Thread: I wanna do everything right away (everything reguarding honing/stropping)

Hey guys. So I'm new to straight razor shaving and I i just got one of those Dovo Best Quality blades. I don't think its shave ready because although it's sharp it doesn't glide through and tugs (I've been a DE shaver for a while now so I do know what a single blade is supposed to feel like).

I really don't want to send it out to be honed because I really want to learn to do everything myself. I guess my question is, could you guys give me your rules of thumb, processes, techniques, crash courses, and/or links to other threads regarding the basics of honing/stropping and maintaining a shave ready edge? I know it's not something you learn to do over night, but I am willing to put in as much practice as it takes.

I shall be reading and searching for more threads on the topic as well but I appreciate any and all posts you guys leave here to help me.

Thanks and keep on shaving

Did you get the razor with factory edge or honed by the seller?
Assuming the razor is not shave ready here is my advise:

#1 Send the razor out to be pro honed and learn to shave with it and maintain it.
#2 Get a second razor to learn honing on, after you have become good at #1.

I got it brand new, factory edge I'm assuming. From shave nation though.

thanks ya I was thinking about getting a second razor to practice honing.

I understand the compelling feeling of wanting to jump right in. The fact is you will learn this over several months, because you can only shave so often. Get a honed blade and learn to strop the blade. Have a backup you can send out and get honed or learn to hone yourself. Watch videos on honing and read the forum. Same for stropping, and have some patience, and fun

ya I'm starting to realize that if i try to learn to hone and shave on the same razor i'll never get in any practice shaving with it. Thanks man

Yeah, you do need to know what a truly shave ready edge feels like; then you can compare your honing attempts to the professionally hones edge. I was lucky; all my early razors came with excellent edges. I bought a Norton 4/8 and a Shapton 16k and they're all I've used for two years. I've never 'given in' to sending a razor out, but I have come close!

I'm the heretic on the site who says jump right in to honing. BUT take it slow, watch tonnes of videos (Glen's (gssixgun's) are the videos I concentrated on) and also ask a lot of questions. I started off with just a few laps on the Shapton to minimise the 'damage' and worked up from there. Honing your own razor is like being able to service your own car; it's fulfilling.

Maxi really helped me in the beginning, I don't know if he knows HOW much he helped me! Hook up with a mentor and badger him silly with questions. OR, edit your profile to show your location and you may just find there's a guy round the corner from you who's just itching to show you how. I WISH I had someone here in South Australia who could have actually physically showed me a few things in the beginning, however, having said that, the guys here were so helpful it was probably almost as good as a personal coach.

Bad06denby,

If you have the desire to leap into honing by all means do so; however I would recommend that you get another razor to shave with whilst you are learning the honing skills.

It took me quite a while to be able to competently and repeatably hone my blades.

You could try a pasted stop (CrOx, diamond etc.) to see if it brings the edge to where you would like it. If that doesn't do the trick then something like a 10 or 12k Naniwa (a 'finishing hone') could be tried.

I would take heed of the previous recommendations to send your blade out to be honed first off.

Good luck

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

I would like to get in touch with a mentor or someone who can really help me dive in properly. I should try and see what the shaving comunity looks like in my area as well. Thank you.

well I'm waiting for my 4000/8000 Norton to come in. and a jewlers loop for looking at the edges. I debated about the chromium oxide because some say they always use it and some say they never use it. but i guess i wont know till i try. I thought about the Naniwa too. Thank you

There is only one way to do it "correctly". But, similar to a religion, you have to believe and follow a gospel.

Go to the library, on this site, and find every file that is described by the words "barbers manual'. There are two large references. One is related to shaving and one is on stropping and honing.

Start with the 1961 barbers manual.

You have a big hurdle though if the razor has never been honed. I strongly suggest you learn on one razor and send one out for honing.

All references to barbering activity, including those about honing, assume that the razor has already been honed past the factory honing. This honing, the post-factory honing can be done by you or someone else. But, it's better done by an expert.

Then, no matter what happens always follow the simple instructions provided either by barbering manuals, or the EXPERTS on this site. NO ONE ELSE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO INFLUENCE YOUR INSTRUCTION.

Consistently keep telling yourself, "this should be simple" and "this should feel like shaving". Never permit any thoughts like "it's only a straight, it shouldn't shave as well as xxxxxxxx".

Although diverse, the straight razor, hone, and strop are the most superior shaving tools on the planet. Together they produce the sharpest, smoothest, and most singular (a singular edge being a quality in this context) edge possible. Together they also can maintain the highest quality over every single shave, for decades.

Finally, the only pressure ever applied in shaving with a straight is against a credit card as you swipe it through a card reader. Otherwise, a light touch is always essential.