Thread: Wish I found this place sooner

Hey guys,

I've been reading the wiki for ages and never checked the forum, I do have a few questions to throw out there which will be accompanied by pictures at a tomorrow but first a little story. My grandfather shaved with a straight razor every day until he passed. He left all of his straight razor supplies and razors (probably 8 different hones, 30 motly antique straight razors, 2 strops, and shaving soap) to my brother and myself. About 2 months ago I decided I would get into straight razor shaving and started to read extensively. I devoured the wiki page here and over at classicshaving.com. Well initially I looked like I had gotten into a knife fight but that stage has passed for the most part now I only knick myself bad if I get surprised in the bathroom which in a college apartment happens more than one would expect. I managed to become proficient at stropping without destroying any razors, or I think doing any major damage. Of the thirty razors my grandfather had I have been keeping a two razor rotation, one is a dubl duck which is phenomenal and the other I will have to check on the make I don't recall off the top of my head. Anyways down to the meat of my questions.

1. There appears to be black stuff on the blades of some of the straight razors it doesn't really rise to the surface I can't scratch it off with my fingernail and have been told I should use steel wool but I am a little nervous about doing this.

2. I have a hone that directs the user to first use one side then finish with the other side of the hone, is this a barbers hone? (will post pictures tomorrow)

3. When I shave with a straight razor for some reason immediately after the shave (before my skin has dried) the hair feels like its still there, but then after I apply aftershave and dry the area it feels significantly smoother does anyone know why? Also how do I keep it getting closer I seem to have hit a wall where I can shave Very close and get areas or even 95% of my face to be bbs (babies butt smooth) but am having a lot of trouble with that last 5% any tips?

3a. For comparisons sake I recently shaved with a gillete mach 5 and used can goo (which I absolutely don't do when I use a straight razor) and found that shave to be much closer all around then with my straight razor although this could be because the gillette is idiot proof whereas a straight razor I have found to be not.

4. I recently bought an additional strop is it worth it to invest in the Dovo line of leather conditioning strop paste (i believe its yellow the one absolutely not meant for sharpening but for leather conditioning) or should I buy a generic made by classicshaving or SRD?

That's all I can think of for now but might post more later thanks for all the help guys!

--Matt

I think I can answer one of your questions.

The "black stuff" you refer to is most likely nothing more than oxidation. It isn't really rust but the outer layer of the steel has combined with oxygen and turned dark. Some refer to this as patina. Collectors of old knives are split into two schools, half want it left alone and half want it removed and taken back to bright shiny steel.

If you want to remove it, I'd try metal polish on a soft cloth first. Some gents use Flitz, or NevRdull, and some use MOTHERS products whilst other use 0000 steel wool. Personally, I'd try the less invasive and abrasive process first. I don't recommend any power tool help. Watch out for your fingers. These things bite.

The patina will help protect the steel from rusting a little bit as the oxidized layer isn't quite as prone to rusting as bright shiny bare steel.

Your call on shining it up or running it as grandfather left it.

Post some pics of your stuff.

Willie

The shaving issues could be technique or a sharpness issue. Also how many passes are you doing? Even a second WTG pass can remove lots more hair especially if you are a rookie at SR shaving

I've been meaning to ask and I assume I know the answer, but any danger to shaving with patina? Danger as in any health/skin concerns?

I don't think so, but to be on the safe side I always give any new blade the once over with metal polish (unless it's got gold wash)

Will detail these photos in next post.

Okay so now just note that there are still 5-7 brushes that I did not photograph and about 7-9 other hones and safety razors i did not photograph because those are at home and I am up here at school. I used a random business card to test sharpness of razors when I first started going through the collection. The botom two pictures are of my set up I use a stand that came with a bowl from classicshaving.com which I have found to be indispensable. The bottommost picture is of the two razors the yellow handle is the dubl duck dwarf and i don't know what make the black one is it just has some german written on it.

As to my shaving routine I either shower or use a hot towel treatment before I shave. I then get a pretty good lather going in my little bowl let it fill up and coat the tip of the brush as much as possible. I then apply the lather for my first pass to my whole face. My first pass is always WTG and does do a good job removing significant amounts of hair (I never thought of two WTG passes). My typical pass is Right cheek-Jaw-Chin-Left Cheek. I then do an ATG followed by an XTG and if i have a trouble spot I will do one more ATG in that spot but for whatever reason cannot get all of the hair. I could be improperly skin stretching for the ATG stroke but I thought for that pass you have to stretch the skin WTG. Oh yeah I also strop ideally 60 times regularly 40-50 times before I shave.

You've got some great blades in there!! The Dubl Ducks are great razors and it looks like they were all very well maintained.

your granddad leave your great stuff, i wish my Gdad did that.
use it whit respect and have fun whit those.

Thanks guys any advice about the leather conditioning on the strop? Also should I use a paddle strop or a hanging strop is there any huge difference between the two?