Thread: New to straight razor

just purchased a straight razor. i dont think its save ready... i may want to find a local area that will sharpen it and make it save ready... i live in 08030 area...

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Welcome! Hope you enjoy your journey into Straight Razor Shaving!

The member list is chevhead mentioned is a good start. You could also check the classifieds under member services (- Straight Razor Place Classifieds find a honemeister you could send it out to. You could also buy some hones and a strop to get it shave ready yourself and be prepared to keep it shave ready basicly forever. Before you go through all that since its your first straight razor it might be helpful to know why you don't think it's shave ready. If you got it from a big box store or an online retailer other than the ones who advertise in the vendor section on here than you're probably right. If, however, you got it from one of the vendors on here or the classifieds here it probably is already shave ready. You might try searching the honeing forums for ways to find out if it is shave ready like the hanging hair test which, although not the be all and end all of shave readiness, is not hard to do and it's someplace to start.

I would definitely have it professionally honed so you know its shave ready before you even think about getting a set of hones and trying to do it yourself. You need a point of reference to what shave ready really is, and by sending it out to a pro you will have an edge to compare all other edges too and a goal to shoot for. What kind of razor is it and where did you get it? Can you post a pic?

Originally Posted by ccase39

I would definitely have it professionally honed so you know its shave ready before you even think about getting a set of hones and trying to do it yourself. You need a point of reference to what shave ready really is, and by sending it out to a pro you will have an edge to compare all other edges too and a goal to shoot for. What kind of razor is it and where did you get it? Can you post a pic?

Perhaps keeping the straight razor 'on ice', so to speak, and practice with a shavette using DE blades that are shave ready, eliminates the need for honing or stropping. I am glad I started with a shavette. The straight razor will come once I am confident I can handle the shaving style, then I am lucky that I have a professional barber happy to show me the honing and stropping techniques to keep a straight in excellent condition.

G.

Originally Posted by AlliumSativum

Perhaps keeping the straight razor 'on ice', so to speak, and practice with a shavette using DE blades that are shave ready, eliminates the need for honing or stropping. I am glad I started with a shavette. The straight razor will come once I am confident I can handle the shaving style, then I am lucky that I have a professional barber happy to show me the honing and stropping techniques to keep a straight in excellent condition.

G.

i got it online it wasnt anything to special or anything to expensive just something to start off on.. it was an online retailer dont remember who or where but i have it now..

using shavette is a great way to start... i have already done that part...
im ready to try the real thing... i'm new to the actual real straight razor...

Give it a try! You will know pretty QUICKLY if it is NOT SHAVE READY!
A few TUGS on you face hair will make you quite aware... LOL
Keep us posted!

The odds are pretty good that is is not shave-ready, but as Chevhead says, you can always try it out. Worst case scenario is that is is not shave-ready and you get a lesson in what a crappy edge feels like. Then when you do get it honed, you'll also see the difference a truly shave-ready edge can make.

The pros don't charge much for honing, and it will be worth every penny.

Now, I don't mean to be the bearer of potentially bad news with the next bit, but... what brand of razor is that? If the red and white case is what it arrived in, I would be suspicious of its quality as most good razors (I think!) tend to come in more of a box than a plastic pack like that. Just so you are aware, there are some razor-shaped objects that are made with very poor quality steel that simply will not take or maintain a shaving edge. There is a list of 'Brands to avoid' in the wiki:

Brands of Straight Razors to avoid - Straight Razor Place Wiki

If it is one of these (or an unbranded one) then don't be surprised if a)you get it honed and it won't keep a good edge, or b) the honer you send it to says there's nothing that can be done to put an edge on it.

Hopefully I'm completely off base with that, and it turns out to be an excellent shaver!

Good luck