Thread: First straight shave

I suspect that, if I knocked the edge off, I did it on the first night, when I was trying so hard to make sure that the spine didn't lift.

X, do most people choose between pasted strops and hones, or is it sort of a question of where to start, knowing you'll eventually get them all?

Given how much fun I've had restoring older DEs, I imagine I'll fall into fixing straights, too, so the hone might be a better start. I've freehand honed kitchen knives for years, and razor honing looks like it would be easier, because you're not trying to hold an angle above the stone, right?

Do you guys actually oil your razors after each use, or just when you're not going to be using them for a while?

Still learning,
Hollis

I've got 2 hones right now, one on the way and considering getting 2 more. Not planning on getting a paddle strop any time soon lol.
1) 4000k jap
2) 8000k jap
3) coticule (on the way from another North American city)
4) lithide (planning on getting it)
5) spyderco ultra fine ceramic stone (eventually)
Does that answer your question?

Originally Posted by piper

X, do most people choose between pasted strops and hones, or is it sort of a question of where to start, knowing you'll eventually get them all?

I don't know what most normal shavers do but most of us around here are MAD and can't stop aquiring stuff. I'm one of the good ones and I started with two paddle strops a hanging strop and a Norton hone. If you go for a Norton, it's good to get something as a very fine finisher like a Belgian coticule or a 12,000 grit stone. I've used 0.5 micron paste after the Norton to great success for many months.

Originally Posted by piper

razor honing looks like it would be easier, because you're not trying to hold an angle above the stone, right?

Wrong.Don't be fooled. I was the same and thought exactly the same thing, but the razor requires so much finess tht even with the spine keeping the angl it's still achallenge.

Originally Posted by piper

Do you guys actually oil your razors after each use, or just when you're not going to be using them for a while?

Depends on the guy, but I just air dry mine after wipping them with rubbing alcohol. Gotta make sure they dry well though.

Originally Posted by piper

Still learning,

What a coincidence ... me too!

X

I'd only oil the razors I'd leave for a week or more. I just clean mine with alcohol, do 8 strokes on linen, 15 on leather and put it away.

The only exception is the Pakistani, but I only use it as a teaching prop and as a guinea pig for new restoration techniques

Piper,

Congrats on the first shave going well. It just takes practice. After several weeks, you'll get the feel of the razor and the shaves will get better and better. What kind of prep do you do? I usually do more prep for a straight than for a DE. I do 3 hot towel wraps, then lather for 30 seconds and a hot towel over the lather, then repeat, then I lather again and shave. When I shave with a DE, I only use one hot towel wrap and one lather with hot towel wrap after and then start my shave. That's about all I need for a DE but it's not enough for a straight. It really depends on your beard though. Keep working at it and it will only get better.

Ed

Originally Posted by piper

Do you guys actually oil your razors after each use, or just when you're not going to be using them for a while?

I must admit I oil them after each use. It may be necessary or not I made good experience with doing so. I take "Balistol" wich once was developed for the army. It is very useful since it is antiseptic, has no acid (wich could ruin the blade) and you can even drink it when you have trouble with your stomach ...

There are problems with my DOVO's. They got -during shaving- small black spots ... DOVO said it might be humidity under the oil skin ...

I am not convinced of that. Normally oil tens to creep under water ...

I guess it has something to do with the steel. As a matter of fact I give the razor a short blow of hot air and then I oil them.

Arnd

Originally Posted by Arnd

There are problems with my DOVO's. They got -during shaving- small black spots ... DOVO said it might be humidity under the oil skin ...

I am not convinced of that. Normally oil tens to creep under water ...


Arnd

Arnd, if I were you, I'd do a little experiment.
1) Pour some water into a glass. Pour a drop or two of oil in there.
2) Pour some oil into the glass and then fill it with water.
The result of both cases will be that the oil will float ON TOP of the water. Therefore, never oil a blade with any bit of moisture on it. The blow of hot air is a good start (after u clean it with alcohol, which is a dessecant), but I'd leave my blade sitting in a dry room for a day or so before oiling it.
In any case, there is no reason for you to oil a blade that's a part of your regular shaving roatation. If you leave it sitting for a while or if it's a display piece, then it's a different story.

FiReSTaRT,

thanks a lot, for your advice - of course you are perfectly right!


What I meant with "oil" was "Ballistol". I already made the test with only one drop Ballistol: the whole class of water went totally white! It had obviously formed an emulsion with the water. So if there ist only little humidity on the blade, Ballistol would "suck" it.

... but I am not a chemist or so ...

My razors in daily use have to wait around a week, because I have 12 of them ... would you call that a "while"

Many thanx
Arnd

If you have a 12 razor rotation, then yeah. Anything up to 7 would be ok without using oil, as long as you:
1) Give it a quick clean with alcohol
2) Strop with linen/leather after shaving
3) Store them in a DRY place
With 12 razors, this is what I'd do to avoid any rust issues. Do steps 1 and 2. Let the razor sit in a dry place for a day, then oil it with ballistol. Takes a bit of adjustment, but it becomes a routine. Once you run out of it, you can just buy mineral oil, available for as low as 1-2EUR in any pharmacy. It will protect your blades from rust and it's dirt-cheap. It's also very safe, since baby oil is just scented mineral oil.

At the risk of opening up a can of worms I will disagree with #2. I let the steel recover as much as possible after a shave so as to minimize the potential damage to the edge. Steel has a memory... it wants to return to it's "natural" shape. I let it do so.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

If you have a 12 razor rotation, then yeah. Anything up to 7 would be ok without using oil, as long as you:
1) Give it a quick clean with alcohol
2) Strop with linen/leather after shaving
3) Store them in a DRY place
With 12 razors, this is what I'd do to avoid any rust issues. Do steps 1 and 2. Let the razor sit in a dry place for a day, then oil it with ballistol. Takes a bit of adjustment, but it becomes a routine. Once you run out of it, you can just buy mineral oil, available for as low as 1-2EUR in any pharmacy. It will protect your blades from rust and it's dirt-cheap. It's also very safe, since baby oil is just scented mineral oil.