Just received my straight set! Questions...

The only reason *not* to strop on your first shave with a prehoned razor is so that your first shave is guaranteed to be with a sharp blade. If you strop incorrectly, you can roll the edge and effectively dull the blade. So if your first shave felt good, but the second did not cut hair as well, you know it was your stropping and not the honer...

But after the first shave you need to strop before every shave. Be sure to read the wiki section on stropping.

-Chief

+1 with Lynn about not using pre-shave oil. I used it for a short while but found that it was no value added to my shave. Proper face prep, good lather, and good stropping were all that I needed for a great shave... :tu

Thanks everyone!

It's been busy for me and I haven't gotten back for a post, but I am now on my 3rd straight razor shave...and loving it!:)

I haven't had any nicks or cuts (knock on wood) and have received a much better shave than with my D/E razors.

Honestly, I am quite amazed. I had figured on at least two weeks of nicks, cuts, irritation and such, but not only have my shaves been better, but my skin is clearer (no bumps, ingrowns, redness). Now I have only been shaving WTG and XTG, but the shaves are still better. I am working myself up to ATG later.

My D/E razors are now retired!

Now it's time to look at those vintage razors!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

Don't use shaving oil . it just doesn't help when you shave with straight razor. it meant to for safety razor (this is what i think). when you stretch your skin it just slides out of your fingers and oops a big lovely cut .... i used only ones and find out it really doesn't help any. GL

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Ditto. Only time I used it on my face I washed it off thoroughly before I was half way through a first pass. When head shaving I find an oil useful in the later stages but never a pre-shave one.

I do not see any physical reason to not use the same razor every day, remember most ppl here are razor nuts, they have multiple razors, that alone is a reason to use different one everyday.
I for example am a knife nut and I rotate my Japanese knifes every day, just because its fun and pleasure to no other physical reason.

I enjoy using some type of preshave oil as my first pass gets the sharpest edge advantage. The first pass usually takes the oil and soap off on the first pass, then its just the shaving soap being applied on the 2nd and 3rd pass. I gave up on pure preshave oils a while ago and use a Castille Soap which already has a lot of the typical preshave oils in it.

Very rarely do I use the same razor on a daily basis. I enjoy the rotation and the variety which adds to the enjoyment of straight shaving.

Pabster