Newbie advice for newbies

My children gave me a gift certificate for father's day and I got a very nice shave ready Dovo at that popular retail store. You've read this 100 places already, but I will say it again so you get it from a newbie like yourself - I don't care if you spent $150 dollars on a new razor, if it hasn't been honed by someone it is not shave ready. I shaved with mine 5 times. I was unhappy with my results, but saw steady progress, which kept me going. I ordered an Illinois strop after a ton of research identified no clear favorite. I ordered a Chinese 12,000 grit stone (C12K) figuring I just needed to maintain my new razor without grinding away much metal. I watched all the stropping and honing videos on this wonderful site. I gave my razor a hone and some stropping and the difference from new was night and day. A totally different experience.

Hone your razor or get someone to do it for you. Do not give up on straight shaving if you've never used a honed razor.

I still have a ton of things to work on, like all the corners and hollow spots on my face (who knew?) but I am now confident I will acquire the necessary touch. I was not so sure before I used a honed razor.

We say it here time and time again and it is frustrating sometimes to think no-one is reading the advice that we give.
Not to downplay your honing expertise, however, may I suggest that you now get your razor honed by a professional to take it to the next level.
You might see a significant improvement.
Having said this, congratulations on getting your razor to where it shaves well for you - you have done well.
Also, wlecome to SRP and we look forward to hearing more about your journey.
Hang on and enjoy the ride

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Originally Posted by Havachat45

We say it here time and time again and it is frustrating sometimes to think no-one is reading the advice that we give.
Not to downplay your honing expertise, however, may I suggest that you now get your razor honed by a professional to take it to the next level.
You might see a significant improvement.
Having said this, congratulations on getting your razor to where it shaves well for you - you have done well.
Also, wlecome to SRP and we look forward to hearing more about your journey.
Hang on and enjoy the ride

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I have zero expertise to downplay, so you need not tread lightly. I believed everything I read about "shave ready" razors, but I wanted to try it as soon as I got home and then I spent time researching hones and strops. Having done that I have learned the difference between two levels of sharpness. I do not doubt the existence of a third level beyond my ability to achieve, but I am having too much fun to send my razor out. I do, however, see a second razor in my future, which I will buy pre-honed from this site.

I started my own honing out of frustration. I had this beautiful Dovo sitting around that I had tried to get a shave from for a long time. It came to the point wher I would either get an edge on the damn thig or grind it into oblivion. Thankfully I found it not all that hard to hone as I was led to believe. Having said that, I still recommend most new blokes to get a professional to do it for them first time around. I was capable enough to get mine shaving ok, but there was a world of difference in shaving ok and shaving well.
Well done on getting yours working for you. No doubt your honing skills will only improve from here on.


Mick

As another newbie honer (since February), I've gone through repeated cycles of thinking "hey, this honing isn't so hard" to "those edges I was getting last month that I thought were good... they were rubbish!".

I have one professionally-honed razor, but I use it sparingly and only for comparison. I can feel my own edges getting closer, but I'm still some way off.

The bottom line is that it's not that hard to get an edge that will scrape off the stubble, but getting a really sharp, really smooth blade isn't at all easy. Doing it consistently, with any size/grind/steel, is way beyond me still. Some of my edges are now pretty good (but in a month's time... :hmmm:), but I still can't sharpen some razors (I have a 4/8 wedge which has defeated me repeatedly) and sometimes I take an OK edge and make it worse.

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Originally Posted by SirErlton

I do, however, see a second razor in my future, which I will buy pre-honed from this site.

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And so another rookie becomes infected with RAD.

"Hi, my name is mapleleafalumnus and I am addicted to stropping."

Oh (not so) Enlightened Maple Leaf, That isn't so bad. You could have any or all of the other AD's to go with it :).


Mick

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Originally Posted by MickR

Oh (not so) Enlightened Maple Leaf, That isn't so bad. You could have any or all of the other AD's to go with it :).


Mick

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Oh, Mick, :OT