Thread: A few questions before making the jump.

I've caught the bug in a bad way to jump on straight razor shaving. I wanted to get a few opinions before I make the move though.

First a little background. I got on the DE train a few years ago then off again. I never developed good technique, or lathering skills. The relative ease of using canned goo and multi blade abortions saved me time. Plus being an idiot I dropped my badger brush in the toilet and decided it was time for a new brush. Time is important because I work graveyards, sleep until the last possible minute, and must be (relatively) clean shaven as part of my job. Recently I purchased a refill pack for my Mach3 and decided it was time to get back on the train. Anyone priced those recently? Mach3 refills are UNBELIEVABLY HIGH compared to DE blades. Committed, and determined I was going to make using a DE work for me even if I had to get up a little early. I have an Omega Boar brush, and some tubs of TGQ cream. I've been using "Kyle's Prep" as listed on another forum. Lather is coming around, but technique is slower to get the hang of for me. When I jumped on another popular wet shaving forum I browsed the straight razor sub-forum and was bitten by the bug for straights. I found this forum, and began to read. I have really enjoyed the Noob Chronicles by jdto. With getting hitched tomorrow, and heading up to Alaska afterwards I'm looking at purchasing equipment for straight razor shaving sometime in the beginning of August.

My questions are:
1) Would it be advisable to get a firm grasp on wet shaving with a DE prior to making the jump?
Best I can tell the prep, and post shave for wet shaving carry over from DE to Straight Razor Shaving. I could eliminate some of the learning curve with lather, pre and post shave routine before placing sharp hunks of steel on my face. Also blade angle and pressure are the similar in theory I believe. And with DE shaving being referred to as "quicker" especially for new guys I'd have the skill if I got into a time crunch.

2) One of the best deals out there for starters seems to be the whippeddog sight un seen buy correct? Provided nothing pops up on the classifieds section here. I'm not looking for style yet just function.

3) Should I go with more then 1 possibly 2 or 3 shave ready razors?
Seems I'm sure to dull a razor between shaving and learning to strop. In that circumstance I'd have one to fall back on, or possibly a third to use sparingly to see how my edge is holding. They will probably have to be bought separately but is that a good "stable" quantity to shoot for?

4) I'm having a hard time understanding the difference between paddle and hanging strops for function/ease of use purposes. Add that with the stropping paste, different leathers, linens etc it's all confusing. (I completely understand if I'm told to read more post less regarding this question. Admittedly I haven't put the time into strop research as I have technique and razors.)

Any advice is greatly appreciated,
Matt

Hey Matt, welcome to SRP. Based on your stated track record , and your time constraints, I would go with the DE for awhile. Get the lathering skills, skin stretching... learn to 'map your whiskers', so you know when you're going WTG, ATG and like that. That is how I broke into straight razors. After a few years of being steady on the DE. Get a good DE and a blade sampler pack to determine which brand works for you. When you are solid in using a DE on a daily basis, have the skills mentioned above as second nature to you , ease into the straight.

For breaking into the straights I always recommend a new entry level Dovo and a hanging strop. You know what you're getting in terms of the razor, it is not that expensive and if you determine it ain't your thing , it can be sold for minimal loss. I learned on a hanging strop and I feel they are superior to a paddle. A paddle is good if you're traveling or for a pasted alternative but a hanger is just more effective IMHO.

I did exactly what JimmyHAD is describing. I bought a kit that came with a Dovo and a hanging strop. I can't say if paddle is superior ... Never used one. I can't say if using a DE is good preparation ... Never used one. What I can say is that you can learn everything without having used the other. My experiences with cartridge razors was not a good preparation for straight razors. It took me roughly a month or two to get through the learning curve.

I wish you the best of luck. Have fun buying your first!

JackofDiamonds

Yea it would be a good idea to get a firm grasp on DE shaving first as you seem to be a relative new comer to that too. Consider that sort of a training wheels thing. The idea of using correct angle and a light touch in DE shaving will be very helpful but there is a fairly big difference in using a straight. Trust me, I had a lot of experience with a DE before trying straights and it took several months before I was getting a shave I liked with a straight. Never ever be in a rush with a straight.

Having more than one serviceable straight is a good plan especially if you don't hone tour own on stones. I believe you will dull a straight quicker than normal while learning to shave and strop, I did. Back ups are good and allow you to continue shave while the dull on is sent out for honing.

Bob

Welcome, not much more to say than the other chaps, but I started at the straight and picked up a DE later... Congrats on the wedding, and have fun in Alaska.

Welcome, and congratulations!! SRP is glad to have you aboard! On to your questions. Some of my responses will differ from JimmyHAD's, whose opinion I hold in the highest regard.
1. DE shaving is NOT a prerequisite for straight blade shaving. However, some skills (lathering, face-stretching) DO cross over. Learning DE shaving is not wasted time, either. Go for it!
2. I've read many SRP members' posts about whippeddog.com's "sight-unseen" offerings, and I've NEVER read anything bad about them. I have no experience with whippeddog.com, but I've read over 100 different SRP members posts about them, and the consensus is that their razors are quite good, especially when considering their relatively low prices. "They ain't pretty but they get the job done well" is the prevailing opinion. Also, the owner/operator of whippeddog (I think his name is Larry) enjoys a great reputation here on SRP based on what I've seen written about him.
3. If you can afford it, get 2 straights. That way, when one is out for honing, you still have a "back-up" blade. Many users keep one that has been professionally honed in reserve for that reason, and also to compare the other blade to it when the first blade comes back from the honemeister.
4. Hanging strops perform better. Period. That being said, many SRP members only use a paddle strop and are satisfied with their results. Any stropping instrument (paddle or hanging) will only provide results that are as good as your stropping technique. I can't emphasize this enough: TECHNIQUE IS EVERYTHING. Glen (gssixgun here at SRP) has a stropping video on the SRP homepage that you should watch.
I hope this helps you out, and I'll see you in the trenches, buddy (no pun intended)!

Originally Posted by coachschaller

Welcome, not much more to say than the other chaps, but I started at the straight and picked up a DE later... Congrats on the wedding, and have fun in Alaska.

Same here, so here's my $0.02

1) Not necessary to go with DE and then learn straight.. I picked up a DE later for when I'm traveling.. Easier to transport and fewer worries about the DHS types playing with my toys

2) No idea, I've been off the market for a while

3) A couple of straights are a good idea. If one is out for honing (unless you do it yourself) or if you nick one edge, you still have a spare

4) Hangers are the best performers for just aligning the edge before the shave. Paddle strops are best for loading with abrasive and making the edge extra smooth, plus you maintain your razor's sharpness that way (every 5-15 shaves, about 5 passes on the pasted paddle, depending on your hair)

Hi Matt, and welcome. I can't add anything to the excellent advice here, except to suggest shaving at bedtime, as long as you'll still be presentable by the end of your workshift. I do that so my skin is well settled before I expose it to another sweaty, dirty day. Plus I really like the meditation of the shave before I sleep. That's my favorite thing about straight shaving.

Your reasoning about having three razors is good, in my opinion. That third, rarely used "reference blade" would be a great resource for a beginner. The edges, under normal use, degrade at about the same rate as an eyeglass prescription, so a fresh edge is as suprising as the first minute in your new glasses. Oh yeah, it CAN all be this sharp! Three shave-ready blades from WhippedDog would serve you well.

Best wishes for all your new adventures!

Originally Posted by Mdixon2124

My questions are:
1) Would it be advisable to get a firm grasp on wet shaving with a DE prior to making the jump?

Not necessarily. Most of the things you need to know and learn about translate across the various razor implements, so why not just go with a straight immediately? For example, how is using a DE (over a straight) going to improve your lathering technique? Yes, a DE is perhaps safer and there are less things to learn (like stropping and maintaining an edge), but if your end goal is to be using a straight, why procrastinate?

Originally Posted by Mdixon2124

2) One of the best deals out there for starters seems to be the whippeddog sight un seen buy correct? Provided nothing pops up on the classifieds section here. I'm not looking for style yet just function.

Depends on your definition of "best" IMO. It is certainly, from what I have heard, one of the "cheapest" options.

Originally Posted by Mdixon2124

3) Should I go with more then 1 possibly 2 or 3 shave ready razors?
Seems I'm sure to dull a razor between shaving and learning to strop.

Very few things are certain in this world. Just because someone else says something will happen does not necessarily mean it will. Have a positive expectation, even if it may be slightly unsupportable . A positive mindset leads to positive actions, and positive actions lead to positive outcomes.

However, razors do dull and it seems that they do it quicker as we are learning (they also get dropped, or stropped incorrectly, or are afflicted by any number of other little mishaps along the way). So yes, it is prudent (not to mention fun ) to have a backup or two (or five hundred) to play with.

Originally Posted by Mdixon2124

4) I'm having a hard time understanding the difference between paddle and hanging strops for function/ease of use purposes. Add that with the stropping paste, different leathers, linens etc it's all confusing. (I completely understand if I'm told to read more post less regarding this question. Admittedly I haven't put the time into strop research as I have technique and razors.)

A hanging strop is a piece of leather hanging from a wall. It has no support other than what you give it by pulling it taut and the intrinsic stability of the leather itself. So they can bounce around, twist, curl, be too slack, etc, etc. However, if you know how to use one they are an excellent and convenient, not to mention fun, strop.

Paddle strops are leather stuck to some rigid structure like wood. Paddle strops remain flat, and can be a lovely and well-crafted item. Some people recommend paddle strops to beginners because of this rigidity - one less thing to learn while you master the stropping motion. I have no opinion on that, other than to refer you to the gist of my answer to your first question.

Different leather types are unimportant at this stage. All any strop needs is a decent quality leather - the various kinds are just bells and whistles. Linen/canvas/etc are preferred by some - I do not use them, so will not comment other than to say there are plenty of threads here talking about their use and purpose.

The last thing that should touch a razor before a shave is plain leather, be that on a hanging strop, a paddle strop, or a whatever strop. However, you can apply abrasive to strops so that they become a sharpening device much like a hone. Most people who use pasted strops apply a fine abrasive suspended in a paste medium to one side of their strop (or several sides if it is a multi-sided paddle strop) and leave one side untouched for the final leather. It is important to understand that what paste joins together no man may split asunder - in other words, once you paste leather it forever remains pasted and will never be plain leather again (for all intents and purposes). This is done so that people have a convenient way to "touch up" a dull or dulling edge, or to finish off an edge they have been honing.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

James.

One final recommendation to minimize negative razor-strop interactions.. Get an old leather belt and a butter knife. Practice your stropping until it becomes second nature. Don't get overconfident as a rigid butter knife handles differently than a blade pivot-mounted between the scales, but at least you'll get the basic motion and flip. If (or, should I say "when" ) you end up nicking your strop, pumice to sand out the nick, damp cloth to clean out the pumice bits, strop dressing in the nicked area, once it soaks in, dress the entire strop and it's good as new. Done it "once or twice"