Thread: My first straight!

I just got my first straight in the mail today!! I got it off of ebay for about 20 bucks. Its a Geneva and its in pretty damn good shape. It has a few spots on the blade itself, kinda blackish, maybe tarnish, any ideas on getting those out?

It is pretty sharp, but definitely not sharp enough to shave with. I'm in the process of getting all the gear so I don't have a strop or hone yet. Planning on using a belt to strop with for now but I definitely want to get it honed by someone so I can start off with a sharp blade for my first shave. I live in Florida... anybody know of a honmeister in this area?? I appreciate everyone's help so far, can't wait to get my first shave!!

Welcome to a world of first rate addiction

If you want your straight cleaned and honed then I suggest Joe Chandler (I've just sent him four) and his work is 1st class.

Otherwise Lynn and others offer honing, just PM them

Have fun mate

Dazza

Welcome, I to would suggest Lynn, Joe or any of the other honemiesters, But if you can I would also suggest a strop. A belt when you first start out is just a little tricky. Heck it's tricky Evan if you have been doing this a while.

Originally Posted by lamshear

I just got my first straight in the mail today!! I got it off of ebay for about 20 bucks. Its a Geneva and its in pretty damn good shape. It has a few spots on the blade itself, kinda blackish, maybe tarnish, any ideas on getting those out?

Metal polish like Maas will do you. I want to echo floridaboy's comment about getting a strop. Stropping is something that's easy for a new shaver to mess up and not having the right instrument might cause you some difficulties. you wouldn't be the first shaver to mess up the shaving dge from bad stropping ... I wasn't. I'm in Canad, but I can set your edge up for you if you can pay the postage. PM me if you're interested.

X

X, do you use metric strops in Canada? - John

Originally Posted by Namdnas

X, do you use metric strops in Canada? - John

Nope. We tell our height and weight in feet and inches too. We use 8½ x 11 pages and buy most building materials in imperial units because we still depend so heavily on trade with our backward southern neighbours who resist the logic the rest of the entire world embraces.

We have made some progress with liquor and get that shipped by the litre, but I suspect that's because of the clout of the rest of the entire world and not just lil' ol Canerduh.

We do pretty much everything else in metric; temperature, food weight, etc.

X

I see. I think most metric beer tastes better too.... Guinness FTW!!!

Nah Man, its all about the Smithwicks! Boddingtons isn't bad either, though its English, not Irish (Not that there is anything wrong with that). Strongbow is also good if you like a cider ale. As for the Guinness, well I like that to, but it has to be cold.

Sadly, you are correct about us backward south guys down here X. If we could just get our act together and switch, there would be a lot less confusion. Metric is so much easier.

Matt

Yeah, I'm just pulling your leg X. I'm an engineer and the British system is an embarrassment on the US in my opinion. It is going to hurt us extremely bad in the next twenty years, as the Indian and Chinese markets grow to eclipse ours.

Matt, as for Smithwicks, Boddingtons, etc... I am a fan of them all. Strongbow, not so much, a I'm not a big fan of ciders in general. Whenever I get the chance to be in the UK for whatever reason, I make it a point to find a hole in the wall pub and sample the finer rotten barley waters.

Additionally, I am a home brewer. Admittedly, not hard-core (I don't mash and sparge), but one nonetheless. I am guessing the population of these boards has a higher than average population of homebrewers as well. I would attribute this to both the 'do it yourself' attitude and the love for the finer things in life displayed here.

- John

Yeah, my buddy and I were going to try home brewing, but we were sure what to get as far as equipment goes. If you have any links or information, I would certainly appreciate it. To be honest, my favorite ales come from micro breweries here in the US. Nimbus here in Tucson is very good. I also enjoy Four Peeks out of Tempe, and Rogue out of Oregon, along with a few others across the country.

Brewing is something I am very interested in.

Matt

P.S. I wasn't trying to bash your beer tastes. I hope I didn't come off that way too much.