Thread: Tools and Techniques

Is there something about late May that causes everyone's skin to lose thickness? MSN Wetshavers just had a meltdown over misunderstood comments made by a couple of members, and now there's this argument going on.

Forgive me for blaspheming, but: it's just shaving. Fun, important, useful, addictive, and all the rest, it still doesn't seem worth getting all worked into a tizzy over these comments, especially when they're meant to be helpful.

Relax, guys!

Originally Posted by piper

Is there something about late May that causes everyone's skin to lose thickness? MSN Wetshavers just had a meltdown over misunderstood comments made by a couple of members, and now there's this argument going on.

Forgive me for blaspheming, but: it's just shaving. Fun, important, useful, addictive, and all the rest, it still doesn't seem worth getting all worked into a tizzy over these comments, especially when they're meant to be helpful.

Relax, guys!

Amen! There are as many ways to reach shaving nirvana as there are shavers.

No worries, we're fine.....Charlie and I are anyway

............now if AF Davis had not pasted my good hanging strop though <g>


Tony

Yikes!!!!

1. Please don't use my name unless it's me saying something and over the years, I've said more than enough to keep me in hot water.

2. We have always had a rule here that everyone is certainly free to express their opinions or disagree with anyone but..........we are not allowed to insult another member or the goods or services that member might be selling. There will be no exceptions to this. If anyone disagrees with something, say it and leave it be. Everyone here is entitled to their own experiences and opinions.

I have said for years that the Norton is the most consistent tool for a new guy learning to hone and for years, people have been learning with barber stones. I find barber stones inconsistent in grit and hard to handle because of their size, but some people like them or that may be all that is affordable to them. I used to use pastes and they were effective. Now I have found that the Belgium and Escher are more effective for me. Does that make pastes uneffective for others? Doubt it. Some people have belt grinders. Some people have belts that are strops to start. I love old hanging strops. I also love the strops Tony makes. I also love the Loom strops the Maestro makes. I have honed over 6000 straight razors and am starting to get the hang of it. Some folks hone one and are giving advice. I remember the first razor I got sharp enough to shave with and felt like I had caught my first fish on a fly I tied. I told the world.

I have had great advice from people regarding the use of straight razors, honing, collecting, soaps, aftershaves and all else involved here. I remain grateful for all the advice. Some worked and some didn't. None was given in spite.

I am not a fan of backhoning and have stated it on numerous occasions. There are however people who feel this works for them. I will not tell anyone who has a technique or tool that works for them that they are incorrect. I can only state what has and does work for me based on my experience.

This place is definitely here for new people to learn, but who among us is still not learning.

There are tons of razors I like better than others including the Wonderedge, but these are simply my tastes. Some folks like old razors, some new, some wide, some thinner, some of wood, some of ivory and on and on.........Everyone has a different beard and different preference for all that in involved in the use of straight razors.

Let's keep up the great spirit and closeness that we have established throughout the years. We have a ton of great and caring people in here. Yes, we have had our share of not so nice people as well, but we are way beyond this.

I am asking that we get past this thread and move on to what is the most important thing and that is sharing our knowledge and love of straight razor shaving and all that goes with it.

Thanks Guys.

Lynn

I've said my peace, now I have a strop to go clean . . . :-)

Tolerance gentlemen, tolerance.

Like I said earlier in this thread if a newbee asks a question and gets ten responses on how to hone his blade it doesn't mean nine guys are wrong and only one is right. All ten are right and its up to the newbee to experiment and decide which of those ten solutions is the right one for him.

As far as I'm concerned the only true experts out there in this thing are the guys who shaved with a straight 100 or so years ago when it was the only way to do it and there aren't too many of those guys left around. So that makes all of us novices. Some more advanced than others but still amateurs.

So now one has answered my original question yet. How do you KNOW you blade is sharp as opposed to do you THINK you blade is sharp?

How to know when a blade is sharp? Compare it with one honed by a honemeister so you have a truly sharp razor to compare you skills against With no baseline for comparison, how do you really know?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

As far as I'm concerned the only true experts out there in this thing are the guys who shaved with a straight 100 or so years ago when it was the only way to do it...

How do you create an expert straight razor shaver???
Why, teach his grandfather how to use a straight razor of course.

X

Originally Posted by sensei_kyle

How to know when a blade is sharp? Compare it with one honed by a honemeister so you have a truly sharp razor to compare you skills against With no baseline for comparison, how do you really know?

exactly what I meant!

Originally Posted by sensei_kyle

How to know when a blade is sharp? Compare it with one honed by a honemeister so you have a truly sharp razor to compare you skills against With no baseline for comparison, how do you really know?

Or, get a descent DE blade, load the shavette, and compare your efforts... Worked for me...

Nenad