands while shaving? I'm a lefty, but I'm near ambidexterous, so I switch to my right for the right side of my face. Do you normally also flip the razor, ie use both sides of the blade towards your face? Thanks for any help

i also shave with both hands and flip the blade once i got my non dominate hand to obey it was second nature

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for a $100, prehoned, prestropped, brand new razor?? Its got 2 big chips in the blade? What do I do? I just opened it, haven't touched it.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...7/IMGA1985.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...7/IMGA1986.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...7/IMGA1984.jpg

You may want to contact seller about their return policy if you are not satisfied.

Al raz.

I think you said that you received the razor from SRD. It is unfortunate that you received the razor in that condition but my experience is that the vendorwill be very good at working with you. If you call, they may even send out a new razor while this one is in transit being returned to them.

Thats got to be the worst looking edge Ive ever seen on a new razor! Contact the seller, preferably thru email with the same pics, and make arrangements to exchange it for another!

If that razor came from SRD, I have no doubt that it will be made right very quickly. I don't know if I have ever received better service than from those guys. I'd be surprised to hear that a razor came from them in that condition though.

If it came from somewhere else...definitely contact the seller. Most of the folks routinely mentioned on this site will stand behind their products.

I am wrong. The razor is perfect. Believe it or not, it was an optical illusion, created by oil and honing/stropping debris. Now I have to take more pictures, and publicly apologize to Straight Razor Designs. My mistake. Photos forthcoming

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...7/IMGA1988.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...7/IMGA1987.jpg

Sorry Travis,

I'm gonna start including a note with all the razors we hone and sell that we coat them with Camellia Oil before they come to the customer and it just needs to be wiped off. The little lint pieces are from the oil applicator.

All the best,

Lynn

that was oil? wow fooled me in the first pics

Glad to hear your blade was ok!

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Originally Posted by woork

Glad to hear your blade was ok!

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me, too. I start reading the instructions and it says, "Never touch the edge, so I was scared to even wipe it down. I was aware it came with oil on it, but I had no idea oil and particles could deceive the naked eye like that. Again I'm sorry.
Just had my first shave with a professional instrument and WOW. Not the least bit of irritation whatsoever. When I got done with the one I'd sharpened, I wasn't cut up, but it burnt like fire to rinse my face. I left the beard a little long on my neck, but it wasn't the razors fault, I just have a healthy fear of it. Kudos for such a great product and service.

This gives me hope. Maybe the only reason my face looks so rough and beaten up is excessive oil needs to be wiped off! :roflmao
Thanks for posting the pics, there is a valuable lesson here.
And congratulations on ending up with a great razor. I would definitely order from SRD if I wasn't over here in the UK.

Edit>Oops, looks like my joke in the first line could be read as serious comment. I was just joking that it would be great if an ugly face could be smartened up that easily.:)

your face will be red for the first couple of shaves but it dont last long then the fun begins :rock:

Does this now hold the record for quickest restore ever?

I reckon' it does hold a record for fastest restore, it only took about 30 seconds with an old t-shirt and it was brand new! I still can't believe I did that.
I've since purchased a strop, a Zee pk. I know they aren't top of the line, but I figured I'd ruin it by the time I learn to hone properly. The Zee pk strop also came with 2 stainless straight razors for free. I started messing with one of them, wipd the oil off and the edge was about as sharp as the side of a playing card. I set down with my piece of plate glass, a sheet of 600 grit sandpaper and a marker. I marked the edge area and worked it down. It turns out that the razor has a slight bend in it, maybe thats why they're so cheap. I would make one flat pass on the sand paper, and it would show that 2/3rds of the blade was making contact, and the last inch (near the tip) wasn't touching the paper a all. I just kept at it until I got a shiny line on he edge on both sides.
The strop I was wondering about. One part is fine grain smooth leather. The second one is thinner black leather and has a texture to it. There is linen on the back of this one. When do you use these 3 types?

I think this thread exemplifies why it is so hard to buy razors on Ebay... Usually, it works the other way around though....

Al raz.