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Thread: Just Received My First Straight Razor

  1. #11
    Plausibly implausible carlmaloschneider's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DAHE4 View Post
    It came with Van Der Hagen soap. I know it is a cheaper one, but it came with the razor and is something to start out with. I don't have a plan set in stone for the shave on saturday. I am still trying to figure out this strop. It is a smaller one, with a black leather side and a light brown leather side. Im not sure what side I am even supposed to use. Should I strop it before I shave for the first time? Any advice you have carlmaloschneider is greatly appreciated. I am completely new to this and have just been reading posts on this forum to figure stuff out. So, I am greatly appreciative of any and all help! I saw a video of honeing that I will have to find again. I believe it was gssixguns that made the video. He was doing circular motions on a norton 4/8 and I figured I would try that if the razor turns out not to be shave ready. I am trying to keep sending it out to get honed as a last resort, as the mail system out here is extremely slow and I will be changing duty stations in the next 2 months.
    Call me Carl, please. I wish I'd never used my full name here! People don't know what to call me!!

    Anyway, here is what I reckon. See if you can get some cream before Sat. If you can afford it. Maybe some Body Shop Macca Root, O Melhor, Truefitt and Hill, C O Bigalow something like that. Cream is great for a beginner, it removes a variable somewhat.

    Grab a kitchen knife or anything else to simulate a razor before the shave. Stand at a mirror and work out how you're going to hold the razor.

    Obviously you've watched some shaving videos first (if not, do so). Plan to swap hands (R H for R side, L H for L side) but that is NOT imperative. You're only going to do your right side (or left side if you're left handed) on the first shave anyway. Relax, you've got plenty of days to build up to it. Rome wasn't built in a day.

    DO NOT strop the razor before the shave. Don't touch the edge. Prepare well for the shave, shower, hot towels, good lather. Let the lather sit for a few minutes. You could even wash it off and lather again. Then, short, soft strokes with the razor. Don't try and do long strokes. CONCENTRATE, just like you're at the range shooting targets at 300 meters.

    LOW angle, double the width of the spine. STOP after you've done a cheek. Then use your normal razor to finish off. I know you want to do the whole thing with the straight, but we want you to live and fight another day.

    THEN you can either not strop at all (at this point in time) or maybe do 20 or so SLOW strokes on the strop. KEEP THE RAZOR FLAT. In fact, I'd rather you put the spine in contact more so than the edge, you can wreck the edge pretty quickly by holding the razor incorrectly. You can use a razor for a week or so (depending on your hair, etc) without stropping, but can dull the edge with one bad stropping session. I normally strop 30/70 linen/leather each shave with 10/10 after, but at this stage you can do more harm than good stropping.

    I can't tell you what side to use first, the colour of the leather to me means nothing. Try and post a pic of the strop showing each side.

    If the razor tugs on the hair rather than cutting. Stop. Shave with your normal razor and ask us what to do. At that stage we may suggest a light stropping or even 10 laps on the 8k hone, but don't rush it, I really suggest you ask questions here first. That's a nice razor you have, your very first one, you don't want to ruin it (or your face)

    Good luck.

    BTW, Australians don't normally say this, but thanks for your service...

    Carl
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    roughkype (04-16-2013)

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    Thank you, that really means a lot to me. Especially since you aren't from the U.S. I will see if I can get my hands on some of the cream that everybody is talking about on here. The selection of hygiene products on base is not that great, and being in Japan it is very difficult to find stuff unless you know exactly what you are looking for. Many people speak english out here, but it is very limited. I have learned some basic Japanese, but I still have a hard time figuring out what someone is saying. I am posting a couple pictures of the strop that came with it. The black side has some type of fabric on the back of it, but other than that it is all leather. Also, I just noticed that the kit came with a bottle of fromm strop dressing. I don't remember that being part of it, but it is there! I'm not sure what to do with it either. I have been watching multiple shave videos, and have been paying particular attention to how they hold the razor while shaving. That being said, I am glad you mentioned to keep the angle at double the width of the spine as that made the whole angle thing much simpler. Now, if on Saturday I get my left cheek done (I'm left handed for writing) without any nicks or cuts would it be advisable to try my right cheek? I am somewhat ambidextrous, but favor my left hand for tasks such as writing. Thank you again Carl for the help. It is very much appreciated.

    BTW, you can call me Alex.
    Last edited by DAHE4; 04-16-2013 at 09:57 AM.

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    ok, just realized the pictures didn't come up. here they are.Name:  IMG_0787.jpg
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    hope your gettin along ok with the new razor nice btw.be careful not to drop that thing wen ur hands r wet.

  6. #15
    Plausibly implausible carlmaloschneider's Avatar
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    OK., Alex, first thing, you guys are important to us Down Under, esp since the NK thing. We're just a small little tiny place as far as defence goes. Don't get me wrong, we are well trained (I served for 10 years and was a Recruit Instructor) but we're small.

    Secondly, I'd use the black side as leather and the white as 'canvas'. So, for me, 30 white/70 black. Just my opinion, though. Why don't you email the supplier and ask?

    Good on you for learning another language. My young son (15) is talking to some guy from Belgium lately as part of his X box scenario. He (my son) wants to learn German. I wish I learnt it. My dad (who's German) spoke a few languages, as he was born in a German village in Yugoslavia and had a French mother, and all I can speak is English!!

    No probs if you can't get a cream, it's just that I always found it easier to make a lather from cream than from soap, and still do! I always face lather with a soap and bowl lather with a cream. Hope it goes well on Saturday, let us know!

    Japan is a cool place, I went there years ago when I did 4 and a half months on HMAS Westralia, the biggest ship in the Australian Navy at the time. Got to 'drive' the thing every day. I found the Japanese very polite, almost painfully polite...and NEAT, very neat! Greatest moment was karaoke with the sailors from the ship, the Mayor of Nagasaki and the Chief of the Japanese defence force. Great times.

    Here is a video of me at the time...That's me in the beginning, many, many years ago. At the end of that demo we attacked the sailors with condoms full of water....

    HMAS Westralia Army RAA Bofors RBS70 - YouTube
    Last edited by carlmaloschneider; 04-16-2013 at 10:13 AM.
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    Ok, so just to clarify. When I strop it after my shave your recommend to use the white side first as the canvas and then the black side second?

    On the language subject, it really pays in multiple ways to be bi-lingual or multi-lingual. I just wish I would have started trying to learn another language a long time ago. I have been here (Japan) for 2 years now and have just now gotten to the point where I can maintain a very basic conversation. And even then I have to ask them to speak slower.

    Thanks for the video, it was interesting. It reminds me of the drills we do on assembling our 50 cals. It is always fun though. I do know what you mean about the Japanese being painfully polite though. Don't get me wrong, I believe in having good manners and being polite. It's just that the Japanese culture is almost awkward to be around at times. Especially when you messed up and don't realize it until after the fact. It has happened to me once or twice, but nothing major.

    I know a few fellow Marines that have been to Australia and had a chance to train and interact with the Australians, and they have had nothing but good to say about them. I have never had the chance to go to Australia yet, but am always looking for that day they need to send somebody with the MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit). I have gotten to interact with the ROK Marines (Republic of Korea) and some of the Japanese defense, and that has always been fun.
    Attached is a picture of the Last time I went to Korea. I'm on the far left. This was taken almost 2 years ago and I have since been promoted. We had one of the ROK Marines taking the picture and I got in it a little late. lol Name:  290804_284032034959548_574829891_o.jpg
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  • #17
    Plausibly implausible carlmaloschneider's Avatar
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    Yeah, I'm GUESSING the white and then the black, though, again, I'd email the supplier and ask. At your stage, if you do only a few strokes (10 - 20) it won't matter all that much. You can even strop on folded newspaper. My son uses the leather belt he wears on his trousers every day...Are you sure both sides are leather? Does one seem to be a finer grain? If so, use the finer grained leather last. In the beginning, fewer strokes on the strop are better.

    Yeah, I find you can annoy Japanese people really easily, esp if you are a loud person like I am!

    Glad to be of assistance!
    Stranger, if you passing meet me and desire to speak to me, why should you not speak to me? And why should I not speak to you?
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    'tis but a scratch! roughkype's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grazor View Post
    SOTD right there.
    I >really< don't want to see this guy's toes in Cut of the Day!
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    Hi Alex, welcome to SRP. You're in good hands with Carl. Best wishes to you.
    "These aren't the droids you're looking for." "These aren't the droids we're looking for." "He can go about his business." "You can go about your business."

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    I hope you don't shave barefooted!!

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