Thread: Hi I'm new and suck at straight razors help me please

So I bought a straight razor solingen.
I got a strop and 8000 grit hone.

My hone is covered in gray marks after honing my blade. How do I get it out.
Also my strop has a like 5 nicks.

My beard is super tough it has so many hair follicles and they're each tough as nails. I tried on the less coarse hairs on my neck and it cuts extremely easily. On my beard not so much I have scrape over it 2 times.

I also have razor bumps like crazy so it makes it a lot more difficult to shave.
Also if I leave my beard to grow it gets super irritated and bumpy.
What do I do please help me.

Well two things to do right off the bat are to browse through our extensive Wiki and do some research. Lots of information in there.

The other thing is to stop trying to hone that razor yourself. If you have an image of the razor then please post it so we can see what sort of equipment you have. If it says Solingen then it's probably a good razor but can never be sure without pics.

Take a look through our Member Services section and get your razor honed by a professional. This will ensure that it's ready to go and will also give you a benchmark for future endeavors.

Welcome to SRP, keep us posted, and let us know if you have any other questions!

niroj,

Welcome to SRP...

++++++1 on commiecat's advice. First, read the SRP wiki. Second, put your hone away for the time being. Third, send your razor to somebody in the Member Services section of the SRP Classifieds who offers honing services.

Finally, post photos of your razor and strop so that SRP members can provide you with an accurate assessment of the current condition of your razor and strop.

Welcome to SRP.
Good advice on the Wiki & getting the razor honed.
Don't know if you are literally "scraping" but if you are you ain't shaving. Try with the blade near flat to the skin. You want to cut hair not scrape skin.
Go slowly & lightly on the strop. Every nick in the leather is potential damage to the edge.

yes, first thing is to make sure your razor actually has a reasonably good edge, then you can concentrate on the rest of the variables, like softening your beard and developing the necessary shaving skills.

unfortunately despite your razor saying 'solingen' it may actually not be a very good one.

i'd suggest as previously pointed out to contact one of the people with experience who offer honing services and they will be able to tell you if the razor looks to be of a good enough quality and if so hone it so that it can shave well.

Welcome to SRP. If you have a camera and can post a photo we may be able to tell you if your razor is a good one and if it is worth sending out for honing. Brand and overall condition of the blade being the considerations.

The gray marks on your hone are metal swarf from the razor and may be able to be removed with a bristle brush under running water. It is best to make sure that your hone is flat which is a process known as lapping. There are tutorials in the SRP Wiki, linked below in my sig line, that will explain that process step by step as well as all things related to straght razor shaving.

Hi Niroj,
First thing to do is ease off from shaving for a while if you are getting razor burn and razor bumps.This happens when you irritate your skin by scraping it with the razors edge, especially in the chin area by going over and over it .
Use a D/E or cartridge razor to shave for a couple of days and use an aftershave balm to heal the skin.
Get the razor honed by a professional in your area or a member of SRP if one lives close enough.(see member map to locate nearest SRP honer or contact a member directly from the classifieds in this site.)

If you are serious about learning to shave with a straight razor you must allow a period of about two months to learn all the variables of stropping,
face prep,angle ,pressure,technique and the contours of your own face. There is no quick fix-the learning curve takes as long as it takes.

Going back to your chin area-this is the most difficult area to master for most people starting out.Go over it with a WTG pass twice only then use your D/E to tidy it up.Repeated scraping will only irritate your skin.

If you are getting exasperated you are probably pushing yourself too hard.The whole premise of shaving with a straight is to learn a difficult skill-but while you are learning you must not forget to have fun and ENJOY the experience.Therefore take pleasure in small gains -just shave your cheek area at first until you get the "feel" of the razor -then your chin and so on -you will after 20/30 shaves begin to notice your skills improving.While you are learning to shave each area ,study the wiki on this site as you go .

Honing your razor is a totally seperate skill which takes time to master-if your razor is sharpened by a pro-it should last many shaves before it needs to be honed as correct stropping should keep it in shape for a long time.If treated properly a razor only needs to be honed about 2/3 times a year approx.Marks on your hone can be removed with a stiff brush.

Stropping correctly is also important and vital for keeping the razors edge as sharp as possible-study the wiki for help on this subject.

There are alot of skills to master and it will be a long journey,but at the end of this journey you will have mastered a difficult but rewarding skill and will be enjoying each shave as never before.

Hope this helps-keep us informed of progress.

Regards

Noggs