Welcome athair from a SRP member in Forest Grove. There are a lot of members in this neck of the woods. I suggest that you get together with a mentor to make sure your razor is properly honed and have a one on one with him to answer many of your questions with out the delay of posting back and forth. One thing he, and I and a lot of members will say, is do not, repeat, do not try to hone your own at this time till you can manage a series of proper technique shaves. My mentor is pinklather, he lives in Scapoose, not that far. Send him a PM about getting together with him. He will, time permitting be more than happy to do a one on one. If you do arrange a meeting and transportation is a problem (don't know if you are a student or what on a limited budget) you can take Max out to Hillsboro and I'll take you the rest of the way. I always enjoy meeting with him.

Razorfeld