Thread: Some guidance please

Good morning all! I could use some advice. My one and only razor (a real dowdy, beat up Joseph Elliot that I got in a junk shop) is dull to the point of being a pain in the face. I don't have honing stones yet, but also feel the razor really needs some work before I send it out (it needs new scales, cleaning, honing, the whole works). It's been a good trainer for me, but I think my face needs something a little better.

The short story is this - I have $130 to throw at the issue. Should I invest in the stones now and try to save this thing or spend the same money on a shave ready razor (something I haven't even felt yet) that will feel great right away? I see in the classifiedes a lot of great things, but am not sure how to proceed.

Any words of wisdom would be GREATLY appreciated!

Many, many thanks to all - Julian

hmm, off the top of my head...

$30-$50 shave ready razor in the classifieds.
$20 to have your current razor honed by an expert
$20-$30 for a barber hone to maintain razors.

$60 left over for beer.

Originally Posted by ethermantis

Good morning all! I could use some advice. My one and only razor (a real dowdy, beat up Joseph Elliot that I got in a junk shop) is dull to the point of being a pain in the face. I don't have honing stones yet, but also feel the razor really needs some work before I send it out (it needs new scales, cleaning, honing, the whole works). It's been a good trainer for me, but I think my face needs something a little better.

The short story is this - I have $130 to throw at the issue. Should I invest in the stones now and try to save this thing or spend the same money on a shave ready razor (something I haven't even felt yet) that will feel great right away? I see in the classifiedes a lot of great things, but am not sure how to proceed.

Any words of wisdom would be GREATLY appreciated!

Many, many thanks to all - Julian

i would say will better buy shave ready one and you can save money. Now hones is different issue . You will need at least norton 4/8 to start with. Price will be in 70's +your shave ready razor price depends what you choose. at the end you will have new razor+old one +norton stone.
In long run you will need to spend a little more money.
Hope this helps.

btw...post a picture of your elliot

Thanks for the advice - that all seems to make sense. I'll comb the classifieds again and perhaps ask for some more comments. I'll put a picture of the JE tonight, although it's in such embarassing shape I'm almost ashamed to show people what I've been shaving with! The restoring work people have done here is really quite amazing...I couldn't be more impressed!

Julian

If you don't have any interest in honing I would purchase a shave ready, have the Elliot professionally honed and get a barber hone. I think it's nice to have two razors, in case something happens to one.

If you do have an interest in honing, I would purchase a shave ready razor. Then you'll have a benchmark to shoot for when you do begin honing, and you'll have something to shave with while you work on your Elliot. Check your local antique stores and flea markets for a barber hone. At least I've had better luck there than at ebay. Do you have a good strop?

If and when you decide to start working on the Elliot a good place to pick up Nortons is:

Norton Waterstones

So far I haven't seen a cheaper price for the (220/1000 & 4000/8000) combos. That would set you up for bevel setting to polishing, if you decided to get some dull razors to work with in the future.

You could probably get by with the 4000/8000 for your Elliot, but it's also possible the edge is worse than you think it is. I know I shaved with razors in the beginning thinking they were just fine, but in reality they had micro chips and needed a lot of work. So you might end up using the 1000 grit on it.

Just some thoughts and options. Good luck with whatever direction you go.

That's great - I am fully invested in the idea of self-honing , but I think I need to wait until I can afford the stones. The "buy shave ready" as benchmark seems to be the best idea. You'll see from my pic tonight that the blade doesn't just have a micro-chip, but something more along the lines of a macro-chip. Any advice about some of the blades in the classified section?

Another option to consider is the Gold Dollar at Ruprazor: $45.00 and comes shave ready. You can also get a Filly strop/Gold Dollar combo, if you need a practice strop for a decent price.

RupRazor - Home

Originally Posted by ethermantis

Any advice about some of the blades in the classified section?

Make sure the razor is listed as shave ready. I would also send the seller a PM and tell them your situation and what you're looking for.

In general terms here are some guidelines from the FAQ, if you haven't seen them.

Frequently Asked Questions - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Julian,
You have been given some great advice from the other folks. What they are telling you is definately the way to go.

If cash is an issue, I would be willing to take a look at your razor and hone it for free. If you are interested, just PM me and we can discuss the details.

Ray