Getting started

**Smoothy** · 05-29-2009, 03:36 AM

Hi everyone. I am quite new to SRP as well as to straight razors. Having considered in 'changing' (read: 'upgrading and improving') from disposables with a canned shaving gel to using a straight razor for a very long time I finally got around to doing so. After a bit of initial research, I settled on shaving soap and a pure badger brush from Kent as well as a Dovo Prima Silver Steel, a Dovo Leather strop and a Belgian Blue Waterstone, along with the usual amenities (such as yellow & white strop pastes from Dovo, Alum blocs, etc) from InvisibleEdge.

Since I am originally from Europe but live in South-East Asia, I had to order all of the above in advance and had it sent back home prior to my annual leave. Oh Boy, the anticipation was building up... Went home, found all the stuff was what i had expected and decided to wait putting it all to use once I was back at work here in Asia (my wife staying a bit longer with the family back home I figured it would be wise to start practicing when home alone and be 'The Man' in shaving when she gets back.

So, last Monday was D-day. As it turned out, I did not do enough research on how to use some of this properly. I managed a nervous first shave with the Dovo (which had been delivered shave-ready) with not too many nicks, but still far from perfect. Second day though, wanting to strop before the shave, I managed to nick the strop multiple times

, continued stropping while trying to avoid those same nicks. Didn't work. Plus, I was (of course) applying too much pressure on the hanging strop and messed up the edge of the blade slightly. And (again of course) I only ordered 1 razor, so no back-up!

So I am waiting for the new strop, which my wife will bring me from Europe and I will place a new order for an additional razor right away as well. Anyone has any recommendations on which razor I should consider as an addition to my Dovo Silver Steel?

**The0ctopus** · 05-29-2009, 04:59 AM

be sure to read the wiki, its full of great tips and info.

as silly as it sounds, practice the stroke with a butterknife until you can consistentyl do it properly.

more complete vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liKYc...layer_embedded

**Smoothy** · 05-29-2009, 05:43 AM

Thanks for the advice! I will definitely practice with the butter knife until the new strop arrives. In the meantime, I will try to smoothen the razor edge out again. It is not very visible at first but can be noticed in the right light and when stroking along the edge with the thumb. The rest of the edge is smooth as silk and then, over a length of about 1 inch, the edge gets a little bit rougher. It feels like that part of the edge was slightly bend (because of too much pressure again, i assume). Do you think I will be able to straighten it out again with the new strop (if used properly of curse)? I have attached a picture of the blade. The area in question is noticeable by a different reflection on the edge of the blade and I have circled it in red as well on the pic, but it is unfortunately hard to notice.
Thanks for your help!

**VeeDubb65** · 05-29-2009, 06:02 AM

It's hard to say for certain, but that looks pretty minor. I would imagine that letting the blade rest for a few days and then giving it a really good stropping, like 100 on the linen, and 100 on the leather, may very well straighten it out.

If you don't have a linen strop, get one. Leather doesn't do nearly as much to refresh the edge.

If a stop doesn't do it, a barber hone probably will. $10-$30 for something that's good to have around anyway is a no-brainer, and they're not hard to use.

If you still can't get it with a good strop or a barber's hone, you'll have to send it out to be honed, but the linen strop and barber hone are still worth having IMO.

Again, let me say one more time, don't beat yourself up over any of it. You could have done much worse starting out. There's some awesome horror stories around here, including my own.

**gugi** · 05-29-2009, 07:48 AM

welcome,

yeah looks like your razor needs a hone - that's serious damage and you cannot fix it with stropping.

what other razor to pick depends largely on what's important to you.
brand new - another dovo, perhaps the special, or may be a stainless, or may be wapienica.
vintage - something from sheffield, perhaps a stiffer grind so that it's a bit different from your dovo. stick to 5/8-6/8 size for sure, there's always time to try larger blade once you actually know how to shave.

**VeeDubb65** · 05-29-2009, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by gugi

yeah looks like your razor needs a hone - that's serious damage and you cannot fix it with stropping.

Well, if gugi says it will need to be re-honed, I'd take his word for it. He knows his stuff.

That being said, a linen strop and barber hone are still very good things to have around.

**Smoothy** · 05-30-2009, 01:51 PM

Thanks Steve & gugi both for your feedback. I am sending the razor out for a hone, that's for sure. And the replacement strop i have ordered includes a linen back. And I just ordered a re-scaled Wapienica as my second razor, as there is so much great feedback about Wapi's.

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