Thread: Sound advice for newbies

I'd have to agree with superfly. A shavette has been a really cheap option for me while slowly building up everything else I need. Commiting to straight shaving takes time and a newbie doesn't need to buy much gear to find out wether it's for him or not.
Fork out $15 for a shavette and you'll get a pretty good idea in the first few months if it's for you. Even a low end blade from a member will set you back a bit then add the price of a strop and the $$ soon mount up.

I dont agree...a str8 gives a different shave...face feels different after shaving...how can you know if you like something if you use an immitation...

I've been using a feather for about two weeks. It *definitely* feels different than my regular shave, and I'm hoping to get a regular straight soon (once I get a strop and supplies from Tony) to see how different the str8 is from the feather. I have noticed that when I shave with the feather, I usually go about a day and a half before I start feeling any sort of growth again as opposed to my normal "have to shave every morning or I look like a street bum" routine.

I've been alternating, I'll shave every other day... first in the morning when I get up, then a day and a half later in the evening before I go to bed, then vice versa. The feather is scary sharp and seems to shave far closer than anything I've ever used. I'm only doing two passes though. Haven't been brave enough to try that third pass.

-- Gary F.

I have a razor from Lynn and two from Bill. These are really great shavers.
My first attempt at honing and stropping was on a 6/8 Bengal. Great result for me. I tried it first and it was awful, the edge looked good but wasn't close.
20 laps on a 6000 waterstone, 20 each on 1 and 0.5 micron pasted paddle strop and then 50 passes on leather hanging strop. Great shave.

I've since tried reviving a really dirty, nasty, rusty Dorko. Cleaned up and polished nicely but still needs more honing, pasting, stropping yet to get near where I want it to be. An on-going project and a good tester.

I've since leather stropped Lynn's and Bill's straights, no degredation at all.
Still very sharp and great shavers. I'm not rushing, no pressure to speak of and keeping the blade really flat with spine / heel leading.

No problemo for me..yet..

Gary

Great read, I have been hiding here for a few days now taking in as much info as I can in my spare time and have been picking up quite a bit. Charlie, A.K.A. Clarman gave me some rather sound advice in regards to shaving and I'm very appreciative. I'm just sifting through all of the information trying to figure out what will work for me. Until I become rather experienced at shaving I will be content to just hide around here soaking up info and occasionally posting in the off topic forum as I know it will be quite sometime before I can contribute knowledge of any real value to this forum. Thanks too everyone who has pointed me in the right direction, and a very appreciative thank you to Clarman for taking the time to talk to me in regards to the intracicies of shaving with a straight. I'm sure I will have more questions as soon as I recieve my razor, until that time I will continue to learn.

John

Originally Posted by garythepenman

20 laps on a 6000 waterstone, 20 each on 1 and 0.5 micron pasted paddle strop and then 50 passes on leather hanging strop. Great shave.

That's great to hear. I've never worked with a 6000 stone, but always imagined that it would be a good tool used much as you describe. Thanks for sharing that.

X

I used a kind of "double strategy":

I had at first two DOVO's and stropped them with the green paste (=8000 grid) really sharp. Afterwards just stropping with the leather held them sharp for month. Stropping is frequently underestimated, it lasts longer than honing but you are getting real good results - with enough patience ...

Besides that I but a bunch of really old razor at ebay and "restored" them, meaning sanding the blade and try to hone afterwards. (B.t.w. the first razor was broken in two pieces while trying to sand it ... I had not yet the superb CD of Bill Ellis ...

Up to now I restored about 20 str8s and made 12 of them really shaveready, so they can do daily service ...

Arnd