Thread: Beginners Tips: Jan 2010

I often times read through the new threads and posts and notice trends..

Here are some tips for beginners following the trends that I have noticed in the last month or so...

Learn to shave first, then learn to hone, there is just to much information overload to try and do both at the beginning...

Stay away from E-bay until you feel so comfortable as to buy a razor or a stone without having to ask for an opinion or advice..

Buy a shave ready razor, and buy it from a source that you truly believe that the statement "shave ready" means something.. The statement, "I can shave with it" means little... Heck I have shaved with a razor off a 1k stone just to prove a point doesn't mean you can.. A confident hand can shave a much duller razor than you can..

There really are very, very, very, few true steals on hones on E-bay...

There are very, very, very, few good hones on E-bay period

If there is a good hone on E-bay trust me here, most of the Hone Hounds know it is there, and the bidding doesn't even count till the last 10 seconds..

Stropping is the most important new skill you have to learn, not honing..

Buy a good solid strop, I always advise Linen and Leather but the linen is JMHO not everyone's

Map your face before you ever get you first straight razor.. WTG ATG & XTG are actually different form N-S and E-W strokes you have to figure out which direction goes with each part of your face...And more importantly how you are going to manage to get the edge of the SR to move across the S T R E C H E D skin smoothly and at the right angle...

PREP!!!! yeah it really does make a huge difference and heck it is a ton of fun...

Before buying a hone of any type read the Wiki, in there you will find some articles about deciding what your use will be, that will help to determine the right stone(s) for you... Everyone does not need a set of Shaptons or a Japanese Natural... Read the threads in the honing section that ask "What hone should I buy" and realize that 99% of the people answering are only recommending what they use...

I hope I might have answered a question for you...