Thread: First post, Need Help!

Hey guys, I have been a forum lurker for the past month or so and am grateful to have this website as a resource to learn new things about straight razors. First I will introduce myself and then ask a few questions!

My name is caleb and I am new to straight razors. I have been given a disposable weck straight from my grandmother and that is what got me started. I previously shaved with a merkur futur and gillette fat-boy. Anyhow, I am in college, so money is at a premium (Im sure everyone here is feeling that as well!) so I went and bought a cheap SE at the antique store. It was a stanleigh Diamond edge DE18 that I miked at 0.651 from the cutting edge to the spine. The razor is a full hollow and has a round tip. It also has Diamond Edge in gold (but not stamped) on the blade. The scales are black, but turn an olive green with tourtise like effect when wet. If anyone has any details about this make/model, please tell I can't find any info anywhere. It is in rough shape with a big nic in the blade (around 1/8th inch) The scales are also slightly cracked. I paid 10 dollars for it to have a real one to hold and evaluate.

In the future, my grandmother is going to dig out my great great great (lol) grandfathers SE and strop to give to me - I will update when I recieve it.

Now for some questions! Is there a guide that explains the different types of grinds of SE's or maybe some cross section pics? I am always interested in these types of things. Also, what is the cheapest way for me to get a semi decent set-up to hone/strop with? Remember i am a poor college student!

Hello Caleb,

Here's a link about grinds and about every else you want to know about a straight razor:
The straight razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki

If were you I would take a picture of your razor, and contact one of the members in the service classifieds:Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

You really need a "benchmark" to set for yourself before try to hone a razor. And while it's being sent out , you can look through the hones/honing+ wiki to find a set of hones that meets your needs. Also, you may want to think about a strop selection. I hope that this helps.

A strop from Ken or Tony is probably your best bet. Ken over at RupRazor.com offers The Filly for $20 shipped. It's regarded as an excellent beginner strop. Tony Miller at The Well-Shaved Gentleman also offers a beginner strop for a nominal fee with the purchase of one of his strops.

Hones, I'll leave for someone more knowledgeable.

Originally Posted by mrmaroon

It is in rough shape with a big nic in the blade (around 1/8th inch) The scales are also slightly cracked. I paid 10 dollars for it to have a real one to hold and evaluate.

Sounds like a serious damage, may not be worth fixing.

Welcome to SRP. This is the place to gleen what you'll need to know about Straight razor shaving. Spend plenty of time in the WIKI learning what you can there is also a classified section where you can find honed razors at a good price as well as strops and Barber hones. Don't get into too big of a rush a family heirloom in decent shape could be cleaned up and sent out for honing (usually about $20.00). It would be helpful to see pictures there are those here with a real good eye and the experence to tell you what would need done to make a blade shave ready. Good luck and let us know how it's going.

Welcome to SRP. Sounds like a Shapleigh Hardware Diamond Edge. They were a distributor of knives, straight razors and cutlery in general and here compliments of google is a bit of history on them. Probably Solingen made AFAIK. With cracked scales and a 1/8 chip you didn't get a bargain. Read the SRP Wiki linked in the posts above for more info on getting into shaving with a straight razor.

I didn't figure I got a bargain, but it's a learning experience eh? Another question is related to the size of this SE. Do they measure the SE from the edge to the top of the spine? If so, mine doesn't reallly fit in any eigth or sixteenth category. I won't be able to post pics for I don't have a working camera, maybe later - however it really isn't a life or death situation. Around what time period would a razor like this be made?

Thanks for all the help, you guys are a welcome bunch!

I'd love to see pics. It sounds like the razor I'm hunting ,minus the chip.

If thats the case I belive they have another one there in slightly better condition. I'll check today for you.

I went and checked again this time more thoroughly. I found about 5-6 different SE's and maybe 8 or so DE's. I purchased a W M Morley clover brand for 15 $. I also bought a schick Krona and Gillette "new" for 3 dollars each. The Morley has a notch on the end, what is that used for?

Also, they didn't have another Diamond edge shapleigh, I will post pics of these two razors this weekend.