Thread: First shave...No blood!

First full SR shave today. I previously only tried one side just on cheek area. While it wasn't the greatest shave, no nicks. Even with my old Mach-4-Whatever, i'd usually get a couple of nicks.

I used a Bluesteel 11/16 square point. I have a feeling hones and strops are going to be next.

I was looking at what I would start with for maintenance honing. I was thinking a 4000/8000 Norton. Then either something like a 16000 and/or a pasted strop? Then finish with a plain canvas/leather strop. I know everyone has their favorite hone/strop method, but looking for a consensus on something decent to start with.

I have to say, of all of the forums I frequent for my different interests, this is one of the friendliest. With some of the other forums a common reply to beginner's questions are "search the forum first, that question has been asked 1,000 times!". Here everyone doesn't mind answering the same old newbie questions. Thanks!

The future is so bright you gota wear shades!!!

Its a great feeling!!

Welcome to SRP!

If you're looking for a good place to start with hones, if your razor is already shave ready, you can start right with the 16k or 12k if you want. The next step after that would be the 1k, 4k, 8k. You can keep a shave ready razor good to go with just the 12k for it's entire life.

Yep! This is the nicest forum around. I attribute this to the maturity of it's members and agree that there are lots of nasty forums out there that force you to use the search and if you don't find it, you're out of luck. We all started at the same location and asked the same questions the newer guys have...as long as we remember where that we all came from the same Gillette/Shick family

Congratulations on the first no blood shave! Keep it up. The more experience you have the better the shave. Of course you have years to master this.

If you want to start honing, a basic 12k or 16k stone will keep you going for a long time, but if you start buying blades you'll want to add 1k, 4 or 5K, and 8k.

You will need a strop for daily use. Careful how much money you spend on your first strop since you WILL cut you first strop.

The journey is worth the effort. Have fun.

Originally Posted by woodturner

If you want to start honing, a basic 12k or 16k stone will keep you going for a long time, but if you start buying blades you'll want to add 1k, 4 or 5K, and 8k.

You will need a strop for daily use. Careful how much money you spend on your first strop since you WILL cut you first strop.

The journey is worth the effort. Have fun.

Where does a pasted strop fit in with all of this? I've heard either it's almost an essential part, or something to be avoided at all costs.

Originally Posted by Chelicerae

Where does a pasted strop fit in with all of this? I've heard either it's almost an essential part, or something to be avoided at all costs.

I use a SRD modular strop with the felt pads with .5 and .25 micron diamond spray similar to the pastes I guess. I used it to just touch up an edge after a few weeks just to make sure it stays sharp. They say they are equivalent to a high grit stone just make sure you do not over do it as I was told you can make the razor worse or not usable at all and will need to send it out to get re-honed.

Did my first str8 shave in a year last weekend and went great - my shave future is so bright I need shades. My double edges can usually keep the five o'clock shadow away until 9pm but with my dovo I don't get 5 o'clock shadows at all.

Hey gang, just wanted to let you know about Chelicerae. He's another tarantula nut. Like me. That makes three of us here that I know of. Scary, eh?