New member UK- Maintaining a sharp edge?

Hi All

I have just started straight razor shaving (1 month in) and this site has been invaluable, so thank you to all who run and contribute their knowledge to help people like me.

I'm currently shaving with a Dovo Forestal from The Invisible Edge and a vintage Osgar that my wife bought from a nice guy called Tony who sells alot vintage razor's on the UK ebay.

Both were shave ready when they arrived so i'm happily learning to shave and doing ok WTG only a few cuts and now feeling confident, struggling to establish ATG but i'm sure it will follow.

What I'm asking has probably been asked a few times but having scanned through the forums I couldn't find a definate answer but what would guys recommend to someone like myself that will probably need to "re-touch" the edge in the near future as stropping will not keep the blade sharp indefinately. I don't want to ruin the edge with my inexperience, have you any tips to make this next step to maintaining the edge as trouble free as possible?

I have bought a small vintage barber sharpening stone, a belguim blue and and the set of three finishing stones from AJ on ebay which he estimates the grits to be 8k-10k, 12k and 15k. can post pic's this helps.

Would you even use a stone and if so which? How much?

Any tips and advice will be gratefully recieved.:D

Welcome to SRP!
Sounds like you are doing great!

I reckon you have what will be needed and then some to maintain your edges.
If it were me who had to choose, I would use the barber hone for now.
Most of those are real fast, and puts your edge back in just a few swipes up and down:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Birnando

Welcome to SRP!
Sounds like you are doing great!

I reckon you have what will be needed and then some to maintain your edges.
If it were me who had to choose, I would use the barber hone for now.
Most of those are real fast, and puts your edge back in just a few swipes up and down:)

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I agree 100% Happy Shaving, John

You have a strop right? IMHO a good strop is the most important piece to this large jigsaw :)

Carl.

I think that Glen ("gssixgun") has a YouTube video on using a barber hone. There are people who have shaved for years with a straight razor, using nothing but a strop (every shave) and a barber hone (for when the strop doesn't work).

I've found chromium dioxide paste, on a pasted strop, to be very useful. It won't work forever; when it fails, a barber hone (or other stone) is the fallback.

Charles

PS -- "Hone Acquisition Disorder" is almost as common on this site as razor acquisition disorder.

Thanks for your replies. I have a strop and I'm doing 60 passes before i shave each time and switching between razors.

I'll watch the video and not buy any more hones :)

I had an attack of RAD since my last post and bought 11 vintage straights, a set of seven Dorko's and 4 to practice honing and maintenance on.

Thank you all again, I feel this maybe an expensive hobby:p

LOL... another RAD victim :-)

I would pick the ugliest one to practice honing, you may need a 1K stone to set the bevel with or to hone away bad chips or corroded metal.

Nortons are the generally recommended starter stones but they seem quite dear in the UK. Personally I have a King Ice Bear 1000/6000 combo which can be obtained for about £30 and it is my main work horse. I set the bevel with the 1K side then raise a slurry with a small diamond plate and do several sets diluting down until I get to using just water.

After that your current hones should be good, according to the threads discussing those slates seem decent.

welcome to SRP :) I love your choice of the Dovo Forestal! I purchased one a month or two ago and love it more than any other razor I have owned so far. It is one of the nicest shavers I have used in a while! Great choice I would say. I am just getting into the honing thing so I will let some others fill you in. I look forward to other conversation with you though :)
ttyl

I think using a pasted strop is the easiest solution for you right now. In the meantime get a practice grade razor and start learning to use a hone. In the alternative you can send it out for a touchup too if you don't want to invest in a pasted strop. Eventually though you will want to be competent in hone usage.

Thanks Jeltz I'll look at one of those Ice Bear hones, uh oh another hone and I ain't even used them yet, my wife is wondering about the increasing pile of rock and metal in the corner of the bedroom:w. I'll take a photo of the razors i bought and let you judge which is the worst, I'd hate to destroy something of worth that i would later regret.

Thanks Sleek, I love the Dovo to, its still coming back sharp off the strop nearly 20 shaves in so no worries yet! thanks again guys for taking the time to reply.

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Here are four odd razors, which is the worst? Which should I use as to learn honing or are they all canon fodder. I have read elsewhere that the Butler one is a good blade so I'm in the process of snading away the rust with Wet and Dry at the moment.

They all look good to me... I would practice on the one with the most toe wear, if I had to choose. I thin the top black one has the most toe wear.