First Post, First Thread

[Tack]

Hi Super, welcome to the forum. You gave yourself good advice at the end of that impressive first paragraph: send the Dovo to a reputable honing service - Lynn or Gssixgun, for instance, or a member listed in the classified - so you will have a reference standard for what a properly honed razor feels like. By the way, when the razor returns, you should shave without stropping the first time just in case your stropping technique is hurting the edge. When you do strop before the next shave, remember to use very little pressure and keep the strokes short (many beginners will raise the spine at the end of the away stroke when using a long stroke - it's just the mechanics of the human wrist).

A large selection of videos is available on youtube which canl help with shaving and stropping technique. You might also consider buying an ugly duckling from whippeddog - it won't be pretty but it'll give you a shave ready razor to use immediately and can become a test bed for honing after the Dovo returns. A shave ready razor used with proper stropping and beard prep, good shaving technique, and reasonable care to avoid corrosion can easily last six months or more between honings so you'll have plenty of time to develop some skills. You already have the basic tools for maintenance so don't be tempted to rush out and start buying other finishing stones (although you will later). If you cannot get a comfortable shave off the 8K then a "better" finisher will not help. Later on you can spend thousands of dollars so you can save that few hundred dollars per year that you used to spend on disposables.

rs,
Tack

[ReardenSteel]

Later on you can spend thousands of dollars so you can save that few hundred dollars per year on that you used to spend on disposables.

rs,
Tack

Too true! Welcome to SRP, sounds like some sound advice given so far. Enjoy the learning curve and experimentation to find out what works for you and if you have any questions, just ask.


P.S. If you have not done so already, be sure to sign up for the Monthly Give-away in the Beginners' Forum for a chance for some new to you gear.

[Attila]

Hi there Joe! Welcome to SRP. Some very good advice given above. I myself also purchased the Dovo En Vogue recently and have had some issues with the edge being shave ready. I will tell you that the En Vogue is not the easiest razor for a beginner to honing to try to take on. It would definitely be a good idea to send it to a recognized honemeister as others have suggested above. Keep the spine of the blade no more than 1 or 2 spine widths away from your face as too steep of an angle can also dull the blade. I myself managed to dull my edges the first couple of weeks with bad stropping technique. But the more you practice stropping and shaving the better both will get. Just keep at it and your shaves will get better. Make sure you read as much as you can and watch as many videos as you can both on this site and others.

Trying to learn honing as well as how to shave and strop properly all at the same time is a real uphill battle... Not one that is recommended and based on my own experiences I can see why. However, living in Canada and with postage expenses and shipping times being what they are I elected to learn how to hone my own razors. It has been a tough slog and eventually things improve but it makes it way harder when you are trying to learn all those things at once. If you can avoid it, I would highly recommend it.

[Phrank]

Hi there Joe! Welcome to SRP. Some very good advice given above. I myself also purchased the Dovo En Vogue recently and have had some issues with the edge being shave ready. I will tell you that the En Vogue is not the easiest razor for a beginner to honing to try to take on. It would definitely be a good idea to send it to a recognized honemeister as others have suggested above. Keep the spine of the blade no more than 1 or 2 spine widths away from your face as too steep of an angle can also dull the blade. I myself managed to dull my edges the first couple of weeks with bad stropping technique. But the more you practice stropping and shaving the better both will get. Just keep at it and your shaves will get better. Make sure you read as much as you can and watch as many videos as you can both on this site and others.

Trying to learn honing as well as how to shave and strop properly all at the same time is a real uphill battle... Not one that is recommended and based on my own experiences I can see why. However, living in Canada and with postage expenses and shipping times being what they are I elected to learn how to hone my own razors. It has been a tough slog and eventually things improve but it makes it way harder when you are trying to learn all those things at once. If you can avoid it, I would highly recommend it.

I would agree, I'm nearly a year in, still enjoying buying more razors, learning about the differences etc...figure when I've got about a 100 shaves under my belt, I *might* then start to look into honing. It is a goal to tune up razors on my own, right now, for the price, I send them off to Phil at the Classic Edge and I know I'm getting a properly honed razor. I figure, at some point, I will pick up an inexpensive razor, and use that to learn honing. I will have had 100 plus shaves by then with professionally honed razors, will know what that feels like, a can begin to experiment with honing on the inexpensive one and compare it to my other razors.

Having almost ruined one DOVO razor through chemical warfare, the last thing I want to do is ruin a nice razor through inexperienced honing!

Cheers!

[randydance062449]

Welcome to SRP

Here are a few SRP members in your state..........

http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...sername&order=

Try meeting up with someone close to you for some 1 on 1 help. It will shorten your learning curve a lot.

Hope this helps

[cudarunner]

Welcome to SRP

Here are a few SRP members in your state..........

http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...sername&order=

Try meeting up with someone close to you for some 1 on 1 help. It will shorten your learning curve a lot.

Hope this helps

Welcome to the most friendly, helpful and informative site on the web!!

You will find members here of all different backgrounds, ages and occupations from all corners of the world and all with a quest for more knowledge about using and maintaining a straight razor!

If you take the time to search, 99.9% of your questions can be found in the WIKI however feel free to ask us about whatever it is that you are wondering about or having a problem with. It does help if you’ve done some research before hand so it narrows the problem down a bit.

Randy's advice is spot on!!

Sanfte Rasur, mein Klingenbruder!

Smooth Shaving My Brother In Blades!

[Stubear]

Welcome

I've been at this game for a few years now, got into honing and restoration as well and thoroughly enjoy every minute of it..!

You're in the right place to get the information you need, plus any advice you might be after.

I'd definitely recommend having a read through as many of the beginners threads as you can, and then branch out into other areas once you have an understanding of the basics. Definitely check out the YouTube videos that Lynn, Glen and others have put up as well, those are a big help!

Good luck, welcome and keep us posted!

[Supermoto]

Thanks for all the advice guys, my dovo is going out to Lynn tomorrow. I also ordered an ugly duckling from whipped dog, you guys are great i should have joined 2 years ago, could have saved a ton of money and learn alot more. but better late then never