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hi i got a stainless steel perloid dovo and i like it alot. i am upgrading from wetshaving. and am hearing alot of different things from when i stiop my razor. before or after and more importantly how often. just the little things that you have to get right you know. any help please.
Strop before every shave ALWAYS!! I give mine 25 laps on linen side and 50 on leather to get a great edge. I shave every other day but strop everyday. I'd also recommend buying a really cheap strop on ebay either used or a Zeepk or something to practice stroping on. There is a good chance you'll take a few knicks out of it while learning to strop. Also, you might need to send your Dovo to a honemeister to get really sharp. They are notorious for not actually being shave sharp on deliver. Lynn and Glenn are awesome choices. Good luck!
Also, congrats on your first post! Glad you found us :)
yeah thanks alot man. i am pretty good at shaving my grandpa taught me when i was a kid but just recently got enough money to get a good kit. my razor doesnt pass the hair test but still does a good shave you think i need to get it sharpened.
Strop at least before every shave. I also strop a few passes on the linen and leather after the shave.
Looks like tony added a new strop. I would try to snag one of these when he opens shop.
The Well Shaved Gentleman The Heirloom Razor Strop Company : Heirloom Latigo "Barber's Friend" Strop
I know a lot of people have the fily strop too, which is a good value.
RupRazor - The Filly
no need to sharpen a razor if it shaves well. unless, of course, you'd rather cut hanging hairs with it instead of shaving.Quote:
Originally Posted by hardrockerleo
Strop before every shave. Some people do before and after.
always before you shave, and if it's your only blade, i'd recommend doing it after one shave a week.
Why would you recommend that?Quote:
Originally Posted by kljr
Strop on leather all you like. So long as your technique is good you will not harm the edge. I treat it like cleaning a weapon. Before and after use, daily and whenever it needs it. I've been known to strop before and after honing. Stropping a minimum 60 laps between shaves appears to be optimal.
X
I do 20-30 linen & 40-50 leather as a minimum before each shave & 10-20 linen after to ensure the edge is dry. Stubble is incredibly tough stuff & after a shave the delicate edge of the razor is no longer aligned. It is essential that this is corrected by stropping before the next shave, or the razor will not perform properly. After honing i'll strop a couple of hundred. This may be excessive, but that's what i do.
My routine is pre-shave 50 linen - 50 leather and post shave 20 on the horse to clean the edge of any micro gook that may be in the striations. Then I wipe with a cloth impregnated with a rust preventative.
That's exactly what I do too.Quote:
Originally Posted by ben.mid
Great advice above as always. I always strop before a shave but it honestly will not hurt to do it whenever you want. The edge is not going to change by sitting overnight or even for days. No need to worry about timing. Whenever you feel like stropping, go for it. Some of the guys do a few laps post shave to clean/dry the edge. I do not do it personally, but it is a good idea especially with a carbon blade. Stainless is a bit more resistant to rusting.
when i my first blade, doing that seemed to keep the edge with that extra set of passes. learned off experience.Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
I've been searching for "How often should I hone my blade?" - but I'm not finding anything. Should I get two razors, one for backup while I have my other one in the hone shop via airmail?
I'm thinking it's going to be every two or three months, no?
I think everyone will agree you can not strop too often. It can become a very relaxing experience and you will find yourself ignoring the world around you and concentrating only on the razor and the stop in your hand.
I got the stroop thing, but what about honing? The stone?
It varies and depends on the user and razor. If it feels like the razor is pulling or needs more pressure than it should, it probably needs honing. Correct stropping certainly seems to prolong the life of the edge. As regards time, if it's the only razor you're using probably about once every two months but this is only a rule of thumb and your experience could differ wildly from it.
Thanks for the info on the Tony Miller strop.
I strop before and after each use. I do 20 - 25 on the canvas, and 50 - 60 on the leather before shaving. Then, 15 - 20 on the leather after.
Stropping AFTER the shave and oiling the blade will help extend the life of your edge. You might think about a pasted paddle to do your touching up which will extend times between honing sessions.Quote:
Originally Posted by satcong
Personally, I think a man should always have a spare blade around.
X
I strop before each shave, that's it.