Quote Originally Posted by 1sgtscot View Post
I've been straight shaving for 1 year and 3 months. I guess I am a bit more than a noobie, but not much. I bought my first razor as a restored razor along with a strop -- cost $45.00. I used that quite a while and started collecting antique store razors to practice my honing on. Along the way, I have collected nearly a dozen such razors all in various states of 'old'. Some had rust some did not and all were dull enough they would not shave arm hair. None of them cost over $20.00 and most were less than $15.00. I also picked up an old 'boss barber hone' -- $10.00 and just 6 months ago a 3 line swaty - $2.00 from the same antique stores.


It takes time with these type of rocks/stones/hones but bringing a razor back from dull to shaving can be done. I notice many of them pull before they shave, but if you keep at it they can be brought to a very smooth shave with just the barbers hones. I have never sent one out yet. I may, some day, just to compare my work with a pro, but I can shave from each of them now and do so in rotation (use a different one every day).

I had one that had a nice chip in the middle of the blade and used a knife hone to trim it out then went to the barber's hone to clean and sharpen. It took time as I said and much more than most, but this one is one of my sharpest and smoothest so far.

Good luck and Happy shaving,
Sgt Scott
Cool,
I was born and raised in Knoxville, we now live in Michigan for the past 4 years. I sure miss east Tn. and I still bleed a little orange when i nick myself.
Jamie