Thread: Newbie saying hi

Thanks guys. I wouldn't say I'm afraid to try honing, but I'm worried about screwing up my edge as I learn. I'm trying to glean as much info as possible from watching Lynn's DVD and reading the honing forum here, I can get my razor shaving sharp but I still get some tugging and pulling particularly around my chin area where the beard is coarser.

I have a couple of quick questions on honing & stropping. If I want to refresh the edge with my 4K/8K stone, I guess I'd do something like this yes?

4K 8K
3 5
1 5
1 5

Using just the weight of the blade, keeping it flat on the hone and using an X pattern.

Then going to my hanging strop (Tonys' No1 Best Heirloom), do I need to use the canvas side AND the leather side, or just the leather side? Or do I pyramid again with both sides of the strop?

The canvas side has ridges which I can feel the razor bumping over as I draw it across - I suspect this may be dulling my edge - or is it?

How many strokes on each side of the strop should I do after leaving the hone?

How much pressure should I use on the canvas/leather sides, is it just the weight of the blade again?

Obviously on the hone I move the razor with the blade leading and the spine trailing. On the strop it's the other way round, with the spine leading and the edge trailing, and keeping the heel slightly ahead of the point. That's right isn't it?

Thanks.

By the way if anyone can give me some quick answers to the above ASAP (today) it would really be appreciated. I'm going to my lesson at Trumpers tomorrow so I'd like to get my Bismarck as sharp as possible tonight.

Thanks

If your Bismarck is pulling, and it has been honed by Tony, I'd say 10 on the 4000, and 15 on the 8000, and you should be fine. I don't know how Tony sharpened the edge, but I believe all new razors will benefit from reestablishing the edge on some 1200 grit sandpaper. For now, try the Norton, and see how it goes.

Anyways, they should sharpen the razor for you at the Trumpers, but if I was on your place, I would leave my Bismarck at home. You don't know who will teach you the technique, and how skillful is he... The 70 year old barber I wen to to show me the moves, put a dozen nicks into my brand new DOVO strop

Nenad

Ok I'll give that a try tonight. But after I've honed it how many strokes on the strop should I do, and should I use both canvas and leather sides or just the leather?

Thanks

Originally Posted by Iwan

Ok I'll give that a try tonight. But after I've honed it how many strokes on the strop should I do, and should I use both canvas and leather sides or just the leather?

Thanks

30 strokes on the leather when you're done honing and another 30 before your next shave should be fine. I've never used linen, so I can't speak to it. Many do not use linen at all, so if you're having concerns using it, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to skip it before your lesson with Trumper. You can experiment with it later. Enjoy and be sure to report back after the class.

Jordan

Ok that's great, I'll skip the canvas for now and just use 30 strokes on the leather side after i've finished on the hone.

Thanks guys.

Ok some success at last. I did the following on my hone:

4K 8K
10 15
1 5
1 5
1 10

Then about 40 very light passes on the leather side of the strop only, paying attentention to keeping the blade flat and not applying too much pressure. I could see the shine on the cutting edge was different to before, and the blade now passes a hanging hair test. So this is definately the sharpest I've had it so far.

Thanks for the tips, I'll let you know how I get on at Trumpers tomorrow.

Welcome, Iwan! You have now taken your first steps into a new world. You will soon own many more razors than you can possibly shave with. You will have at least 20 kinds of shaving soaps and creams, 2-6 shaving brushes and mugs. Your work areas will be filled with dozens of assorted honing stones and strops. You will buy a Dremel tool and many different polishing accessories. You will spend hours reading the posts on SRP and adding your comments and join in the Sunday night chat scessions. It is an affliction without a cure, but you will be in good company! The people here are great and you can't find a better group to be involved in.

Originally Posted by Gregg

Welcome, Iwan! You have now taken your first steps into a new world. You will soon own many more razors than you can possibly shave with. You will have at least 20 kinds of shaving soaps and creams, 2-6 shaving brushes and mugs. Your work areas will be filled with dozens of assorted honing stones and strops. You will buy a Dremel tool and many different polishing accessories. You will spend hours reading the posts on SRP and adding your comments and join in the Sunday night chat scessions. It is an affliction without a cure, but you will be in good company! The people here are great and you can't find a better group to be involved in.

Have you been in my house??! The scary thing is I have most of the things you mention above already, though a lot of it I had already before I discovered straight razors.

I did just add some more GFT Coral skin food and GFT Rose shaving cream to my collection today, so there's even less space in my shave den now!.

g'day all

i have been using an straight for about 2 months now

i was just wondering do you guys after years of using the straight get an burning sensation from comersiall grade shaving soaps/gels?

and also what do you recomend i get to sharpen the razor on?