Starting all over again.

I'm posting this in the beginners section because I suddenly feel like a beginner again.

Got into wetshaving about 2 years ago and within 6 months was venturing into straights. Skip forward a few more months and I was shaving exclusively with the straight and getting very good shaves.

Life then happened and I was running out of time in the mornings so I began to pickup the DE again. Not much longer and the straights (I have 3 in the rotation) began to feel very rough and pull tons.

I've tried picking the straights up again a few times with the same pulling feeling so I would set them aside and go back to the DE's.

This past weekend I decided enough was enough. Pulled out the straights, touched them up till they seemed ready to go and went for it. Wasn't the smoothest shave and honestly I had forgotten the angles I used on certain parts of the shave but I made it through it.

All of this was to say that while I feel like a beginner again, it's good to be back.

Glad to have you back!

Perhaps your razors need a hone touchup? Or that's what you meant you did?

T

Yeah, I touched them up. I honestly believe that my angles are off and that is where most of my tugging it coming from.

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Originally Posted by CharlieTN

Yeah, I touched them up. I honestly believe that my angles are off and that is where most of my tugging it coming from.

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That's weird because if my angle is off the razors just doesn't shave as much hair off but not really tugging.

Welcome Back!

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Originally Posted by olbez

That's weird because if my angle is off the razors just doesn't shave as much hair off but not really tugging.

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There is always the possibility that I might need to send them off to have them professionally honed. My only thought otherwise is because 2 of them had been honed by Whipped Dog just 2-3 months prior to my setting them aside and hadn't been used much at all so I didn't think they would be dull already. Might just be that my stropping technique sucks too. I'm using this re-introductions as a chance to go back to the basics and make sure I'm doing it all correctly.

If you decide you need one or two of them honed, shoot me a PM. I'll do them for free.

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Originally Posted by HNSB

If you decide you need one or two of them honed, shoot me a PM. I'll do them for free.

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Ha, you beat me to it HNSB!

I've been there. It's easy to lose some of the enthusiasm and switch to a quicker alternative. But straight shaving is an old friend, and can always be enjoyed even if you don't do it as much as you like. Whether you get back into it as an every day thing or just enjoy a special shave as often as life allows, the straight will always be there for you.

Michael

Oh, I'm back. Still think my razors need a good touch up but after concentrating on angle and pressure I'm back to a full shave with the straight and so glad to be back. While I can get a good shave with a DE quite a bit quicker it doesn't compare to the closeness and smoothness I canget with a straight when I take my time. Plus I miss the time with the straights. Something more cool about them than a fine DE. :-)

Then send your razor for honing. I just got a new Suehiro stone and both I or HNSB will do it for the price of postage only.

Just PM either one of us.

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Originally Posted by olbez

Then send your razor for honing. I just got a new Suehiro stone and both I or HNSB will do it for the price of postage only.

Just PM either one of us.

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I'm going to. Headed out to WA state for a week and I'll ship them off as soon as I get back. My problem is that I love to sharpen knives so naturally I want to sharpen straights as well but obviously I'm lacking something in the technique so I'll send off 2, and keep one for playing with the hones.

Thanks everyone, it's good to be back.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by olbez

Then send your razor for honing. I just got a new Suehiro stone and both I or HNSB will do it for the price of postage only.

Just PM either one of us.

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How many razors have you honed olbez?

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Originally Posted by Catrentshaving

How many razors have you honed olbez?

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Probably 20-30 by now, why? I am not a master by any means, but so far I haven't had a razor that I couldn't hone. Although I only have quality razors.

Oh and on Gokumyo 20k I finished 6 razors. All of them got such an incredible edge...

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Originally Posted by olbez

Probably 20-30 by now, why? I am not a master by any means, but so far I haven't had a razor that I couldn't hone. Although I only have quality razors.

Oh and on Gokumyo 20k I finished 6 razors. All of them got such an incredible edge...

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Just curious...I always wonder when people offer honing to others. Good to hear you haven't had one you can't hone yet, I wish I could have said that when I started.

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

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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?

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:OT

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....