Thread: hello

Hello everyone! I've been mostly lurking here for a month or two, though I did start a thread in the honing forum to describe my setup for sharpening razors. I originally found the forum because the scales on my favorite razor (a Pearl King "First Class" that I've had for at least 30 years or so, maybe more...) finally gave up the ghost, and I wanted to find out about either buying or making replacements. I've enjoyed a lot of the threads, particularly the shop threads, and hope to try my hand at making a razor one day. (I do some woodworking, carving and a little bit of blacksmithing - mostly to make carving tools). I did wind up making some scales a week or so ago, using some cocobolo that I had lying around. They came out pretty nice. At least they put the razor back into service.

I have no idea if my razors are considered "good" or not - I do know that I keep them very sharp, and I've been shaving with a straight razor ever since my teens (back in the 1960s), when my grandfather taught me how to do it.

I will say that I don't take as much care about the whole process as is described in a lot of the posts I've read here. I learned to shave from my grandfather, who was born in 1890. He shaved every day with a pretty worn out brush and a bar of Ivory Soap, and was clean shaven every day of his life. One of the razors I still use was his - I think it's lost at least a quarter of an inch from sharpening over the years. (It's a Robert Klaas "213". with the separated cranes, if that means anything to anyone). I don't think it's worth much money, but it gives a nice smooth shave.

I've used straight razors on and off since my teens, never thought much about it. I always thought that the twin-blade disposables gave a closer shave until I learned to sharpen my razors a number of years ago. Though none of them is particularly valuable, they all shave very well. I truly enjoy the process, and love to feel that I'm helping to keep a lost art alive.

I appreciate the discussions and all the information here, and hope to join in from time to time.

Welcome to SRP! You may be an old pro, but there is still so much to learn and do, its a many faceted world. No matter what kind of razor, if it's grampa's it's better than anybody's!

Ditto on the welcome. There is a lot of great information here on any and all aspects of str8 shaving. No matter what level of "involvement" you choose to get into you'll have a neverending supply of information at your fingertips. Not to mention that since you've been at it for 30ish years you'll no doubt have the opportunity to help newer folks (like myself) who want to take up wetshaving whatever their reason. IT's great that you got to learn form your grandfather. My great grandfather had been a barber and looking back I really wish tha I had the foresight to have him show me the ropes but thinking ahead isn't really something young teenagers do too well.

Welcome to SRP. I suspect you have a few things to teach us! I found your post to be refreshing, and a reminder that enjoying the process is the key. The search to find the perfect razor, brush, cream, soap, balm, strop, etc... can become a distraction from that all too easily.

By the way, what type of carving? Caricature, relief...?? I have a couple carving knives made from old straight razors and find them to be some of my best whittlers.

Again, welcome aboard. I look forward to your future post.

Welcome to SRP and I really enjoyed reading of your experience. That razor with the separated cranes you mentioned is a Kissing Cranes. Robert Klaas goes way back and also made swords and other kinds of cutlery. They made pocket knives as well and some of them are collectible. I have a couple of his razors and they are great shavers IME. Smooth shaving to you.

Originally Posted by shooter1

Welcome to SRP. I suspect you have a few things to teach us! I found your post to be refreshing, and a reminder that enjoying the process is the key. The search to find the perfect razor, brush, cream, soap, balm, strop, etc... can become a distraction from that all too easily.

By the way, what type of carving? Caricature, relief...?? I have a couple carving knives made from old straight razors and find them to be some of my best whittlers.

Again, welcome aboard. I look forward to your future post.

Thanks for the welcome! I've done both relief and and "in the round" carving, but I like relief carving best. I like to do "Green Men" and other classical subjects, also decorative carving for furniture projects. I also really like to do wood spirit staffs and walking sticks - they're a lot of fun, make good gifts and only take an hour or two, start to finish. I do some whittling and chip carving with knives, but mostly do my carving at a bench, with chisels and gouges. I got into making special purpose tools because even the tiny gouges run something like $30-$40 a pop!

Old broken razors make great knives! I've also made a sort of one-handed draw knife from a razor, copied from a Native American design - it works really well. An acquaintance of mine who makes violin bows for a living makes all his knives from old razors - apparently it's the knife of choice for bow-makers.