Finally Diving In!

Hey all,

I just wanted to introduce myself real quick. My name is Ruben and I've finally registered on this site after probably a year or more of going to this site for information. I've wanted to dive into the world of shaving with a straight razor for the longest time but didn't know where to start. I have finally purchased several razors and a strop to get started after researching the do's and don'ts of what I should and shouldn't buy. I'm still not completely sure what I've purchased is what I'm really looking for but I'm sure I'll find out in the near future. I joined this site finally because I figure, as I start using a straight razor, I'll want to consult most of you with all my questions. I look forward to attempting that great shave I've received from barbers and I'm sure I'll be posting my own questions on here soon enough.

Dive in! The water's fine. Describe or post pics of your kit. We could comment further.
You have come to the right place. Welcome!

Welcome Ruben its good to see you here. Your in for a fun & rewarding experience using a straight. Lots to learn and plenty of practice will make this a passion like no other.
Again welcome.
Tarkus (Darl)

Welcome and ask away! This forum is the widest collection of people with even the widest sets of experience around. If one person can't answer your question there will be one right behind him waiting with his answers to your questions. And there is always the wiki. Enjoy the ride.

Thanks Sharptonn. I will definitely post pics as soon as I get the razors in. I went with vintage razors from ebay. One is "shave ready" which I know to not always to be true (something I found from this site) and one that I am going to turn around and send out to be honed. As I get more into this, I'll start looking into nicer razors but being that I'm a father of four, work full-time, and a full-time student, I need to spend my money wisely. That's why I figured I'd go the vintage razor route right now. As soon as I get the razors and strop in though, I'll be sure to load them up here for you all to see and comment. Thanks again.

welcome fellow WA stater...

Excellent choice to dive in. Also nice to see another member with webbed feet :)

Thanks all for the warm invite and to my fellow Washingtonians. You guys don't happen to know of any reputable businesses here in Washington that can hone well do you?

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Originally Posted by rub1401

Thanks all for the warm invite and to my fellow Washingtonians. You guys don't happen to know of any reputable businesses here in Washington that can hone well do you?

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Your a day away via mail from some of the best hone artists in the buis,ck the classifieds under members services.
Wellcome to SRP

Gday and welcome from WA (oz). Need help just ask away were here to convert the masses 1 shaver at a time. Just watch out for the ADs they will cripple your wallet.

Welcome, as has been said, ask away. You really don't have to spend a great deal to get set up, though it is very tempting to accumulate stuff.
Aside from your razors (2 is a good number) and strop (only one needed) do you have a brush and soap etc?
At some point you might want to start maintaining your edge with a hone, but you don't need to worry about that for a while. Let someone who knows what they are doing do it for you the first few times.
Regards ed.

Thanks Eddy. What are the ADs? Vendors?

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Originally Posted by rub1401

Thanks Eddy. What are the ADs? Vendors?

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Acquisition disorders. Or buying multiple of the same thing for no other reason than you can't help yourself. In my opinion it's best to try not to cultivate any :)

Welcome! Beware of RAD. I am only now beginning to recover after a year of razor acquisition madness.

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

Acquisition disorders. Or buying multiple of the same thing for no other reason than you can't help yourself. In my opinion it's best to try not to cultivate any :)

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Never tried they just snuck up on me and emptied my wallet and then left again.

haha. Thanks for the heads up on the RAD. I can already see it happening...

I am about to embark on my first shave. I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes. I'm going to take little steps as I read in one of the shaving for beginners forums I read in here. With the grain, one side from side burn to jaw bone, finish as I would normally.

Welcome Rub1401! Looks like our WA Clan is growing... SWEET! We have a Meet coming up in the Spring (Date TBA) in Yakima and have a discussion here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/get-t...ttle-meet.html

.. about trying to set up a Meet for the Seattle/Portland crowd.

This would be an SRP location to find someone to Hone:

Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Best of luck with your Shaving and have fun! :-)

Shawn
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Originally Posted by rub1401

I am about to embark on my first shave. I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes. I'm going to take little steps as I read in one of the shaving for beginners forums I read in here. With the grain, one side from side burn to jaw bone, finish as I would normally.

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I am predicting that you won't actually be.this restrained, but either way hope it goes well.

...and you were correct. I wasn't able to be so restrained. I did both sides each of the last two days from side burn to jaw line. First day I shaved with a vintage razor that has no name. It's a 7/8 razor that was honed and stripped before shipment but it felt like it was pulling rather than cutting but it wasn't incredibly horrible either. I think had I would have stripped before the shave it would have been better.

Day 2 I shaved with my other new razor. It is a 5/8 and way more comfortable to me. I know I will get grief from this one but it was a gold dollar #66 shave ready I read good reviews on Amazon which is why I bought it. I stropped 50/50 before shaving and it felt great. Tomorrow I want to strop the vintage and see if it feels better.

Everything else was the same both days. Good lather, nice hot towel prep, same hold, 30-degree angle. Only difference was the stropping.

Thoughts / tips anyone?

Attachment 142565Attachment 142566

I believe that you would require different relative angles depending on the blade width, also 5/8 razors are the recommended size when starting out from what I have seen.
If you like the gold.dollar, then keep using it, I have heard that they are not well liked is because they are quite hit and miss with quality control, but once they are actually honed to shave ready they are perfectly good razors, though I have never owned one so that is based on various comments I have read by others.
I would refine your technique with the gold dollar if that's your preferred razor, then once you have got good shaves reasonably consistently then revisit your other razor.
Sorry if you have said but where did the no name come from? Bear in mind that shave ready means different things to different people. I saw a razor on eBay that was described as having been honed on a 12k stone and should be shave ready. The should is the worrying part there, either it is or it isn't as far as the seller is concerned.

I think I'm going to take your advice Ed and send my "shave ready" out so that it can actually get shave ready. I tried again yesterday after using the gold dollar for a couple days with the no name vintage just to see if the first shave with it was a fluke. Sure enough, it still didn't feel right in my hand and it was an uncomfortable shave. Seems like it pulling my hair. That was definitely the last time using it until its professionally honed. I bought it off of ebay and the seller wrote in the advertisement it had been honed on 4k, 8k, 10k stones. I have another razor to send out as well so I'll send out both of my vintage razors while continuing with the gold dollar.