Thread: Hello From Hawaii...brand new here...and just bought my first razor!

Hi!

My name is Justin and I have decided to get into shaving with a straight razor. I figured the first logical step was to get a razor, and so after watching a few go on ebay I finally hopped on this one. I hate to ask, but do you think this one will work for a beginner? It was sold as "Jami Extra Solingen Germany"





I am thinking about getting one more. And I am also going to be a stone and strop this weekend at some point. I think the only thing I am still undecided on is how to store all this stuff in my bathroom.

I am looking forward to talking with everyone, and excited to begin shaving a little classier...

Welcome!

Congratulations on your first step. Looks like a fine acquisition and should be a fine starter razor. May I suggest sending it out to be professionally honed before you try to shave with it. A sharp truly shave ready razor can really be the difference between an enjoyable experience that you wish to continue with or a complete nightmare. While you wait on that it gives you a great opportunity to read up a much as possible. This place IMHO is the single most valuable tool for beginners. I'm only a few months in and can honestly say if it weren't for this place with all it's information and extremely knowledgeable and generous members I doubt I would have had such successful first shaves. Hope you end up finding this as rewarding of an experience as I have.

I'd recommend shaving in the bathroom and storing the razor just about anywhere else. Because of rusting potential, my razors only see the bathroom for the shave and then are stored elsewhere.

Yes be sure to send it out to be professionally honed. Mandatory for a newbie! Once it is properly sharpened, you can learn to hone it yourself later. Be prepared to dull it learning how to strop. Everyone goes through it so don't feel bad if you do. Keep it sharp and you'll love it. Dull it, you'll hate it. Enjoy!

Hi Justin and welcome to SRP, it looks like you did well with that razor.
It is very pretty and IMHO will make a good beginners razor, if there is such a thing.
+1 to getting it professionally honed and you might like to get some metal polish and clean it up a bit too.
Be aware that it has been around for a while and through a few different hands so disinfecting it might be a good idea too.
There are many and varied ways of doing this and I would suggest that you study the WIKI and previous posts to see how others have done it.
If you can meet up with someone in your area you can learn lots by seeing rather than reading too.
Most importantly - hang on and enjoy the ride.

Hi Justin, and welcome! Which island are you on? I don't know if we have many members in Hawaii, but go to the Community pull-down, bring up the Google map, and stick your pin in it. Maybe you'll find someone on the same island.

That looks like a nice blade. Some Maas or Flitz polish will probably make it look even nicer. You can use those polishes on the scales, too. The jimping on the tang says to me that it's a higher-end blade, and if it's from Solingen and vintage it's good. Yes, do send it somewhere for honing--specifically to a razor honer. Don't let a knife shop do it; razors are a different critter when it comes to honing. And as Ace says, you probably shouldn't keep it in the bathroom in Hawaii. Moisture and carbon steel mix very well, and make rust.

Eventually having a second razor is a good idea, so you always have a working one around when the other has to go out for honing. I'd suggest finding one that is like yours in all ways but one, so that you can compare one variable at a time. For example, yours looks like a 5/8 carbon steel blade; you could get a 6/8 next, or a 5/8 stainless, or an English (Sheffield) blade to try some softer steel, or an American blade to try harder steel, or a wedge grind... The variables are boundless.

In the meantime, count on starting slow. Keep your previous shaving gear around for a while, and use it on the harder-to-shave areas until you're comfortable enough with the straight to do the whole thing. I took 3-4 months to transition fully to the straight razor.

Best wishes to you.

FWIW --

Just about any vintage Solingen razor will work well, after it's been honed. You've chosen well.

That razor seems to have no rust on the blade. To keep it like that (especially in Hawaii), put a drop of mineral oil (or gun oil, or light machine oil) on the blade after you shave, and rub it over the blade and the edge with a tissue (or finger, if you're brave).

And get a bit of oil around the pivot -- water tends to collect there.

Charles

Welcome to SRP Justin.
I have edited the WTB (Want to buy) part of your post. Such requests are not permitted on the forums.. As you are a new member please read the site rules carefully, especially those on solicitations,valuations & sales:
SRP rules of conduct - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Reasonably priced razors can be found here:
Straight Razors - Straight Razor Place Classifieds
And honing services, which most new razors will need, can be found here:
Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds