Thread: I'm SCARED!

Well, the Dovo strop is as big as needed, and quite nice; very fine leather, a joy to use and behold, and stropping was also easy though I had to remind myself several time to go lighter; it's attached to my towel rail with a carabiner. I just did the leather side; not canvas. The guy in the shop said you do leather first and then canvas, but I think he was full of shit; actually. I think the canvas is for powders, and you do it before the leather; don't you? I wanted to tell him but resisted. No-one knows anything about straight razor shaving here (Adelaide, South Australia), though they act very keen and interested on the phone and tell me "All the young ones are really getting into that these days"...

The Provaro cream was very nice, still put Palmolive on in the shower, with hair conditioner after, then hot towel. Silly question, how do people scoop the cream up; it's thicker than I thought it'd be, I used, like, a little finger tip full. BTW, what's the notch on some razors for?

Did WTG and XTG. Did all of neck. Did around beard, still finding RH side of moustache and RH under jaw line and LH under jaw line difficult. FIRST CUT! Not significant, trying to go W to E on LH side XTG, bit reddish in areas I overdid, one important point is to know when to stop, actually.

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

The guy in the shop said you do leather first and then canvas, BTW, what's the notch on some razors for?

Canvas first then leather. Some, including me, don't use a canvas strop, others get good results.
As for the Barber's Notch, there is no correct answer. Lots of suggestions, such as opening the razor one handed on a convenient pocket, decoration only, shaving around nostrils ...........................and so on.

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

...Should have got a 'roo one from Mick; at least I'd know the animal died cleanly with a .303 between its big brown eyes, and I bet it's larger than this piddly little strop!

582 bucks later...no wonder the wife seems a little worried about this new obsession...

Usually something a little smaller like .223 between the eyes from around 200 yards away...My Uncle is a professional shooter, makes split second shots into a 'roos head which are around the size of a grapefruit. Could outshoot many a modern day sniper like most 'roo shooters could.

Just remind your wife the outlay is only once, and your grandchildren will still be making good use of the equipment long after you've gone.


Mick

Originally Posted by MickR

Usually something a little smaller like .223 between the eyes from around 200 yards away...My Uncle is a professional shooter, makes split second shots into a 'roos head which are around the size of a grapefruit. Could outshoot many a modern day sniper like most 'roo shooters could.

The ONLY reason I mention that is recently I tried to go vegan (last 40 odd days), then went vegetarian, then essentially carnivore. In response to my anguished comments to work colleagues, I've heard recently of someone who only eats Kangaroo meat, as it's killed 'wild' rather than in an abattoir. It is a consideration.

Originally Posted by welshwizard

Canvas first then leather. Some, including me, don't use a canvas strop, others get good results.
As for the Barber's Notch, there is no correct answer. Lots of suggestions, such as opening the razor one handed on a convenient pocket, decoration only, shaving around nostrils ...........................and so on.

Ta, I was wondering about the nose.... BTW, I like your signature text...

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Well, the Dovo strop is as big as needed, and quite nice; very fine leather, a joy to use and behold, and stropping was also easy though I had to remind myself several time to go lighter; it's attached to my towel rail with a carabiner. I just did the leather side; not canvas. The guy in the shop said you do leather first and then canvas, but I think he was full of shit; actually. I think the canvas is for powders, and you do it before the leather; don't you? I wanted to tell him but resisted. No-one knows anything about straight razor shaving here (Adelaide, South Australia), though they act very keen and interested on the phone and tell me "All the young ones are really getting into that these days"...

The Provaro cream was very nice, still put Palmolive on in the shower, with hair conditioner after, then hot towel. Silly question, how do people scoop the cream up; it's thicker than I thought it'd be, I used, like, a little finger tip full. BTW, what's the notch on some razors for?

Did WTG and XTG. Did all of neck. Did around beard, still finding RH side of moustache and RH under jaw line and LH under jaw line difficult. FIRST CUT! Not significant, trying to go W to E on LH side XTG, bit reddish in areas I overdid, one important point is to know when to stop, actually.

Maybe the guy just got some mental dyslexia...happens to the best of us, but yeah, use the canvas first, then the leather. No powders or pastes are required on the canvas. It can be stropped as is, and provides a bit more abrasion in the stropping process. Some guys don't use it, but some guys also hone their razors every five shaves (not saying there's a correlation...though there could be). If you do a search for "stropping is King" you'll find one of SRP's greatest Tomes on the subject. Some claim that with canvas and leather alone they can shave for 6mos or more between touch ups on a hone. I'm still trying to figure out how to get those results.

So far as the cream goes, sounds like you did it how most do it.

And lastly, the barber's notch. In truth, no one knows. Best explanation I've heard was that they are used to help open the razors with one hand, and were most commonly popular in the years following war; as there were more amputees in those years. Barber's would find this convenient as well, and as safety razors displaced straights for the shaving handicapped it was the Barber who kept buying these razors with the convenient notch, ultimately being so associated with the notches that they took on the name "Barber's Notch".

An interesting and logical theory IMHO, but still just a theory.

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

The ONLY reason I mention that is recently I tried to go vegan (last 40 odd days), then went vegetarian, then essentially carnivore. In response to my anguished comments to work colleagues, I've heard recently of someone who only eats Kangaroo meat, as it's killed 'wild' rather than in an abattoir. It is a consideration.

Yes I was probably really just splitting hairs, so to speak. My sister is a full on Vegan, runs an online Vegan store I can PM you the details if you like. Me, I choose to stay at the top of the food chain with the catch cry of 'Vegetables are what food eats'

Just to come back on track here, and an FYI, I don't use canvas at all, I only use a leather strop. I have good results from that, but each have their own preferences and I don't think I'm going to the hones all that often at once every couple of months. And then it is really just the PHIG.


Mick

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

..582 bucks later...no wonder the wife seems a little worried about this new obsession...

My wife too says I have a problem. Me personally I do not see it. it has been 6 weeks

Picture does not show my 3 strops

So I guess I'll try the canvas side of the strop and see what difference it makes. The document I downloaded ('The Art of the Straight Razor Shave') mentions the chalk, or white paste. I wont hone until I really need to, and indeed until I get a second razor (in case I stuff it up). As my hair is light and soft, I hope I don't need to hone a lot, though I'm not adverse to it if I can learn how. I've watched a few videos on it already, and with everything there seems to be varying methods. BigJim's comment about one handed razor opening and amputees sounds logical. And, ummm, dyimages, if it's only been six weeks I'd probably agree with your wife!

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

And, ummm, dyimages, if it's only been six weeks I'd probably agree with your wife!

OYE! We are suppose to have each others backs here!.