Thread: First Shave.

Hello, grant9908:

Shaving with the straight and honing the straight razor call for two different skills. Do send the razor out to be honed by a professional. Member Services here offers a number of qualified hone masters.

Do not hone it further for fear of damaging the razor, and do not shave with it for fear of damaging your skin.

Beyond that concentrate on first honing your skill with the straight razor. There is plenty of time for honing your own blades.

Welcome to SRP.

Regards,

Obie

Hello Grant9908,
Welcome to SRP

+1 on the advice to send the razor out to be honed professionally. I will add though,when it comes back, DO NOT shave with it in the shower!
Fortunately there is loads of information on here and reading the posts and the wiki will make the transition to shaving with a straight an enjoyable experience. Glad to have you on board, enjoy the journey!

I won't do it then.....but what are the reasons not to shave in the shower? it sounds like a good idea....and I've been shaving in the shower using conditioner as lubrication for my face for over a decade. why would this be any different? I'm asking because I honestly don't know and am looking for real answers, please no smart-allic comments. I absolutely do not know better than anyone else. Also I'm going to send my razor off immediately then, can someone link me the page of the reputable honing shops? I've been a member here less than 12 hours so I don't remotely know my way around yet. and what is the average cost to get a honing done? I've read on the net it's around $20 minus shipping and receiving.

Grant:

Shaving in the shower with the straight razor is not only dangerous (if it slips out of your hand, you can say goodbye to your toes), but you're likely to have that blade and the pivot pin area (where you fold razor) rust before the day's out. You want to keep the scales (handle) and pivot (pin area) dry. The blade needs to be dried as well after the shave and, if possible, treated to a very light coat of mineral oil to prevent rusting.

Shower and then shave.

What type of soap or cream do you use with your brush? Do you use a brush?

These are all considerations. If I may suggest, please peruse the Wiki for a massive amount of information about shaving. Also look in the Member Services for a professional hone master.

If I may also suggest, before you proceed further, please do a little studying while your razor is out being honed by a professional. Beyond that, please ask questions.

Here are the basic things you need:

1. Professionally-honed straight razor
2. Strop
3. Pure badger or boar bristle brush
3. Lather shaving soap or cream

Without these basics you will not be at the optimum starting point.

Regards,

Obie

I took the same track as you a month or so ago. Picked up a razor, some Barber's hones, Strop.....you get the drift. I knew my razors was not shave ready but did what I could with the tools at hand. The shaves as fun as they were, were not comfortable or good at all. I took my Razors to a member here who is skilled at Honing and the difference was night and Day. Check the member services in the classifieds for someone nearby that can get your razor set-up.

Not being a honemiester and only reading lots i may be off base but taking your King cutter to the 4k/8k may be the issue. MAXI (and all I have read here from other people experienced) all tend to set the Bevel first using 1k stone. Only once the Bevel has been properly set at 1k and inspected using magnification then onto the 4k/8k progression. If the bevel is not set your pretty much fighting a losing battle. This I Learned from trying to sharpen a not ready razor on a Barbers Hone.

Also in your progression yous stated that you went 4k/8k Leather then Linen. Again not being overly experienced and using Balsa wood instead of linen I would think that you should have finished on leather not linen.

In the end the advantage to getting it done by a expeieinced person is when you open that package you know it is right. You have the base line to compare to moving forward, So many things can go wrong in the process for us beginners. for all you know you may have honed it fine but then rolled the edge while stropping ro something after the fact.

Grant,
I too would often shave in the shower with a cartridge razor as it seemed to save time. BUT and here comes the big difference, should you drop a cartridge razor there's not much to worry about, drop a straight and instinctively you'll try to catch it and if that doesn't cut your hand open you've been very lucky and thats without mentioning what else you might find being severed. These things do require respect.
At the top of the page there is a classifieds button, click there and scroll down to member services to locate a honing service near to you. (sorry I couldnt post a link)

I'm 25 and have gotten this far by knowing when to listen and that I don't know everything.......how do I find the classifieds on this thing?

Grant:

Please look at the bar on top of the page. You'll see Wiki and Classified up there. Click on them and follow the prompts. If you would like, I'll be more than happy to mentor you. Please drop me a personal message.

I hope that this link will take you there.
Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

That took me right there I didn't know what people were talking about but they kept mentioning "Lynn" now that I've been to the classifieds....I know what they are talking about. I'm going to have him do the work