Thread: A Newb Who Loves Tradition.

Hello. I am new to this site and to the world of straight razor shaving in general. I am so excited to begin shaving and learning everything I can! I wanted to learn for many reasons, I believe that the american barbershop is something truely special and I think that they are disappearing and will soon be lost forever. The traditions of a true barber in general and straight razor shaving specificly are skills, and more than skills they are artforms that should not be lost or forgotten. I am only 25 years old, but I believe I was born in the wrong time, or possibly reincarnated from someone who loved the 1950's more than anything else...I just can't imagine a greater time to have lived. The speach, the cars, the clothes, the music...just something special about it. I currently am a professional body piercer and I am apprenticing to be a tattoo artist, which provides me with the freedom to really express myself and explore things which I find important and interesting. I have ordered two straight razors now, and I see more gorgeous razors every day. The two I have thus far are; a Robert Klass Star Shaver (vintage German razor) and a Worcester Razor Co. 3/4" width razor with ivory celluloid handle. I have yet to purchase a strop or honing stone. I am still hoping to learn these skills though, and I need a little help finding the right tools. I do have a Mohawk boar brush, and a vintage shaving brush. If anyone can help me please send me a message. I am so happy to be part of this forum and to learn from all those who have the years of experience I can only hope to obtain.

Welcome to SRP! I expect that you'll find that many of the folks here feel the same way as yourself, and respect the older, traditional values. There also might be one or two of us who can relate to your appreciation of fine razors, strops, hones, soaps etc...

Also, if you haven't already done so, check out the wiki button at the top of the page. There is a veritable gold mine of information on how to get set up for straight razor shaving. Also at the top of this newbies forum, the honing, stropping, shaving, etc. forums are "sticky" threads that provide a lot of great tips by very knowledgeable folks.

Best wishes for your journey through the hobby of wet shaving and straight razors. As the founder of this website, Lynn Abrams says, "have fun!"

Jeff

First of all, welcome. You'll find that your sentiments about straight shaving are pretty much the norm around here, so you're in good company.

I'll limit my specific product recommendations, as I've only been here a week and there are other that can give better specific recommendations than me.

Hones - First of all, you don't need to hone a razor more than once every few months, so if your razor is already shave-worthy, that one can (and probably should) wait for a while. When you do get into honing, a norton 4k/8k combination stone is a popular place to start. It will cover all your basic honing needs. You'll need something coarser to set a bevel on a really out of shape razor, and some people like to follow their 8k honing with a 10-16k finishing stone. (Optional)

Strops - You didn't say whether or not you were already using those razors without a strop, but if you are, stop it and buy a strop. You can get a good one in the classified here. (link at the top of the page) or you can go buy a new one from a variety of vendors. I'm sure others will make specific recommendations here.

Also, as for shaving being an "art."

You're absolutely right. But just like piercing, if you overthink everything you do, you will end up doing a rotten job, and not enjoying it. Like all art forms, it's about learning everything, and then forgetting it.

I've heard some describe it as being somewhat zen.

Welcome ! You have found the right place to learn how to use a straight razor . For starters you will only need a decent strop , and a straight razor that has been honed by someone who knows how to hone a razor . My advice , is to learn everything you can about shaving with a straight BEFORE you put the blade to your face . The best way to start is to read all of the "stickies" on this forum , this will give you a baseline to work from . I wish you luck with your journey into this way of shaving . I've been doing it for a little more than 2 years , and I really love it .

Welcome to SRP. I am only about a month into str8 shaving myself, but have come a long way in a short time thanks to this place. Devour and digest as much of the wealth of info here as you can and your journey will no doubt be a rewarding one.

Welcome to SRP.

Since your razors are already shave-ready unless you do something drastic to them keeping them in this state is fairly easy. A lot of options for a hone, the standard recommendation is the norton 4k/8k combo. Spend some more time looking into it before you decide though, you're not in a rush.

You need a strop right away. Lots of good options here. It seems a bit harder to come by strops in the classifieds, so you'll probably have to get a new one. Check the vendors section or the advertisements - all of them sell good quality strops. Don't buy the cheap ones on ebay.

You're not the first around here who is a little old fashioned.

X

Welcome onboard! Take your time and enjoy.
I too miss my old neighbourhood barbershop. For me it was in north Seattle in the 80s and early 90s.

Originally Posted by theoniondeath

I am only 25 years old, but I believe I was born in the wrong time, or possibly reincarnated from someone who loved the 1950's more than anything else...I just can't imagine a greater time to have lived.

I grew up in the 1950s-60s, I'm not sure you wouldn't have found the reality slightly different. The USA was most likely better, but post war Britain was a fairly grey uninspiring place. We still had food rationing and most stuff we take for granted now was unavailable. There were good things like more personal freedom and I think that in general people were more polite and looked out for each other.
We tend to take for granted modern medicine, foreign travel and leisure time that just didn't exist back then.
No internet in those days, so nothing like this forum. I still drive 1950s cars and ride the motorcycles, there are three 1950s m/cycles a few yards from where I sit writing this, but if I neded to ride in comfort over a long distance my modern BMW is what I'll use.

I really appreciate all the responses and help offered thus far. I have ordered another straight since my last post, this one is a Anton Wingen Jr. Orthello #54, the handle is polished bone. Really nice. I still need to find a good strop, I just don't want to purchase the wrong thing. The honing stone I don't think I worry about right now, probably just send them to someone who knows what they are doing.

I don't mean to sound like I hate everything about the times we live in now, I just feel like I missed out on a lot of things that make me happy about the 50's...and I wish I could experience them first hand.

I really do love tradition and I want to be part of keeping this one alive and well, though it seems there isn't any lack of that from this forum! I have already begun talking to some of my close friends about this way of shaving and they are looking into things now...which I find exciting.

If anyone has any comments or anything they would care to share with me, I am MORE than happy to hear them. I want to learn as much as I can...I don't take this any less seriously than anything else I do in my life...and so far I have achieved everything I have set out to accomplish.
I served in the US Air Force, I got a apprenticeship at a tattoo shop, became a body piercer...now I'm apprenticing to tattoo! I have a gorgeous fiancee whom I am truely in love with, and life is generally good.

So please feel free to message me, send private messages, emails, whatever you want or can do to help an inexperienced straight user find his own way. Thank you all.

Bryan