i think i've been reading too much, questions please

hi everyone,

i just got into this straight thing and did a ridiculous amount of research as well as took it really slow for the first two weeks. i am about 3 weeks in and am nowhere near perfect but i think i am at least competent. my technique is improving and i have started some ATG passes that result in some smooth patches....and some less than smooth patches. that aside i have been reading nonstop on this forum and have a few questions:

topic one: the lather
i started with the van der hagen starter kit and wasnt getting the best lather so i took the advice of someone here (no idea who at this point) and rinsed my mug and soap with hot water before whipping the lather. it still wasnt great so i picked up some nivea creme at the bx (supplies are limited at my current living situation so don't go pulling my man card yet) and figured since it has glycerin and lanolin in it id mix a little of that into the soap. the result is an awesome sticky yet slick and thick lather. i think its pretty great BUT the only way i can get it to thicken up is if i whip it, let it sit for about 5-10 minutes and then whip again. by this time the mug and lather are cold which brings me to my first question: will the cold lather close up pores and make for a less close shave? i use a hot towel first but the lather cools the face a good bit by the time its shave ready.

topic two: the blade
i started with a DOVO best quality 5/8 at the recommendation of a few people on this site. i am happy with it and have since had to hone (stupidly tapped it against the faucet while shaving and had to hone out the burr). fortunately i am a bit of a knife nut and my sharpening skills already had a foundation so the blade is still very sharp and seems not to pull at all since i have sharpened. next question: how often should i have to hone without being a clumsy gorrilla and tapping the blade on metal? it is sharper now than when i purchased and was sold as "shave ready" from amazon so i think i dulled it a bit with poor stropping or maybe just my brickwall facial hair. is the steal dovo uses "softer" than other brands? anybody have a recomendation for a blade with a higher RH or that might hold a better edge? don't get me wrong, i love my DOVO. i am just curious if there is better steal out there since this seems to be the baseline beginner blade. don't really care about the fluffy stuff like engraving or fancy scales. no offense to those that do, just not my interest at the moment. also, i have read that you should let the blade rest for 24 hours. i took a lot of materials classes in college and cant think of a reason for this based on my 8 year old knowledge of metals but am always willing to learn and if anyone has a hard reason for this i would love to hear it!

topic three: the hone
i have a norton 4k/8k and have had success with getting my blade shave-sharp using it. my question here is what does the next level add? will a 12k or 16k cause the blade to hold an edge longer? obviously the "teeth" will be at a smaller level but is that really necessary? smoother shave? just opinions on this one i guess

topic four: the obsession
i already want more razors. as i stated above i am an existing knife nut in other areas of bladed obsession and would like to know where you guys find blades for restoration. i think one of the main reasons i started this was for the blade care/sharpening/admiration and would like to add restoring old blades to the hobby. i know a few have mentioned frequenting antique shops and having never stepped into one of those before is there a particular way to know what you are looking for beforehand? i have tried searching the old posts here and havent found much in the way of compiling brands and where they rank is quality, rarity, or value. there seem to be a lot of restored blades on the classified, do you guys get those from shops? online? some other option?

anyway, sorry for the story book. thanks to all those that run this site and provide input, you have made this hobby a rapidly expanding obsession of mine in the last few weeks. take 'er easy!

aggie

I'll take numbers 2 and 3 :)

Welcome to SRP first though

The Dovo was NOT shave ready from Amazon, so if you got it shaving then you did good :)

Search out the JaNorton thread and read and practice, you don't NEED anything else but skill, you might WANT more hehehe and reading your last statement probably will find out what we mean by AD :p

But honestly you can't buy your way to better edges, until the 4/8 is utterly boring and easy to get a great shave from I wouldn't spend more money on hones

i know what you mean i've read so many threads,wiki articles,youtube videos,and how too's there are Razors and strops dancing around my head.

My 2 centavos

Topic 1) A trick i've used to keep a shaving bowl warm is to place it in a sink partially filled with hot tap water, a method commonly refered to as a "poor mans scuttle". Worth a shot if nothing else. Building a good lather is a combination of many things, some of which you have no control over.

Topic 2) The BQ shouldn't be underestimated. Good steel, holds an edge dang well, decent price. Given the same grind, you'd be hard pressed to find something significantly better with the same cred new. It shouldn't NEED to be honed for quite some time under normal circumstances. (But who ever said this place was normal??).

Topic 3) Trust the sixgun.. Glen is good... Glen is wise.