Thread: Starting all over again.

On another forum I got offers left and right for free honing on my new (to me) razor. It was weird and made me think they just wanted me to send it to them and they wouldn't send it back. Wasn't the case here so I felt a little bit more comfortable, why I've stuck around. No offense, just sharing that experience. Anyway, good luck to the OP on the journey. It only improves with practice.

Chrees - your concern is understandable. I'm another who hones for free - for the practice. I'd call myself an advanced beginner at 418 blades as of this morning. Some day I'll get the hang of this.

'Hope you & the OP have very good experience w/ our other members.

As my good friend pinklather as said, your concern is well Warranted!

I recently offer to 'try' to hone and clean up a heavy wedge that has a lot of problems just to help the guy out. And all for just him paying for the shipping to and from with no charge for my time or materials.

He understandably had red lights and sirens going off as it was an offer too good to be true. I sent him contact links to those who I have not only done business with but who had physically handled my work and tried my edges.

While the blade will be a big challenge, he has sent me that blade and it's on it's way. This is because of the thanks I owe to those who trust and believe in me and their recommendations!

Why did I do this? Because when I was brand new to this wonderful Art of Shaving With and Maintaining a Straight Razor a member 'Eric' (HNSB) took time out his very busy day to help an old redneck country boy learn the robes! And then others such as Glen and pinklather joined in!

As I have posted many times to those who have just joined:

Welcome to the most friendly, helpful and informative site on the web!!

Yeah, those concerns are warranted. I'd also be a bit nervous sending out my razor to somebody on the forum when I don't know anyone on yet.

Hey, come to think of it, should we do a feature request for some kinda verification or feedback tag that would show up under people's avatars just like now it says vendor or mentor?

I think one has to use judgement when sending out a razor. If someone has a large presence on the board, a history here, and a good rep then why wouldn't you send him your razor? That goes for pros or amateurs.

Michael

Originally Posted by olbez

Yeah, those concerns are warranted. I'd also be a bit nervous sending out my razor to somebody on the forum when I don't know anyone on yet.

Hey, come to think of it, should we do a feature request for some kinda verification or feedback tag that would show up under people's avatars just like now it says vendor or mentor?

This thread has taken a twist and turn that has nothing to do with the OP but it also needs some clarification

The topic has come up multiple times in the past about a "Board" of some sort to qualify honing, the problem is time and responsibility..
The responsibility of checking the person's rep and experience is up to the individual that owns the razors, basically it is pretty easy to tap on the Screen Name of the person and read their posts...
If you are still unsure ask for a reference, re-read Cudarunner's post, he just had a guy do that..

Just reading this thread I see 3-4 people that have taken the time and responsibility to send me razors to evaluate their honing, I see two that I have sat down with at a Meet Up and honed with face to face, so when somebody asks them for a reference I give it without question...

There have been problems in the past and I am sure there will be others in the future with people that are less then honest, or that sometimes just bite off more then they can chew,,, In fact we had to write a specific part of the SRP rules about it

Initiatives (giveaways, contests, group buys, etc.) policy:

All initiatives such as giveaways, contests, group buys, etc. are either organized by SRP staff or in cooperation with SRP staff. They can only be conducted according to the rules and decisions of SRP staff. This does not apply to individual instances such as giving away a razor or a brush, or other minor stuff.

Due to multiple issues with "Free honing" offers in the past these rules have been placed in effect since 2009
You cannot post a Thread or a Classifieds Ad offering free honing services, you can however offer help to any individual with a Post in their thread.

These PIF's (Pay/Pass it Forward) have been part of SRP for many years, these offers help the membership, and these are allowed, and encouraged.
It will however remain fully at the discretion of the Mod Team to delete any of these offers if they start to cross the "Sales and Advertising" line. Basically if you are doing it to help somebody, then that is what SRP is truly all about, if you are doing it to help yourself then that is not in the spirit of SRP and it will be deleted out...

SRP accepts NO responsibility for your decisions, nor do we sponsor, or recommend any Services/Individuals that are offered.



We wrote that rule in response to several issues that arose with free honing offers, one problem was razors not being returned, another was a few brand new Honster's that decided that practicing their honing on other people's razors was the way to learn honing...


This is why it is always going to be the responsibility of the person who owns the razors to check on the reputation and experience of who they are sending the razors to....