Thread: Been reading the WIKI, and looking at videos. Still a bit confused...

So I've been frequenting the forums and reading the WIKI for quite sometime. I just made a post the other day about purchasing this blade...

WM .ELLIOT&CO MADE IN GERMANY 21 - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Everyone was saying i got a good deal on it and that its a great starter straight. But I have to be honest, all these different techniques are quite overpowering. I been reading the crazy detailed post on going WTG starting off. XTG still kinda confuses me a bit....

After watching a bunch of different videos of people shaving with a straightblade it looks like people normally do a first pass WTG...the ATG in order to get a smooth shave. I dont know...these videos make it seem a bit easier than all these crazy detailed "how-tos" are laid out. I know these people are vets in most cases but still....

It may seem like im rambling here, but im getting excited for my Straight to get here and attempt this. I just have alot of worries that im going to do this wrong...or strop wrong and not really know where to go from there. The seller of my straight said i wouldnt have to strop the first time....so i guess i can gauge future shaves on its sharpness when it arrives. I bought this 20 dollar strop, and im kinda regretting it because it looks small and it says it doesnt have a handle.

The Fily

Perhaps ive gotten in over my head here....can you guys give me any advice for my first shave?

if you haven't yet, check out the videos in the links in my sig. (first one is shaving, the others are stropping and lathering)

shaving doesn't have to be complicated. the only way to learn is to do it, so get to it.

you'll do fine!

Sounds like your doing pretty good so far...the Filly is a good strop and frankly, handles are nice, but far from a requirement on a strop, IMO.
If your like me, you'll knick the h*ll out of it, at first, but dont worry. Those can be sanded out usually. My first strop cost me 80 dollars...wish i would have gone cheaper when i first started out.
As for the razor, its going to be very nice...the seller has a very good reputation.
Good luck and have fun. :-)

Mac

Originally Posted by McWolf1969

Sounds like your doing pretty good so far...the Filly is a good strop and frankly, handles are nice, but far from a requirement on a strop, IMO.
If your like me, you'll knick the h*ll out of it, at first, but dont worry. Those can be sanded out usually. My first strop cost me 80 dollars...wish i would have gone cheaper when i first started out.
As for the razor, its going to be very nice...the seller has a very good reputation.
Good luck and have fun. :-)

Mac

Thanks for the advice, so as for the strop...should i just tie the end to something? I dont get how to hold it tight without a handle. And should i start off stropping on the rough side of it, then move to the smooth? Thanks!

You got yourself a nice razor from a well respected member. That's great.

Anticipation - Straight Razor Place Wiki is still the best article of its kind in existence, written by the venerable Lynn Abrams himself.

The strop is perfect for a beginner. You'll hack it to pieces like almost everybody else did...

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Regards,
Robin

P.S. That red bold face is a tad hard on the eyes...

Read this post here by SRP founder Lynn Abrams and follow that for your first shaves.

Here is a honing and stropping tutorial in the SRP Wiki help files. It is from an old barber's manual. It is illustrated and easy to read and the stropping section in the last pages is quite informative and simple to follow.

Not all strops have handles. Most of the early pro barber strops were squared off on the end. Just hook it onto a door knob, pull it taut and go to work slow and steady. Keep the spine on the strop and flip the blade with your thumb and forefinger without bending your wrist. The above manual recommends that you practice flipping the blade without moving your arm until you have that down.

Originally Posted by shorynot

Thanks for the advice, so as for the strop...should i just tie the end to something? I dont get how to hold it tight without a handle. And should i start off stropping on the rough side of it, then move to the smooth? Thanks!

Your Filly strop is going to come to you with the rough side pasted with CrOx...you shouldnt need to strop on that for a bit...your razor is coming to you shave ready.
If your anything like i was, when i got my first razor and strop, you'll need to try to resist any stropping, until your first shave is done...lol.
As for how ya hold the handle-less strop...the old barber vids, show the best way to hold it. The only way i can describe it, is to hold the very end with your fingers touching the rough underside and your palm on top of the smooth upperside...
Hope that helps.

Mac

+1 with the 2 posts above concering Lynn's thread. If you receive other advice, then buyer beware. Lynn has forgotten more about straight razors than most of us have learned as a group. You can make this as easy as possible, or make it very complex. I recommend the former. Really, it's not that complicated. Stick to the basics as they are layed out in that thread. You don't need to be concerned right now about ATG, shaving the chin, how to do the different grains on your neck, etc. Take a deep breath and relax. Start slow and build your skills over time, not try to learn them all at once. Your face will thank you for it. Hey, I learned and I am about the least dextrous person here.

just chill, nothing bad's going to happen.
it's not going to be some great experience but you'll be fine, as long as you've got the motivation to stick with it you'll be rewarded in the long run.

i don't like strops with handles, but if you really want them there is plenty of strops out there that you could purchase in the future.

This post has some pic's showing how to hold a handleless strop.