Thread: I have a problem...

I LOVE this last two posts from Glen & Jaswarb.

The guys that have the most trouble are the guys that need instant success. Don't ask how I might know that.

I shouldn't have used the word "impatient" in my post because it's imparting the wrong impression. Excited to get started might have been a more accurate description and I knew that the shave wasn't going to be great but I didn't care so much about that at the time as I did just getting started. For me, when something grabs my attention, I enjoy diving in because it give me more new experiences than taking it one step at a time. I could have purchased a new shave ready razor, the rest of the shaving accessories and called it good- sending the blade out when it needs to be sharpened. But that's not really my style. I bought several old razors because I wanted to learn to rescale, restore, hone, strop and shave. Sure, it's more challenging but it also more rapidly identifies areas of improvement and provides a more complete experience, which for me, is the point of doing this. I'm not demanding instant success, I'm not expecting someone else to tell me every possible place that I'm doing something wrong and I don't expect to achieve a perfect edge the first or second time I attempt honing a blade. I do expect to spend more time watching videos, reading threads and thinning blades until I achieve the results I want and achieving results that I want takes practice (and patience ;-), which is what I'm doing.

I do appreciate the feedback everyone has given.

Gssixgun, I assume you're Glen? I added my location and , as it turns out, you're only about 3.5 hours from me. It's funny, when I'm reading things online, I automatically assume the people responding are thousands of miles away. I wonder why that is?

Originally Posted by mustangman6799

So, this is my first post on SRP- I've been a member for about a week and a half now.

A couple/few weeks ago, I picked up a set of Chosera stones and started sharpening my knives. When that was done, I moved onto my friends' knives. The pleasure of being able to FINALLY create a magnificent edge naturally led to shaving. It starts with your butcher knife on your arm and it doesn't take long to progress to your butcher knife on your face- which is just a bad idea.

I decided I needed to get a straight razor and try it for real.

It's been a week. I've received four straight razors in the mail and there are many more on their way. I'm not rich- only one of the blades I've purchased was new(er). A Dovo Pearlex 6/8 (haven't received it yet). The rest have been a little of this and a little of that; but all old and in need of some amount of repair.

And this leads me to the problem. I don't have all of the equipment that I need. ............


Booowhaaaahhahahahah you NEVER WILL HAVE ENOUGH


I ask you, am I unique in this irrational obsession?

Lookup SAD HAD RAD

I'm really quite frugal most of the time but this, I just don't seem to have any self control. I guess, maybe, I'm looking for all of you other straight razor freaks to tell me that this is completely normal behavior and maybe, hopefully, I'll have my fill (soon) and be able to be a little more reasonable about what I decide to purchase, keep or sell. Then again, I've seen a few pictures on here of guys with 300 silver-tip brushes.

I think I'm screwed.

Down the slippery slope they go where they 're headed they can't know(part of the Honemeister's Chant)

Originally Posted by jaswarb

"I've worked my blades like I would a knife. Start with the 1k then progress through the 5k doing diminishing strokes on each side to keep the edge centered. I think it's worked ok- obviously not great- but I attributed that to not having a high enough grit stone and an improper strop. What's your take? "

TOO many variables creates confusion, frustration, and often times failure. We want you to succeed.

If you like learning to swim while cliff diving jump in. Don't expect anyone else to sort through all the possible reasons your are experiencing problems as it usually can't be done.

Having said all that I have a few lumps from hitting the bottom of the bay while working on my breast stroke. They mostly heal fade with time. YMMV

It just keeps getting better

Originally Posted by mustangman6799

I do appreciate the feedback everyone has given.

WE appreciate having another victim er I mean member who will post his successes and his failures with lots of photos

It just keeps getting better

Originally Posted by mustangman6799

Gssixgun, I assume you're Glen? I added my location and , as it turns out, you're only about 3.5 hours from me. It's funny, when I'm reading things online, I automatically assume the people responding are thousands of miles away. I wonder why that is?

Nice !!!! Guess what

We have a rather large and Active PNW member base in fact we have been known to have two Get-togethers per year up here, Usually one in the Spring in Yakima and the up coming one Oct 14Th in Spokane... Consider yourself invited I promise you will learn more in the one or two days of the meet then Months of reading and struggling through..

Here are the deatails so far

http://straightrazorpalace.com/get-t...pokane-wa.html

and Yes I am Glen welcome to SRP

So, these are the results of my second shave. First of all, I was much more comfortable and confident than I was the first time. I discovered my hones were not nearly as flat as I thought (I don't have my flattener yet so I was just working off of the factory face and this is after sharpening about 20 knives). I flattened my stones with 220 wet/dry on a piece of glass under running water. I reset the bevel on the razors and followed Gssixgun's video of one stone hone nearly to a "T". I only have up to a 5k stone at the moment and no real strop so, this is the result of that sharpening regimen. It's a little sharper than what I had the first go 'round, but still not where It needs to be to be a smooth shave. And I don't have proper shaving cream yet either. I have a small mole on the left side of my face- well, most of a small mole after this shave- and I started to Van Gogh my ear.

Also, Glen, I was reading another forum where you said you have never used Chosera's. I don't know how old it was, but if that's still the case, would you want me to bring mine to the shave meet in Spoke?

Thanks guys!

Why isn't there a smiley withe blood spurting out of it? I think that would be fitting for a forum of this topic.

That post was probably old hehehe

But I do not own the higher grits so you betcha bring the Choseras, I do have the 1k Green Machine..

Originally Posted by gssixgun

That post was probably old hehehe

But I do not own the higher grits so you betcha bring the Choseras, I do have the 1k Green Machine..

LOL a few of us got our working stones long before Chosera stones showed up, kind of expensive to keep chasing the new stones out there Ya I chase much older stones now... don't know whats worse

Well, I know I've spent way too much money on stones over the last couple of weeks. If my wife didn't think they were just "rectangular rocks, how much could they cost", she might not be too happy.

This raises a good question though. I'm pretty sure they were sharpening razors long before Chosera's and even before Japan could ship stones to the US. I've seen a lot of really old razor hones on ebay for like $5.00. Is it really necessary to invest $600.00+ on synthetic Japanese stones? Or worse, thousands on natural Japanese stones? I already have a 1k,3k,5k Chosera, could I spend another ten bucks, get an old hone, flatten it and still achieve excellent results?

I'm guessing the modern synthetics just do the same thing the old ones did but faster. I don't know though.

Originally Posted by mustangman6799

Well, I already have a 1k,3k,5k Chosera, could I spend another ten bucks, get an old hone, flatten it and still achieve excellent results?

I'm guessing the modern synthetics just do the same thing the old ones did but faster. I don't know though.

Simple answer

1. NO

2. Not really

Good answer, get a Norton 8k. It is the standard and when you can get a wonderful satisfying smooth shave with it one of the plethora of finishing options would become helpful.

Theoretically you could come off the 5k and finish on cardboard then strop on your hand or your belt or wallet but really you won't be happy. You have already stepped into a parallel
universe where the options never end and the quest always begins...........

You're asking the wrong people when it comes to buying stones and hones, like asking a crack addict if you should buy more crack

You are working off the 1-3-5 Chosera's the logical next step is the 10k Chosera, ($285) but you could actually take any next step you want just so long as it is higher or smoother.. You could stay Naniwa also but switch to their Super Stone Line in 8-10-or 12k which are considered by most to be better for razors..

The Chosera 10k has never been hugely popular with SR shavers even though it is an excellent stone, it tends toward the harsh side for edges (YMMV)

After the Chosera 5k really you could go any direction you chose, you are getting a sharp shaving edge, you just need to add the smooth to the equation...