Looking for cheap suggestions

Hello there gents!

I'm sure most of you more experienced s/r shavers out there, who have made this your hobby, must be getting tired of all of us young pups, still in college, looking for cheap solutions. :p But I have another question regarding a cheap solution to touch up a razor.

I have a 5/8 Double Arrow that was given to me shave ready. I used it, probably close to a dozen times before the tug became too much, I am almost certain my raw stropping technique played some into that. Since then, I have had to revert back to my shavette and just fine I do not enjoy it as much, not to mention those corners are just not forgiving at all. :tameshigiri:

What would be the best, cheap (i.e.: as close to free as I can get ;)) option for a young college student with 3 kids to get this razor back into shaving order?

Thanks for all your advise. This really is the best community on the net!! :

Being a college student myself... I would say just take the hit this time and pay for it to be fixed, then when you can scrape together some funds cruise the classifieds for a barber's hone or try to get hold of a chinese 12k stone. Great for touching up a razor, and (nearly) idiot-proof in my experience (trust me, I tried).

Are you stropping your razor prior to each shave? Also, face prep is extremely important as well...

Hmm...you could put together a Pasted (with CrOx) Balsa strop.


I think some people here might be able to hook you up with a little bit of CrOx, or you can order a bottle of the Semi-Paste Chromium Oxide from HandAmerican.

It's cheap and will last you forever :) You may have to email the guys there, or call, since you can't order directly from the site.

The CrOx should be enough to bring the edge back to your razor easily as long as the edge isn't damaged. Take it to the CrOx for a few passes, then hit the leather strop and try it. If it's not quite enough, rinse and repeat.

*edit* Just out of curiosity, where did you get the "shave ready" razor from? Do you know who made it shave ready?

dward, yes I would strop 20 passes on denim and 20 on latigo before and after each shave. But, as I mentioned, my technique is still rather raw. I go slow, but even then, I have nicked my strop a couple of times, not bad, you can barely see/feel it, but I felt the blade bite the leather a couple of times.

As for the CrOx, it's on my list, but right now, I can't even, officially, make ends meet, so.... And the barber's hone, I would love to get one, but, I can't get that either right now.

I would try doubling the amount of strokes onthe leather.

For touch ups.... A barber hone and/or pasted strop

if you are willing to pay shipping I'll send you CrO, it will be enough for a few years at least.
Pm me if you are interested.

if you can pay for shipping i will hone it up for free just pm me and i will send you my mail info. and i will through in a barber hone and some cro. and call it merry christmas.