Thread: What I Wish I'd Known

Originally Posted by mbaglio100

Can you expand on this please? Examples, perhaps...

Thanks!

First, in the simplist perspective, honing extensively over time is easier than all at once. The edge may get sharper in some sections or have small issues. These usually aren't problems unless you are trying to solve them under time pressure. Than, many times, you choose the wrong corrective action, when something much more effective would have been better. Slower, certainly. Although a shave test is a good indicator of the quality of an edge, 10 shave tests, followed by pre-shave stropping, is a more reliable and accurate assessment.

Second, I think it just takes time to get to know a razor. Even after they have been honed that doesn't mean that you have found the answer for how that razor needs to be honed so that it keeps an edge indefitely.

Another point is that stropping sets up the edge, which can mean that the razor seems to need to be rehoned again. With extensive stropping you've reset the edge slightly, so then re-honing allows a compensation of the edge that is already in place. You'll notice occasionally someone point out that they pushed through a honing session by stropping in the midst of the honing session. I don't know what this does, only that it can help.

It seems weird, but if you think about it, honing the razor and saying "it's done" without doing extensive stropping and shaving doesn't really make any sense either.

The most common example I can give you is the guy who shaves with a razor once and decides that it's too rough/sharp. Or, the guy who says the razor is too dull at the first shave. Both of these situations can be cured with extensive stropping. So if you give yourself a few shaves, maybe 10 to continue tweeking the edge and continue stropping as you go you'll start to get a better sense of what the razor should be behaving like. Too many guys just keep on honing, and honing, and honing, never realizing that the real problem is the way the edge feels after honing.

AFDavis11 makes the point for a longish break in of blades. I find that very interesting, and not something I had given much thought to. I have always said that the best shave was 3 shaves after honing. But, I had never thought about the break in period, in actuality, sometimes extending over a much longer period.

Thanks!

In addition, I think it takes my face a few shaves to get used to the edge.

What advice helped you the most?

That "little to no pressure" during final honing isn't just a figure of speech.

Spending money is no substitute for acquiring skill.

Found this thread when looking for something else and felt to post a view.

While the topic reflects "in retrospect", I will go with others have added on what advice helped me.

I was keen to take a dip in straight shaves (and yet learning to do so), however reading threads on expensive equipment owned by members like expensive new razors, 2-3 types of specialty honing stones with famous brands, expensive strops put me off as it being a hobby of the rich !!

Till one of my good friends who was talking to Larry for straight shave kits bought and gifted me a kit from Larry along with a compilation of all communication he had exchanged with Larry to clear his concepts.

This was providence working for me. Except for applying myself to better technique, I have not had to worry about a thing.

One experience which has me most impressed is Larry quoting in one of the threads titled "Why are some better". I quote " If it is vintage, it is quality. Few exceptions!"


I am sold on that. I happy with a few vintages from Larry, his poor man's strop kit and a barber hone. I am richer by a few hundred dollars by not investing in the expensive stuff when just starting off. Any mistakes I make in ruining an edge or cutting the strop up are not costing me much !

I feel that those who buy all those expensive stones have come to a point where they actually find use for them, which I see no use for myself when starting off !

Too many pointers to pinpoint which one helped the most.

What did I learn myelf that I wish I had known? I used to wonder why my face was so raw after, when i first started. Now I realize it was because I was scraping my face for almost an hour because I was getting nowhere with my poor technique. Now I would recommend spending no more than 15-20 minutes with a straight. If that means you only do your cheeks, then fine. If that means you only do one pass on the whole face, then fine. Finish off with a DE or a Megablade if you have to,. As your technique improves you'll get further and further, without pain, or at least without alot of pain.

Reading the forums and knowing that all the growing pains that go along with learning to shave are normal. And that your on the right track. Plus the WIKI is a great source of education for anything from a-z.Being able to ask questions in the forum and getting a response from someone who is experianced to guide in the right direction.

Probably the best part of these forums is the activity. Too many other boards you post a question and sometimes never get an answer, other times it takes days, weeks, months. This place is great because you usually get a response within 30 minutes.
I know I feel compelled to put in my 2cents if I see a post with no response.

Originally Posted by beyboo

I am sold on that. I happy with a few vintages from Larry, his poor man's strop kit and a barber hone. I am richer by a few hundred dollars by not investing in the expensive stuff when just starting off. Any mistakes I make in ruining an edge or cutting the strop up are not costing me much !

I feel that those who buy all those expensive stones have come to a point where they actually find use for them, which I see no use for myself when starting off !

+1.

Honing is not magic. It just takes some trial and error to learn.
Until you can get a comfortable shave off an 8K stone, there is really no point in buying anything higher. And any cheap vintage razor will give you a good shave if you know how to hone it.

The one thing that I am finding is helping me with my honing at the moment is using an inexpensive usb microscope. Using a microscope there is no esoteric interpretation of the results of various edge tests.

Why is my razor pulling? Might have something to do with the way it looks like an old, miss used saw blade under magnification.

Not so much the advice, although there has been plenty of that. Probably encouragement and the assurance that for most people, mishaps are not uncommon.