Thread: Getting started

I am currently a double edge razor user and am interested in getting a straight razor. I would like to give shaving with a straight razor a try; however, after reading through this and other forums I have become confused about the regular honing/stroping procedure.

I understand that stroping is necessary before every shave, but I am confused as to how often honing needs to be done. I have read on some posts/articles that it needs to be done 2-4 times per year (which means I should not have to worry about it and can just send it off to be honed or get it done locally) but have also read that a razor can last 5-15 shaves without being sharpened (meaning that I would have to do some honing myself). I am also confused as to whether getting an additional strop and using diamond paste on it is necessary or not.

I can justify buying a razor and getting it honed every few months; however, if I need to buy a strobe, razor, oils, a honing device, etc. it gets to be a little much.

Any clarification would be greatly apprichated.

Thanks for the excellent information provided on this forum and I hope I can enter the world of shaving with a straight razor!

It can depend on the razor. Some razors wil need touch-up honing more often than others. Stainless steel razors should have an edge that lasts longer than their plain carbon steel conterparts. If you incorpaorat a straight along with your DE routine, then there is no reason why a straight razor's sharpness won;t last through a couple or more months of not-so-frequent shaving.

You will read that some guys want the absolute sharpest edge at all times, and will touch-up on a hone fairly frequently (every 5 shaves or days). However, they aren't conductng a honing marathon. A lot of them will use a handheld barber's hone for this operation. You can get them for very little cost on eBay or from Tilly (http://www.redtrader99.com).

A paddle strop with paste isn't necessary. A strop for everyday edge aligning, however, is necessary. The straight razor needs to be stropped before every shave to assure the edge is aligned properly; this will give you the best shave, and reduce one issue with getting a nick or razor burn. If you get a paddle strop with mulitple sides though, you can get the ability to hone and strop in one unit. This would negate the need for a barber's hone and a separate strop. Tony Miller (http://www.thewellshavedgentleman.com) is the individual to contact for your stropping needs; he's a well respectd member on SRP too.

Please ask more questions, so we can get you up to speed on enjoying straight razor shaving.

Thanks for the quick reply!

If I got a razor (obviously), a barbers' hone, and a strop I would be good to go? I would then just hone when the blade appeared to be dull and strop before each shave? What type of oils/pastes would be necessary for conditioning the strop? Is there anything that needs to be done to maintain a hone?

Thanks again!

I want to reiterate what Chris said about contacting Tony at www.thewellshavedgentleman.com. He's got kits and all you need. They are the best available products at a reasonable price.

The thing with a pasted (paddle usually) strop is that it can lengthen the time between stone honings significantly. That way you only need get the razor honed a few times per year. The daily strop should remain free of abrasive pastes (conditioning paste or oil like mink oil is fine) and most of us believe hanging strops work best for that. Without a pasted strop you're looking at a serious honing after about 20 or more shaves, perhaps less if you have heavy growth, more if your beard is light. Again, some depends on the razor you're using as well. Harder steels like stainless will hold an edge longer in general.

I've had great difficulty getting the barber hones to work for me. Most guys who use them have a handful on hand. Even more find that a 4 sided paddle can go a very long way.

X

Yep. I think that's what you'd need for a minimum start/setup.

Hone maintenance usually entails lapping. This ensures that the hone's surface is smooth and flat. Some hones have a uniform surface already, but many recommend an initial lapping session anyway. Lapping is done with a coarser grit medium and a flat surface; 1000 grit sandpaper on a piece of glass, or a tile of other material (that is flat of course), is an identified method.

Tony provides his own conditioner with the purchase of one of his strops to be used on the untreated (i.e., unpasted) leather. As X pointed out, mink oil is another option; neatsfoot oil can be used on plain leather-type strops too. Tony is a great person to get a rundown on strops -- finishes, styles (hanging vs. paddle), lengths & widths.

Wait a couple of days, and see what other info is provided here by the community. Don't forget to read though the archive of information as you can too -- there's a lot of good info in here.

Originally Posted by yoshibond

Thanks for the quick reply!

If I got a razor (obviously), a barbers' hone, and a strop I would be good to go?

Yes, this is my main setup. I, however, have also added a pair of waterstones so I can hone a really dull razor back to shaving sharpness.
You really want to buy a shave ready blade, or send your razor directly out for honing so it will for sure be really sharp.

Originally Posted by yoshibond

I would then just hone when the blade appeared to be dull and strop before each shave?

Well really when you feel the blade beginning to dull you would do five or so passes on your hone. This is why some guys go for months and others go only five shaves before taking it to the hone, that feeling of the razor beginning to dull is a very subjective thing. My expertly honed blade has yet to see the barbers hone and its been in use every other day for a couple of months, while the razors I honed up myself still see the hone every shave or two because they just aren't as sharp as the expertly honed one yet.
I strop 25 times on each side of my Tony Miller hanging strop before every shave. It really does help the edge remain sharp and comfortable on your face. I have tried skipping this step once but it wasn't a good idea.

Originally Posted by yoshibond

What type of oils/pastes would be necessary for conditioning the strop? Is there anything that needs to be done to maintain a hone?

Thanks again!

Commercial strop conditioner is available where strops are sold a bottle will last a long time and Tony includes what just might be a lifetimes supply when he sells a strop so while there are other old time leather conditioners that will probably work just as well, I don't intend on taking the chance myself. If you use a pasted strop instead of a barbers hone that will need to be reapplied every so often.
You will here an awful lot about hone lapping on this board. Most of it refers to lapping waterstones not barbers hones. If you buy from Tilly she can tell you what to do for the particular hone you buy. I got a Swaty off of E-bay and haven't really done anything to it but wash it up well. I am also curious if anything could be done to improve its performance, but it is working for me as it is and I am a bit afraid to mess with a good thing.

Good Luck and welcome!