Thread: 5/8 vs 6/8 razors

Originally Posted by WhiteLion

Man oh man! You are hooked! I started with a $128 investment. The razor was in good condition from eBay for $20. The Norton 4000/8000 hone plus a stone holder set me back $75, the brush and soap made up the rest. I thought I was good to go. Without belaboring the point, four months later, I am still spending. But I am a tinkerer so I have had to try a little of everything. Ways to unpin a razor and save the original collars, making scales, buying exotic woods for the scales, building jigs to cut and thin the scales, buying buffing wheels and compounds to restore the blades (I'm not doing so well in that department at the moment), and on and on. Dip your toe into the still waters of the straight razor hobby and you will find yourself neck deep in the whirlpool of soaps, brushes, blades, scales, hones, scuttles, finishing, restoration, rehabilitation and the list goes on.

Welcome to the zany world of straight razor shaving. There is much to be learned, much to be tested and tried, but I promise you this, your journey into this rabbit whole will never, ever, be dull. There are great people here ready and willing to help. Do not be afraid to reach out for that help.

I will be watching your progression with interest. I hope you find this new adventure to be as exciting and challenging as I have.

Randy

Thanks Randy! Yes I am hooked and I can foresee spending a fortune in my future. Its all I can do right now to refrain and learn the basics. I keep finding myself coming back to this site every 15 minutes or so lol. It looks like a good idea to get razors from the classifieds here. I saw some great stuff reasonably priced and I know I can trust this site. I have gotten the norton stone you mentioned but it never even occurred to me to make my own scales!!!!!! This is going to be fun as I love to fiddle with things. I have a ton of bamboo around, do they make good scales?

Originally Posted by ccase39

I have gotten the norton stone you mentioned but it never even occurred to me to make my own scales!!!!!! This is going to be fun as I love to fiddle with things. I have a ton of bamboo around, do they make good scales?

Two points: First like razor blades that do not come shave ready, hones do not come "hone" ready. When you get your Norton stone, run your fingers across it. It will feel like sandpaper. That is NOT good though intuitively you might think it is. You need to "lap" you hone before using it so the surface feels like glass. Yes, yet again another expense for a lapping stone or diamond lapping plate. Glen, "gissixguns" has an excellent video on this site regarding the proper preparation of a hone. I don't have the link right off hand but hopefully some other member will step in and supply it.

Second...I love your spirit. If you look at my moniker, you'll see I am a Senior Master Tinker. I love trying all things new and inventive. I have never heard of or seen "real" bamboo scales. All of them I have seen are celluloid impressions of bamboo. But hey, give it a try and report your results.

Keep that enthusiasm but back it up with education.

Randy

Originally Posted by WhiteLion

Glen, "gissixguns" has an excellent video on this site regarding the proper preparation of a hone. I don't have the link right off hand but hopefully some other member will step in and supply it.

Here is the Video.

Originally Posted by mhenson

Here is the Video.

Thank you for helping.

Randy

Originally Posted by WhiteLion

Thank you for helping.

Randy

Not a problem, I still have the video in my Favorites list.