First Razor just came in the mail! Now what?

I just recieved my first straight razor. I am really excited to get started. I just have a few questions.

1)Do I just rinse the oil of or should I use soap to get it off?
2) I have read that you should strop first before using. If so should I strop on the fabric, leather, or both? How many strokes per side?
3) How do most of you mount your strops? Low or high? What mounting hardware?
4) I am going to start on my dominant sideburn area. SRP beginners guide suggest doing this and finishing with normal razor. If things go well, have you guys just continued with the straight razor or am I just looking for trouble?
4) As far as your lather, does thick or thin lather work better? Soap or cream? I usually create a nice thick meringue looking lather when I shave with DE?


I am afraid that my inexperience in stropping will cause me to dull the razor before I could even use it.

1. just rinse
2 Don't strop. the person who honed it will have stropped.
3 Waist high then slant downward. That's my preference
4 Probably looking for trouble. It's quitting while you are ahead.
5 Same lather as for a DE

Michael

Thanks Michael.

I just got done shaving. I was able to do my dominant side of my face, my non dominant, and about an inch below my jawline on my dominant side. I finished up around my mouth, chin and neck with my gillete fatboy.

I lucked out and didn't get any nicks today!! Hopefully tomorrow will go as well.

Is there anything I need to do with my razor?
I rinsed it off and dried it off briefly, and then folded her up.

I live in a dry climate so I just dry the razor and put it away in my dopp bag that gets stored in my bedroom. When I next shave I strop 20 on webbing and 50 on plain leather. Most also strop a bit after the shave, 10 and 20 is common.

Good luck

Jonathan

Recently I have experimented with not getting my razors wet except on my face. No rinsing off of lather, no after shave rinsing. I use a towel or a sponge to remove the lather. I strop after using an appropriate number of times. That has seemed to minimize any water spotting. I might add, that I do live in a fairly dry climate, but out water is very hard. :beer2:

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Originally Posted by Datsots

I live in a dry climate so I just dry the razor and put it away in my dopp bag that gets stored in my bedroom. When I next shave I strop 20 on webbing and 50 on plain leather. Most also strop a bit after the shave, 10 and 20 is common.

Good luck

Jonathan

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Is there really a point to strop after and before??

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Originally Posted by LeBois

Recently I have experimented with not getting my razors wet except on my face. No rinsing off of lather, no after shave rinsing. I use a towel or a sponge to remove the lather. I strop after using an appropriate number of times. That has seemed to minimize any water spotting. I might add, that I do live in a fairly dry climate, but out water is very hard. :beer2:

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I did get the blade wet between passes. I didn't really wipe down the blade to throughly but I think that I may have a few water spots just from having water on it between passes. Is that possible?

Also would it be a good idea to wipe down with a microfiber cloth and some oil?
If so what oil is preferred?
I have mineral, otter gun oil, CLP breakfree, Balistol, Wd-40.

I strop a couple times (about five) on linen after shaving just to clean off the edge from any shaving gunk that might not rinse off easily.

1) I'd recommend just using a tissue or very soft cloth to wipe the oil off, that should be sufficient
2) As someone else mentioned 20 on polyweb/linen and 50 on the leather
3) I prefer to have my strop anchored about 5 feet from the ground and hold if with my off hand, and hold it with the edge closest to me slightly angled downward.
4) People recommend that you start with just sideburn down to jawline. I say only do what you're comfortable with. If you feel any uneasiness about doing it, stop.
5) I prefer my lather somewhat thinly spread on my face, though I make the consistency of it more like whipped cream than like suds.

If you feel as though you may damage the edge of your razor learning to strop, lay your strop on a flat solid surface and strop it there until you get a feeling for it. Watch several videos of others stropping before you do so yourself. I also recommend you wipe your blade dry after each time you rinse off the lather and shavings. Once you're finished shaving, lay the blade over a dry fresh towel open, and let it sit and dry in the air until you finish dressing or whatever you have to do to maximize drying time. I recommend mineral oil for your after shaving maintenance. Some people also like to strop the razor before oiling to align the blade. Congrats on your first shave! Cheers!

-Dye

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Originally Posted by joepa150

I just recieved my first straight razor. I am really excited to get started. I just have a few questions.

1)Do I just rinse the oil of or should I use soap to get it off?
2) I have read that you should strop first before using. If so should I strop on the fabric, leather, or both? How many strokes per side?
3) How do most of you mount your strops? Low or high? What mounting hardware?
4) I am going to start on my dominant sideburn area. SRP beginners guide suggest doing this and finishing with normal razor. If things go well, have you guys just continued with the straight razor or am I just looking for trouble?
4) As far as your lather, does thick or thin lather work better? Soap or cream? I usually create a nice thick meringue looking lather when I shave with DE?


I am afraid that my inexperience in stropping will cause me to dull the razor before I could even use it.

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AFDavis11 has a very good video either here on SRP or youtube showing the correct way to strop. Strop should be mounted about waist high, just be sure to strop the razor flat on the strop spine first, edge trailing. Speed has nothing to do with it, the results are in the technique.

Make sure to dry very well. Then leave it out for a while, open. Later you can oil it and put away.

Michael

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Originally Posted by mjsorkin

Make sure to dry very well. Then leave it out for a while, open. Later you can oil it and put away.

Michael

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I NEVER put my razor in the drawer or completely close it right after I shave. I leave it out for a while, even a couple of days as I rotate and use my other razors. :gl:

Excited for todays shave. I set up my strop. Did maybe 20 strokes on webbing and maybe 30 strokes per side on leather.

I did nick my leather about 4 times. They are all really small 1mm in lenght mostly on the far side.
Is it still ok to use or will it mess up my edges?

Also I never did the hanging hair test initally so I don't know if it would have passed (bought shave ready from SRD). I tried it today before and after stropping and it failed. It razor does pop the hair off my arms though.

If the razor is shaving well don't worry if about any test other than the shave. If you just want to try the HHT have fun, it is a great parlor trick.

Nicking your strop is common most likely you are rolling the razor at the wrong time. While the razor is still going in one direction roll the edge up ~90 degrees without lifting the spine, reverse direction and finish rolling the razor. Practicing with butter knife is a good idea.

The number of passes varies, so experimenting to find your sweet spot is worth the effort.

Jonathan

You can still use the strop

Small nicks can be left in place. If don't feel them while stropping then they aren't doing any harm.

Like the above poster says, start moving in the other direction BEFORE you finish the flip.

HHT? That's a whole other post!!

Michael

I don't know if this is ok but I took a piece of 2000 grit sandpaper and gave the nicks a few gentle passes. I then wiped off with damp cloth. Seems to be better now.

When I strop, when you say for example 50 laps, is that each side or together (25 per side)?

I was successfull again tonight. I did my right and left side of face, half my chin, and 3/4s of my dominant side neck with no nicks!! Can't wait until tomorrows shave.

I have used a 600 grit diamond hone to smooth a old paddle strop, so it seems fine to me.

When we say 50 laps or passes it means 50 back and forth trips. On kamisori's/microtomes it may not.

Good progress.

Jonathan