Thread: Best Tips

Stropping can be every bit as difficult to get the hang of a honing...it was for me anyway. I found when I would make a mistake quite often it was because I was involving my wrist when rolling the razor to change sides or perhaps, canting my hand in a different way, ever so slightly is enough...to avoid this, I slowed down and would concentrated on maintaining a consistant wrist position and would use only my thumb & index finger to roll the razor over on it's spin. This also seems to help me keep a lighter pressure on the stroke.

I will note as well, that recently, I read someone offer the advice to a member with a stropping question to practice with a dull table knife to get that muscle memory somewhat engrained before using a razor and possibily/probably rolling an edge or nicking your strop. I'd already paidd my dues before reading that, but, I think it is an excellent suggestion for a new comer.

"It is not recommended that you try to shave your entire face the first time you shave with a straight razor."

Without this tip I am pretty sure that I would have tried to do too much and had a poor first experience.

i read alot before i started to hone and the best advise i got here was to buy a scope at radio shack for 12.99 and look at your 1k bevel to make sure it was even and also to detect any imperfections in the blade, like cracks and rust that you have to hone past. the list is very long on great advise that comes for this great brotherhood of SRP

Read the Wiki.
Shave at night.
Watch the faucet.
Don't shave naked.

Have enough confidence to perform your maneuver smoothly. If you have to think about it too much while the razor is up to your face, put it down.

1) Get Lynn's dvd
2) Skin stretching is important
3) Honing pyramid

I thought this would be a fun one to resurrect to see what other new tips have come up and for the new guys to get a chance to go through these.

Have fun.

The use of the alum block will make the shave that much better.It just soothes the face after a shave and gets it ready for a nice balm and all is good.

My razors were not staying sharp and a mate of mine in the UK - said "Your not doing x-strokes ?" !
So lo and behold , I started doing that and by crom , they sharpened right up . Reason I didn't before , was I read that beginners should stick with easy up and down strokes . Since I had a 3 " wide strop thought I was doing well .
Better late than never !

Cheers,

Scott

My best advice to a new shaver would be to KNOW YOUR FACE. Feel in which direction your hair grows everywhere you'll be shaving...then learn to shave with the grain first.