Thread: Overwhelmed from the "git-go"

Wow! I never knew how complicated all of this was going to be. I live in Poland so it's pretty tough to find ANYTHING in stores around here (ok, impossible). So, on a recent trip to Berlin I picked up a Solingen 38 5/8" razor for around 50eu, a badger brush, styptic pen, and shaving soap. No strops to be found anywhere.

Not able to wait, I got back to the hotel, whipped everything out and went at it. The razor blade had a sticker on it that said it was super sharp but I really didn't sense that it was as sharp as all of the posts/articles/blogs I'd read were talking about. Granted, I'm sure my lathering technique is lame-o at the moment but just don't think the razor was "shave-ready".

I guess my conundrum is trying to figure out what I really need to truly get into this new shaving art form. I read that a second razor would be needed. So I put a bid on a Solingen Kain&Abel on a ebay-type auction site here in Poland. Looks like I'm going to win that for around $45. Also picked up a cheap strop that was being sold on that same site. My fears though are that (1) neither of my razors will be sharp, (2) the strop will be either insufficient or I won't have a clue what I'm doing and (3) there's no one actually here in this area that seems to know how to help me.

Reading about pyramid honing techniques, various kinds of strops, strops pastes, etc is overwhelming but I don't want to throw in the towel. Anyone feel my pain? Should I just send my razors back to the states to be sharpened, try to do it myself (don't even understand what "sharp" means really, or what???

Thanks for letting me rant a bit!

You could send it to me. I'm not in the states so shipping might be a bit faster. As for strops a cheap one will do you just fine for now. Most likely you'll nick the strop a couple of times anyway (everyone does) so you'll be happy it didn't happen to a nicer one.

Hey,

That would be great...probably a lot easier and <i>maybe</i> faster (how long do you think it would take for turnaround)? Let me know the details as I'm interested. Also, curious if you have any razors still available.

Also, just curious if anyone has heard of that Solingen Kain&Abel that I mentioned in my original post. I can't find anything on the web which is a tad frightening. Stupid impulse bids!!

Thanks

Originally Posted by NewbInPoland

Hey,

Also, just curious if anyone has heard of that Solingen Kain&Abel that I mentioned in my original post. I can't find anything on the web which is a tad frightening. Stupid impulse bids!!

Thanks

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showt...highlight=Kain

Quick search here came up with link above.

Steven

I've heard of them before. They have a pretty decent name.

As for the razor maximum of 5 days by post one way, a day maybe two for honing (depending on how much time I have) and then five days back. it should take 2 weeks at the maximum I think.

I don't have much in stock at the moment but I will have a few more soon. I'll be posting them in the buy-sell-trade forum then. You can PM me in the meantime for arrangements on the honing of your current razor.

Actually from what I can tell in your picture that strop is pretty good. Not top of the line but not bad either. Does it come with the hone in the picture as well? If it does you have a good start on a full kit for honing and using straights. For a newbie just taking the plunge you've done well, much better than I did,!!!

Well, I won the auction for the Kain&Abel. So, I should be getting that along with that strop and "hone" (is that the right word??) this week. I'll see for sure what kind of strop it is. Seeing as though I've never seen a single other strop EVER it'll probably be great to me.

I went ahead and sent my razor off to the Netherlands (to Alexander) to be sharpened. He suggested...and I agreed...that I just send the one so that I'll have a guide to go by when trying to sharpen my new one.

I suppose I'll start from here and see where I get myself. I assume that it will become evident at some point that I need to upgrade my stuff, adding a better strop, some pastes, or whatever.

We have a lot of really great information for you in our links, faqs and videos sections. Take the time to check them out. Kain & Abel's are generally nice shavers. Good luck.

Lynn

The hone in the link is the same as one that I just won from Ebay. The seller also has other listings for similar hones. I will post a thread after I use that hone. nenad translated it to say that they were similar to the Arkansas stones, quartz based.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ose-ka-do-ostrze...QQcmdZViewItem

Got my new hone (like the one just shown in the post above), "beginner's" strop, and Kain&Abel in the mail yesterday. I tried the hair test on it and it "seemed" not too sharp to me. I took my time and tried honing it (about 15-20 passes as I read on one of the articles I think from this site)...stropped it and sat it aside to shave this morning.
I also did the hair test again and it seemed sharper.

Sidebar: How exactly do you do that hair test I've done about 5 times without ever really knowing what I'm doing??? Haha!?

So, this morning...I lather up with the finest of soaps (Wilkinson's blue tub o' shaving soap), let it soak in a bit, stropped a few passes to show off for the wife, lathered up a bit more and began. I felt like the first 5 or so passes were incredibly smooth. No hang-ups or anything. I thought to myself "I've reached sharpness divinity on my own...without even knowing what I'm doing!". But alas the rest of the shave was pretty bumpy with some bonus pulling and scraping (gotta love that).

I guess one of my issues is knowing what the problem is...bad soap which leads to bad lubrication and bad shave...unsharp razor (but why did it start out so divine?)...combination of that and/or other things??

A little less overwhelmed...a little more bloody. Haha!