Thread: Were I to start over...

The topic as to what we would do were we to start all over again, seems to pop up in different threads from time to time. “Well if I were to be buying a set of hones today, I would buy stone ABC rather than the CDE’s I got when I started.” “I wish I had started with Creams over Soaps.” Etc., etc.

I thought it might be fun to formalize this. Just cut and paste the below format and have at it. I think it will be very helpful and advantageous to many of the members.



1 - Introduction:
Hi! I am , and I have been using a straight for about .

2 - Pre-Shave / Creams / Soaps / the Brush / Post Shave:
Eg: Here is what I have learned about…
Eg: I always liked Alcohol but…

3 - The Shave using a Straight (or DE):
Eg: Here’s what I wish I knew before starting…

4- Stropping:

5 - Maintaining a Straights Edge:

6 - Honing:

7 - Conclusion:
Eg: You know after all that, I think the think where I to have changed…

8 - Other:


Feel free to go wild, but let’s try to stay to the format so that if someone just wants to review say strops, they know where to look. Of course, don’t feel obliged to fill everything out. If you don’t want to – just leave it blank.

Your thoughts could make an impact!! I hope this takes off!

Hi I'm Matt and I've been using a straight for over 6 months.
2. I do no preshave other than wet my face, I prefer soaps and face lathering , it's quick and easy. I use razorock and petal pusher fancies . My favorite brushes are my boars, they seem to lift the hairs better.
3 I shave with both hands , single pass on my cheeks 2 passes on my neck . I have a beard so the technical bits I don't worry about
4. My strop is just a plain jane leather I do 20 on the suede side and 60 on the smooth side, before and after shaving
5 ill refresh occasionally on my norton 8k just a few laps, I don't use pastes or finishers. I am considering a 12k in the future
6 I have a norton set 250/1k combo and 4k/8k combo. I can do a decent job on everything but wedges :/
7 so what I would have changed is spending a bit more for a strop with a linen piece, and not drive myself crazy at not being able to bowl lather worth a hoot lol.
8 I'm very appreciative of all the help I've received directly and indirectly on this site. I've made a few purchases on the classifieds and one of the members included some blades to practice on. Well my 9year old son loves working with his hands likes everything about the ritual I do with shaving. 2 of the blades sent were almost identical and I'm now in the process of getting details to another member to make a matching father /son set. We are both excited and that would have never happened without the gents on this site. I would mention the members involved but I respect privacy.

1 - Introduction:

Hi!
I am Ed , and I have been using a straight for a little over a year.

2 - Pre-Shave / Creams / Soaps / the Brush / Post Shave:

No pre-shave routine per say, shower and shave...
I love C.O. Bigelow
I have learned that I do not like the smell of almonds. LOL
I do however LOVE the smell and feel of eucalyptus!

I have just started to turn my own brush handles so this has me busy learning ANOTHER skill.

Post shave lets you know if you did a good job on the shave!
I never thought I would be searching for so many colognes


3 - The Shave using a Straight:


Here is what I have learned about SR shaving:

I always was fascinated with the idea of using a Straight.
My oldest Son went with his friends to the Art of Shaving and put the bug back in my ear.
A few weeks later I had ordered my first SR.
I am GLAD that I got it from a reputable dealer and that it came SHAVE READY!

4- Stropping:

Stropping is not that hard.
YES I have cut my strop and there are a few war wounds on it but it is pretty easy if you go slowly at first to get muscle memory.

5 - Maintaining a Straights Edge:

I absolutely LOVE trying to get the best edge I can on my razors.

6 - Honing:

I am SO GLAD that I found this forum!
I have purchased stones based on the experience of fellow members and staff here.
No wasting money on cheap junk that does not work...

7 - Conclusion:

You know after all that, I think the thing I would have changed would be NOTHING!
I found the BEST resource on the web for Straight Razors and I have had a BLAST learning from some of the NICEST and MOST HELPFUL people I have come to know.

8 - Other:

I also found that restoring Straights is SUPER FUN!
With a LOT of help and encouragement from the guys here I feel like I do an okay job on the restoring front.
I am happy with my results and if I can get someone to try and restore their own razor I am more than willing to try and help anyway that I can!

Also I have learned that what I thought would be a way to save money by not having to buy disposables is just not true.
Now if someone can get 1 or 2 razors by all means you CAN save money.
I have a VERY addictive personality so my collection keeps growing and growing...

Oh well someone someday will have a bunch of nice razors.

Hi, My Name Is Bill,I strop, I lather, than I shave,rinse, done, 10 mins and out.just what I do.

1 - Introduction:
Hi! I'm Blake, I have been using straights for just over 9 months.

2 - Pre-Shave / Creams / Soaps / the Brush / Post Shave:
I don't use a pre shave other than hot water or a shower.

I like lots of creams, TOBS and body shop macaroot are probably the ones that most people use, But my every day cream is Ted Baker 02 shave cream from Boots in the UK. I have well over 20 creams. And I use the Ted baker for 90% of my shaves. When you go to buy be selective and ask the wife what she likes!! Mine hates sandalwood, So that's 1 tub of TOBS I should not have bought! The other soaps that are great to try are the cheap supermarket ones. There are some in the UK that can be picked up for pennies like Palmolive, Erasmic, and Ingram. These products are worth picking up just because they give you a cheap product to test on. And I quite like the Ingram creme.

My brush is Boar. A £10 omega. I have no plans for a badger or synthetic brush. Boar is a very competent bristle, and with a little breaking in is a very usable product.

Witch hazel splash, And Nivea Sensitive ASB.

3 - The Shave using a Straight (or DE):
Straight, 6/8 is my preference. Both hands 2 or 3 passes everywhere. I've yet to cut myself. I've picked 1 very specific razor brand and am working to get a 7 day set of those. So while I will and do have multiple razors I can keep myself in check from just going wild. Recently I've not seen many of these razors auctioned and that is something I like as it means I get to be even more frugal!

Vintage razors are not something to be feared, If you want to learn to shave getting a good brand new razor is ideal, But picking up an ugly vintage with a 0 defect blade and sending it out to be sorted is probably going to be cheaper. If your doing the vintage route the blade is everything, Learn to spot problems on a razor in bad pictures, and you won't go wrong. If you do end up with a lemon make sure it's a cheap one.

My first razor was £150, New, It's a good razor. In all fairness I use is probably once a month. The razor I like the most is a cheap £15 vintage that feels right... Quality in this hobby isn't set by price.

4- Stropping:
Balsa crox paddle, Veg tan Crox 18"x2 1/2" strap (home made), Custom strop, Oiled leather + veg tan, 18" x 3". Made by a leather worker friend for me.

I tend to just use the Crox strap 10-20 laps, and the oiled side of the strop, normally for 100 laps.

5 - Maintaining a Straights Edge:
Singer sewing machine oil.
Balsa polishing block with Crox. Just a square of 1/2" balsa with one corner rounded... It's fantastic at blade polishing.
Microfiber cloths.
Silica gel sachets in every razor box.

Any mineral oil will work as a blade wipe, I only use the sewing machine oil because I have is specifically for my finishing hones. Baby oil is as good as any oil you can get if you don't need it to hone with.
Microfiber cloths are perfect for razors, They don't scratch, or leave lint. And there pretty disposable if you get the supermarket variety. They also serve as nice backdrops to take pictures of your razors on.
Silica Gel sachets are perfect for razors. Just drop the ones you get in packages into the razor boxes and replace them every year. You have to be doing something very wrong to cause your blade to corrode if your using them.

6 - Honing:
King 1/6
Naniwa 5,8,12K super stones.
Trans black Arkansas
And a shed full of various grades of rock hounded Charnley forest.

I'm happy with all the hones, Even the 6K side of the King, even tho it is now redundant. If I had to start again I would probably still buy that stone first because for all it's flaws it gives a lot of room to sort the more important things like getting a good brush, soap and strop and razor.

My honing rotation ATM is King 1K, 5, 8, 12K naniwa, Then I get to pick a finisher depending on the razor.

There are hones I want, There are no hones I NEED. There are always better rocks, And those rocks will suck up as much money as razors if you let them. Pick a full system before you buy a rock. Work out the price for the full system. Then split that cost over a year.

So if you want to get a 1,3,5,8,12K progression, work out the total cost.

Then split the year and budget each rock into that year, Taking the most important rocks first. So 5,8 in quarter 1, 12K in quarter 2. Then the 1,3 in quarter 4. If you do this your wife won't notice... Just stop putting fuel in her car

7 - Conclusion:
I think I'm on the right path, I've picked a single brand of razor to collect. And allow a monthly budget for them.
My hones are good, I need a 3K naniwa super stone and a full size 1K, Neither are important atm.
The most important thing with razors is take your time, If your in a hurry then things seem to want to go wrong. And for me that's not just with shaving. Honing and even buying all benefit from just taking a few mins to have a brew and calm yourself down a little.
Listen to all advice, even the stuff you don't want to hear.

8 - Other:
Never mention peanuts. Never liken peanuts to hones.... It'll come back to haunt you.


When starting pick your budgets.

1 - Introduction:
Hi! I am MIke, and I have been using a straight for almost exactly 3 years

2 - Pre-Shave / Creams / Soaps / the Brush / Post Shave:
I use old school Williams Mug Soap and VDH ... sorry, I just like em'
I don't really wish for alot more

3 - The Shave using a Straight (or DE):
Here’s what I wish I knew before starting… DON'T SHAVE WHEN YOU ARE DRUNK !!!

4- Stropping:
I love my old Vintage Clauss Shell strop

5 - Maintaining a Straights Edge:
I wish I had bought a DMT, Norton 4/8 and a Naniwa 12k first!

6 - Honing:
Coticules and Charnley Forest hones are NOT created equal
Coticules are VERY different one from another

7 - Conclusion:
I wish MY dad had taught me to shave with a straight so i could have enjoyed it my WHOLE life

8 - Other:
I wish I could have had friends as good as the people here on SRP throughout my life so I didn't turn out to be such a cynical bastard!

As always fellas, my best regards
Mike

Are you saying you want folks to do this with the knowledge they have now about shaving or just what they would do if they were starting cold again?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Are you saying you want folks to do this with the knowledge they have now about shaving or just what they would do if they were starting cold again?

I am kind of enjoying how people have interpreted it for themselves . It was however, my intention to have members reply with what they know now were they starting cold!

Thanks for clearing that up.

I guess it would have been better had I said in as very Kansas-sentric way lol, your house got blown away in a tornado. You lost everything, but are starting fresh with a little insurance money. What did you learn and how would you go about it now?

I never have been concise!

1 - Introduction:
Hi! I am Jerry, and I have been using a straight for about 1 1/2 years. I am hooked and can never stop.

2 - Pre-Shave / Creams / Soaps / the Brush / Post Shave:
I can add as much to this ritual as I have time to enjoy or I can just wet my face with the brush (hot water) and hit the puck for face lathering. The later is mostly what I do every morning before work. I finish with an after shave and no cologne or an after lotion and cologne. I have 5 brushes in rotation, all in different sizes. 2 horse and 3 badger. I gave boar a try but I get enough scritchy from a black or grey badger thank you.

I always liked Alcohol but…I never drink and shave :<0)

3 - The Shave using a Straight (or DE):
I have 2 DEs I tried but never use which came in a lot of brushes and stuff. My start was typical I guess and I don't think I could have done much better. A few kitty scratches in the beginning from not paying attention or being in a hurry. I have gotten so used to using a straight that I have to be careful on those mornings I wake up a little late and get all hurried. If I don't have a chat with myself in the mirror when I start the razor will remind me to slow down within 3 or 4 strokes on the cheek. I get more " Oh that could of- should of hurt" instances than I do cuts.

4- Stropping: I had some latigo and made a paddle then a piece of horse hide and an old linen strap off a vintage strop on a paddle I made. Got used to it , it works , haven't had a desire to change yet. And I do have a horse butt hide and enough leather to make a saddle or 2. latigo and natural tanned.

5 - Maintaining a Straights Edge: I have mostly used the strop to maintain all my edges but given the amount of razors I own that is not bragging. See Honing:

6 - Honing: I started off with an edge Glen put on a Duck for me. While I waited I bought a 4/8 Norton and practiced on a few others I had. I then got a king 250/1k and started buying and using more razors. I was very content with that set up for a year and then I went back over all the razors (cept 1) on a new 12k nani. 4 months later I went over them all again with a new Zulu Grey. I think that will be the end of the hone story for a long time. I can do whatever I want on that set. I may have RAD so bad I can't catch the rest of the ADs. Oh.... except if there is one for shop stuff :<0) read on....

7 - Conclusion:
I wouldn't change a thing. I learned with each mistake and taking the advice and learning what I needed along the way in SRP has led me to a being a happy shaving guy.

8 - Other: Now along the way I have restored razors, brushes and made a few strops. I have acquired/built some toys in the shop. I have a few RSOs laying on the bench and when finished that should (in Darth 's voice) "Complete my training". Then I will rule the galaxy.

Wow all that from deciding to use a straight? I am having fun,,,,what can I say.

guess it would have been better had I said in as very Kansas-sentric way lol, your house got blown away in a tornado. You lost everything, but are starting fresh with a little insurance money. What did you learn and how would you go about it now?

That's a totally different question for me.

I'd start with a bottom end razor from dovo or revisor, From a seller who supplies them honed. And expect to pay £60.

I'd get a leather off-cut. That is long enough and wide enough to make 2 strops. 1 for crox, 1 naked. And some para-cord to make loops and handles. I'd expect to pay £15.

And I would get the £10 omega brush from my local pharmacy, and there special soap called ted baker 02. total cost £18.


With that £98 spent I could shave for a very long time without needing rocks to touch up on.


If the house was gone I think that would be a fair budget to spend as well.