Thread: Introduction...

Hi my name is Frank and I am new to the world of straight razor shaving. I decided to try straight razor shaving for a few reasons. First of the cost benefit is great with not having to buy new catridges and new handles when the old one is dicontinued. I have never liked that becuase they are pretty expensive. Secondly it's straight razor shaving... You have to admit there is an air of cool to it with its nostalgia and gentlmanlyness. Lastly I am always looking for ways to get back to traditional ways and to save money (again). It just seems like a good idea all together. When I told people that I am going to try straight razor shaving I got mostly the same responses. "Your crazy!" "Why?" and "You'll kill yourself!" mainly. Whatever... When I began to read alot of things on this site it showed me how easy it can be and fulfilling it can be. So off I go into this new endeavour. Here is a list of things I got, all from knifecenter.com. Dovo Best Quality round tip full hollow 5/8 razor. Boar bristle brush. Dovo leather/canvas strop. And of course soap. A few questions for everyone. Is it highly recomended that I get the razor professionally honed? I didn't want to go for this yet to save money as I have mentioned. And has anyone used a "factory fresh" razor before and just stropped it for their first shave. I am planning on starting with a small area around my cheek/ sideburn to get the feel for it. If anyone has any tips specific to my situation that would be great. Thanks in advance and I can tell that this is a great place to learn.

Welcome to SRP this is the place to learn much about str8 shaving. As for a professionally sharp razor IMO yes, spend 20 bucks and have it done. You're learning so it would be to your advantage to start with a known sharp razor. Starting slow with just the cheeks is good, as you get more comfortable proceed to other areas (of the face and neck). Besides a strop you mat want to search the classifieds for a barbers hone for touching up the blade down the road. Read all the beginners stuff in the WIKI and ask questions someones always willing to help here.

Awesome! thanks for the info. Any good places to get the razor honed?

Originally Posted by GreatBazunka

Awesome! thanks for the info. Any good places to get the razor honed?

Welcome to SRP. Here is member services where you will find member's advertising their services including chief honemiester and SRP founder Lynn Abrams.

Welcome Frank, I'm quite new to this straight razor stuff too, but I can heartly recommend you to send it for honing. In my first shave i used my Filly #14's factory edge. It's a fantastic razor, among the bests, but it was dull.

Then I used sandpaper up to 1000 grit to hone it myself, a little improvement, but still not a good shave.

Later I sent it for honing and man... my best spent 10 euros.

And... I thought I was going to save money too... well... a few months and I already have my filly #14, a 7/8 Friodur, a fantastic Sheffield, a Dubl Duck and a Croghan Cutlery & Co...

cheers

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Welcome to SRP. Here is member services where you will find member's advertising their services including chief honemiester and SRP founder Lynn Abrams.

+1 on members services. Don't know where you're at but you may have a Honemeister close.

Great advice guys, thanks. I will probably send it to Lynn since I can tell he really knows his stuff. But I am kind of curious what a factory edge is like so I might try to test it out on a small spot first. I won't expect to be impressed though, as I can tell from your comments.

Well i got my Dovo Best Quality and was pretty excited about trying out the whole straight razor shaving process. I was not expecting much since i was warned about new razors and how they need to be honed first, but i wanted to quench my curiosity so i went ahead. Neeless to say, I didn't get much out of it. I started on my cheek and it just seemed to pull. So i sent my razor out to straight razor designs to get it honed. At least it will give me some time to work on my lather and stropping techniques before it returns. Just thought i would give a little update.

thanks for the update, yes beard preparation is rather important.
how do you plan to practice stropping?

Well maybe not so much practicing as watching vids and things to mentally prepare my technique