Thread: a little advice

I just began to get into the world of straight razors. I just got my first real straight blade recently. I was using a barber style one before that had a disposable blade in it. Of worked great giving me an awesome close shave (which I've never had before) but I have been told a real blade is better so, following the advice here, I bought one on eBay. I didn't know they weren't shave ready. I found a business in my neighborhood who will hone it for ten bucks but I was wonder if I could make it shave ready at home, and how do I keep well maintained. I am used to keeping knives in great condition ( I cook for a living and have a few Japanese knives that take a lot of attention.) Like I said I was using a barber blade so I don't have a strop, I do have a very fine ceramic stone and one low grit one good for German knives and tools. If anyone has advice it would be so appreciate. Thank you.

First off welcome. As far as the local buisiness goes i would suspect does not hone many straight razors as not many places do. Im sure they probably think its like sharpening any other instrument like a tool or a knife and it is definately much different. My recomendation is to send it out to a member here and have it done and in the meantime invest in a strop. once honed propperly that is all you will need for a while. Dont go crazy getting something crazy expensive as you will most likely damage it while learning. Keep practicing while its out with the disposable blade razor you have while its gone. There are many people here in the classifieds that offer honing service and im sure all of them are quite capable. IF you dont want to spend the money you can send it to me. Id be happy to help you out for free. I hone all my own razors and have been at it quite a few years now. Keep reading this site and the wiki you will pick up loads of info. I am totaly self taught going only on the info i pulled off this site and videos found here as well.

+1

Send it out and get a professional edge on it. That way you'll know that you have an exceptional edge to begin with and you won't be questioning that variable.

Not to nitpick, but if you followed the advice here you would have stayed away from ebay

• What can you tell us about the place that offers $10 honing?
• Do they use wetstones?
• Does the person doing the honing use a straight razor?
• What brand of razor did you buy?

Here is my advice from the information presented.

1) Get yourself a strop if you plan on using your razor for more than 2 or 3 shaves.
2) Have the razor honed by someone with a good reputation for honing straight razors*

*hint: Classifieds -> Member Services

I thought I read in quick guide that eBay was a good place. Obviously mistakened because I thought I was buying a Golden Dollar brand but then I received this box with Chinese writings all over it. It had oil on it and seemed sharp but wasn't.....at all.... so I'm not sure what kind it is. The business I was talking about has a real good reputation for their cutlery repair and sharpening. I'll see what kind of stone they use but kind of leaning on the idea to send to someone on the forum, seems like a better chose. Where can I kind a strop?

Here are a couple of good places to find an inexpensive first strop. Whippeddog.com has what they call a poor man's strop set which will work fine. Starshavingsupplies also has several inexpensive strops. There are great instructions in the wiki here on stropping too. Once you get better at stropping, then maybe look at SRD for a better one. As a newb myself, my advice is definitely to get a workable but cheaper strop to slice--err, learn on.

Take a look at the poor mans strop from Larry at whippeddog.com. For $20 you can't go wrong and can upgrade after you've put some nicks and gashes in your first one.

Originally Posted by stonededge

I thought I was buying a Golden Dollar brand but then I received this box with Chinese writings all over it.

Been there...
Your blade most likely will have a hard time keeping an edge... there is sticky on the forums about it.
I got a Gold Dollar from a reputable dealer who sent it shave ready and even included lifetime honing... Unfortunately I lost my honing certificate, I tried my barber hone and I cant't get it to take an edge any more so I decided to upgrade to a Dovo properly honed at SRD... no problems since.

You may consider buying something with much more quality from the classified.

Originally Posted by stonededge

I thought I read in quick guide that eBay was a good place. Obviously mistakened because I thought I was buying a Golden Dollar brand but then I received this box with Chinese writings all over it. It had oil on it and seemed sharp but wasn't.....at all.... so I'm not sure what kind it is. The business I was talking about has a real good reputation for their cutlery repair and sharpening. I'll see what kind of stone they use but kind of leaning on the idea to send to someone on the forum, seems like a better chose. Where can I kind a strop?

Ebay isn't a good or a bad place. You can buy good razors on Ebay and get stuck with bad ones as well. It's the same with any marketplace. If you go to a car dealer, you can get a great car if you know what you're doing. If you don't have the knowledge and experience required, you can get ripped off. In the beginning, it is hard to know what razors are good and which are not so good. There is plenty of information in the Wiki. Don't feel bad, most of us have made the same mistake, me among them.