Thread: Hitting a wall....

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Thanks again everyone. Going to try and hit up radioshack after work and grab one of the $12 microscopes to get up close and personal with the straight.


/I have read that these are starting to dissapear from the shack? anyone(other than online) sell them?

Just ordered a razor from the classifieds : "Barber's Pet",N 421, Simmons HDWE.Co., USA. - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Tried looking at my current razor under the microscope, wasnt sure what i was seeing.

I did a little bit of stropping earlier to night and ended up with tiny specks of leather on the blade, not on the edge though.

This is something I have never looked for.

But I have sanded the face of a strop and noticed the dust doesn't just wipe away; any chance it is something like that? If not, then any changes in appearance of the strop's face?

I wouldn't sweat the leather fragments on the blade, if they show on the edge you have a problem though: It could be signs of nicks or a rolled edge.

I have a Simmons Hardware razor (only one!!) and it shaves like a sonofabitch, so you should have a good point of reference, assuming it's honed/stropped properly.

I too have had the same frustrations, Slart. I've also noticed the tiny sprinkles on the spine, even as I've tried to slow down and take more care with my stropping - keeping the spine on & taking it slow, etc. as Raz pointed out in the other post. Could this be part of the "breaking in" of a new strop?

Like you I'm still so green - about 2 wks in - and at this point I'm also having good days & bad. Hard to tell if I'm even developing "my own" technique tey as I'm still trying to figure out the best XTG & ATG cuts.

I also find that three passes & shaving too often (with all the soaping & washing) is really drying my face out. I think I'm going to just shoot for every other day until my skin (and hopefully my technique) catches up. Martin

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Just ordered a razor from the classifieds : "Barber's Pet",N 421, Simmons HDWE.Co., USA. - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Tried looking at my current razor under the microscope, wasnt sure what i was seeing.

I did a little bit of stropping earlier to night and ended up with tiny specks of leather on the blade, not on the edge though.

Originally Posted by Czechmart

I too have had the same frustrations, Slart. I've also noticed the tiny sprinkles on the spine, even as I've tried to slow down and take more care with my stropping - keeping the spine on & taking it slow, etc. as Raz pointed out in the other post. Could this be part of the "breaking in" of a new strop?

Like you I'm still so green - about 2 wks in - and at this point I'm also having good days & bad. Hard to tell if I'm even developing "my own" technique tey as I'm still trying to figure out the best XTG & ATG cuts.

I also find that three passes & shaving too often (with all the soaping & washing) is really drying my face out. I think I'm going to just shoot for every other day until my skin (and hopefully my technique) catches up. Martin

I use non-alcohol thayers witch hazel followed by either Nivea ASB or Bigelow blue ASB. Sometimes i will even follow that up with lotion(only one kind of lotion i can use on my face).

Can anyone reccommend any other razors that are good? This razor is going to take a little time to get to my doorstep and i'm too impatient to wait that long Current razor is out of action for a while

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Can anyone reccommend any other razors that are good? This razor is going to take a little time to get to my doorstep and i'm too impatient to wait that long Current razor is out of action for a while

Look through the razor clubs section for a few great makers.

Pretty much anything made in the US will be good, as will most blades from Sheffield or Solingen... or France... or Sweden.

I sometimes get a buildup of oil from the strop on the spine. Are you sure that isn't what you are seeing? Just a thought.