Thread: Edge life before more than stropping is needed?

When you are getting into str8 shaving, your technique is not quite there so you will probably end up dulling the edge faster than normal (sometimes after 2-3 weeks maybe). Once you become more proficient, this time will extend further and further into the future. I have heard that some can go without honing for as long as 1+ years.

Having 2-3 razors that are shave ready in your arsenal is not a bad idea...in fact, I would highly recommend it. It offers several advantages:

a) You can rotate between them, extending the life of the edges since they won't see daily use.

b) You will have back up razors when you send the rest for honing. With one razor, that is hard to do.

If, as you indicated, you intend to become self sufficient in razor maintenance, then there's never a better time to learn how to hone than now. BUT, before you take those shave ready razors to the stones, stop and get yourself some practice blades...The classifieds section is a good place as you can get good quality blades for $40-$60. eBay may be another choice. You want to get a few that you can learn how to set a bevel, sharpen, polish and finish. For this, I found the Naniwas to be great, easy to use, and affordable. I recommend the 1k, 5k, 8k, and 12k.