Thread: Determined To Learn

Well I'm definitely a newbie. What got me interested was the rising and ridiculous cost of new razor blades. So I started researching getting a straight razor. The information I found on the Internet definitely got me thinking I can do that, so I ordered a Dovo 112 stainless steel razor and a strop and a brush from Classic Shaving. The first time I tried to shave with the razor I could not believe how dull it was, so I did some more research and found out razors don't necessarily come shave ready. More research and learned about honing and said well I can do that. Got a Norton 8000/4000 stone. I tried hard to get that razor ready for a good shave; I failed miserably, got discouraged and gave up. Put the stuff on the shelf. Then razor blades went up to $20.00 for just 8 blades, ticked me off. Right then and there I became determined to figure out my straight razor. Purchased Lynn's CD on shaving, it helped and my shaves got better. I was doing a lot of things wrong from honing to stropping. Still I am having trouble getting my razor to be sharp enough, I think. Still getting razor burn. I know it's just me, still not honing right or stropping right or even shaving right. I have noticed on my hone that one side of my razor rocks back and forth on the hone, it does not lie perfectly flat like the other side. I put tape on the spine so I know I have not ruined the spine with honing. I have tried to follow Lynn's suggestion of "less honing is better", still not sharp enough, If I understand it right a nice sharp razor used right will not razor burn. So I'm going to order a shave ready razor and see if I'm just not getting my current razor sharp enough. I will not give up, thanks to all the guys that describe the bbs shave they get, this encourages me. I hope to one day get good enough to get a bbs shave. Please I am open to any suggestions or thoughts you accomplished bbs shavers may have for me. Thanks, Manonegine.

First, congrats for not giving up!

Second, Norton hones do not come flat, and with use they do not stay flat. Look in the Wiki for information on lapping your hones. You have to lap them if you want any hope of honing successfully.

Third, yes, you need to learn with a shave ready razor. If you've already ordered a shave ready razor, then that's a good start. If you'd like your Dovo honed for free, send me a PM.

Stick with it, and do a lot of reading here!

Take Utopian up on his generous offer. I've read good feedback on his abilities & you'll know what you should be aiming for. Learning to hone & shave at the same time is too much. You have enough with making lather & stropping as it is!

Originally Posted by ben.mid

Take Utopian up on his generous offer. I've read good feedback on his abilities & you'll know what you should be aiming for. Learning to hone & shave at the same time is too much. You have enough with making lather & stropping as it is!

Welcome, manonengine, and what Ben says above I completely agree with.

Welcome to SRP. Here is the SRP Wiki if you haven't already been there. Tutorials on honing and all things straight razor shaving related. I found that picking up full bladed used razors with no damage to the blades or scales (handles) on ebay or in antique stores was the best way for me to learn to hone.

Reading the Wiki tutorials and watching the videos, reading the basic and advanced honing forums all help. That has been my approach along with plenty of practice on a steady stream of razors. I'm not saying that is what you have to do, just what I've done.

I have ordered several items from classic shaving, one of them was a straight and they all came shave ready or prehoned in their parlance. I would take this issue up with the company, sounds like they sold you a package of goods and then dielivered only part of the goods. I ordered a prehonned inox some months ago and I got just that, a prehonned inox.

Thanks for advice.

at first welcome and great job not giving up. Everyone thinks straight razor shaving is easy and while they watch videos they can see how experienced member shaves very easy without any problems. Then new person start to do exact what member has done and at this moment i think disasters starts.
I should blame people who makes videos(shaving videos including myself) making small mistake.
To show how to shave with straight is 1 point but Experienced member should show how to new person should start to shave Not HOW HE SHAVES TODAY. This is very important.
I do know we do have in WIKI a lot helpful information and how to new people should shave in written form. i am positive Lynn had a huge explanation how to start for newbees. I hope experienced member will show how to shave for newbees and do the exact way how it needs to be done.(it is not easy to do so. because after learning you sometimes forget how you start shaving.)
it takes time to new face get used to straight razor,angle, soap. shave ready razor, stropping etc.
Hope this helps.
GL