Thread: Expectant Shaver

After considering getting my vintage razor honed and using it, I finally decided to pick up a Wapienica instead from Fendrihan.com and am looking forward to getting into straight razor shaving. I was wondering if I could get some thoughts from you guys though before I get going.

I have read the wiki on shaving including just working on one cheek and then the other, quit when you should and so on but I'm hoping some of you guys have some tips for the Wapi itself. Mine has wood (pink ebony) scales so I won't have the off-balance of the metal ones but I'm wondering about stropping it. Do you strop when it comes from Dan (Floppyshoes) for the first shave or should I just leave it be? For anyone who has a Wapi, how many strokes do you use? Is it hard or soft metal? The strop I bought has 'fabric webbing' (whatever that means) and leather - how many strokes of each? When do you hone? Does anyone have any experience with this stone: Chinese Natural Sharpening Water Stone, 12000 Grit Even though it's out of stock right now it's pretty cheap.

And any other feedback anyone has will be appreciated. I'm pretty pumped about this. I've been DE'ing it for about 5 months now and shaving is much more enjoyable. Thank all of you for everything you post because it has been very helpful.

If it comes shave ready than for heavens sake, LEAVE IT BE!

I got my first shave ready razor freshly honed from Max and it wiped hair off my face. I have heard a lot of stories about newbies (like myself) ruining a perfectly good edge before our first shave by stropping improperly.

So shaving first has 2 benefits:

1) You will know what shave ready really means.
2) You will be able to tell if you rolled your edge by stropping improperly.

Just my friendly input from one newbie to another.

Oh, and great choice of razors, I love the look of those rescaled Wapis in Pink Ebony, but my college budget just won't let me get one yet.

Someday though.

You'll see a lot of different opinions on # laps for stropping, but all will say you need to strop before every shave. I do 20 laps on the webbing, then 50-60 on leather. Nobody seems to know the min number of laps needed on the leather, but since you can't "over strop", it does not hurt to do more... so you'll need to experiment to find what works for you and your particular razor.

Some folks strop after shaving to clean the edge, I don't, but I do "strop" against a piece of tissue with some mineral oil on it to ward off corrosion on the edge.

-Chief

As for the number of passes needed on the strop before shaving, the correct number is that which brings the blade to a level of keenness needed to shave comfortably. So YMMV! You will learn this primarily through trial and error, at first. Later, you will be able to tell just by the way the blade feels and sounds on the strop. I would suggest 20 passes on the webbing and then at least that number on leather, for starters.

Cheers!

Thanks guys. That's good info.

I also picked up a couple vintage razors to see about honing and the like - $25 for a practice razor seems ok by me. I'll keep you posted on my first shaving experience - likely this weekend.

The advice is a guide so go with your comfort zone. The advice given is a nice way to ease yourself into straight shaving and building upon success.

I was overzealous and tried to shave the entire face each time out. It took 45+ minutes and I had to use my Mach 3 to clean up the results. I just keep getting better and better as I read the Wiki and shaved until the Mach 3 wasn't needed anymore. I had the fortitude to do it this way, but it could discourage a lot of newbies.

Each of my straights vary on the stopping. Generally, (up and back = 1 pass) 35 on the canvass and 40 - 50 on the leather strop get the razor into shape for the next shave. My stainless steel straights get more passes on the canvass and leather so about 45/60. Its the same with the pasted strop as well.

Every 2-5 shaves, I use my pasted strop and do anywhere from 5 - 10 passes on the 1.0 paste and 10 - 15 passes on the .50 paste. My Dovo Tortoise Swedish steel is soft and dulls quicker than my other straights. So that one gets a visit to the pasted strop more often than the others. It has 35-40 shaves on it, so it going to need a honing soon. Its still gives a great shave, but its feeling a little harsher than the other straights when shaving.

I hope this helps give you some idea and welcome to SRP.

Pabster