Thread: Any advice for a beginner?

Hi everyone

I have never shaved with a straight razor and I just stumbled into the art of wetshaving and DE or Straight Razor and I'm loving what I'm learning.

I got a straight razor yesterday from ebay. It is a "Kriegar" that cost $15 brand new. I know it's a POS but I wanted to learn to hone without dropping a bunch of cash. I also have a 350/600 grit DMT Diamond "stone" and a 4000/8000 Norton stone. The razor was not shave ready at all. It rips paper and I have no problem rubbing my thumb directly on the blade edge. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos and since the blade was in good condition with no nicks or distortions I started with the 8000 stone. I flattened the stone by making markings with a pencil and using the DMT. I used only the weight of the blade and kept the spine and edge on the stone.

So far so good?

No luck. If I hold the blade down on the stone in sharpening position there is no smooth transition from stone to blade. I've move down to the lower grits and back up again the edge is like a double bevel not a hollow ground. The spine is getting worn down and the blade is still wide at the edge. The first bevel is a wide +1/16th inch with the second bevel forming that is butter knife sharp.

I know my technique is probably lacking but what do you guys think is going on?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Mark

The blade is a cheap POS, there is nothing you can do. For 15$ you could get a decent vintage razor from fleabay and that razor would have been ready to come back to life. Sorry, but there just isnt anything you can do with bad steel.

If the honing you are doing now isn't reaching the blade edge, you could try adding a few layers of electrical tape along the spine until it does. Who knows, the steeper angle might even help create a sharp, usable edge despite the poor steel? (I have no experience of this make.)

Bad luck on the razor, but it'll never shave. Since you already have stones, you could do what Nun suggested & get a vintage from ebuy. Honing takes some practise so a shave ready from the classifieds is another option. Hell, do both! Learn to hone on one & learn to shave with the other. Just don't give up easily & you'll be rewarded!

Kind of suprised you dopped the cash on the Norton and dmt, but cheaped out on the razor.

I would check the classifieds and get a shave ready razor. should be able to find one $30-$60

Kind of suprised you dopped the cash on the Norton and dmt, but cheaped out on the razor

I already had the stones because I'm also learning to sharpen kitchen knives.

I think the shave ready and hone practice is the way to go. I thought I was doing the right thing getting the cheap one but there is a reason why it's cheap, bad steel. Lesson learned for $15.

Thanks for the help

If you're using them for knives too, make sure the stones are lapped flat. Vintage razors are all quality steel, at least, nobody's found a maker to avoid yet! Most people recommend a round tip for a beginner, but as long as you're careful go with what you like the look of. Just take care not to lop off an ear with the others!
Plenty more advice here as you progress & the guys are keen to help you learn!