Thread: Getting Started on the Cheap

Well I promised an update after getting my stones.

I worked on all three razors yesterday using all three grits (4K, 8K 12K), a polish honing on newsprint (I plan to make a hard felt pad for diamond spray) then finished up with a good latigo stropping. All of them passed the HHT right off the 8K hone.

The shave this morning was incredible. Effortless, totally BBS and no nicks. I guess I've moved beyond the "cheap" stage. I love interactive hobbies.

Pelkey

I wonder if shaving off a 2k grit might help newbies with learning the correct pressure. It seems that rough of an edge would really reach out and get you if one got a little heavy with the pressure. All I can say is what a man, might of well just used your bowie knife.

You might be onto something. You sure get a lot more nicks with a dull razor than a sharp one. I think the natural tendency must be to push harder thinking that you're not getting a good shave because of your technique instead of it being a dull razor. I know it was for me. But when those babies are really sharp it doesn't take any pressure at all. Totally a night and day difference.

I wonder how many people have tried a SR only to be discouraged by nicks, cuts, razor burn and overall lousy shaves and have given up. For me if it hadn't been for SRP and a lot of reading I might have given up too. There's a lot to learn, it's not just whipping out your Mach 3 and having at it. But I'll say this after having held a piece of cold steel to my face every morning for the past 40 years... I'm sure having a good time learning.

Pelkey

Originally Posted by Jasongreat

I wonder if shaving off a 2k grit might help newbies with learning the correct pressure. It seems that rough of an edge would really reach out and get you if one got a little heavy with the pressure.

You seem like a good candidate to test this, let us know if you decide to give it a shot

Originally Posted by gugi

You seem like a good candidate to test this, let us know if you decide to give it a shot

Funny thing is I am no longer wondering about that, now that its time to put up or shut up.

Originally Posted by bobpell

I think the natural tendency must be to push harder thinking that you're not getting a good shave because of your technique instead of it being a dull razor. I know it was for me. But when those babies are really sharp it doesn't take any pressure at all. Totally a night and day difference.

I wonder how many people have tried a SR only to be discouraged by nicks, cuts, razor burn and overall lousy shaves and have given up.

Yeah, and the thing is that even if the razor is sharp if you don't use it correctly pressing harder will make it shave worse. Getting a razor prepared by somebody with experience easily removes the razor component of this, so that's the standard recommendation here.
And in your case the razor being a problem was very clear because of how you honed it Good thing you were able to fix that.

There are many new guys that get discouraged by bad equipment. In some cases I've seen the stuff they were using and it was just terrible. I'm glad they gave up instead of trying to shave with those edges, even though it would've been better to have gotten a good edge instead.

Originally Posted by Jasongreat

Funny thing is I am no longer wondering about that, now that its time to put up or shut up.

LOL, there are many great mysteries in life

i have been trying to hone my own razors with less then desirable results
finally got a few sent out for honing now
as a comparison i bought a shavette while i wait and for me that feels like a really smooth blade

im not sure all those small cuts and all that irritation is the best way to learn tho

actually im pretty sure its not