Newby here, just found SRP yesterday & signed on!

:chapeau Hello everyone,my name is Jim (my user name is: nuoldhand47) & I'm a newbie, just found SRP yesterday & signed on! Seems like a GREAT place with some GREAT People & some Great advice for those that aren't up to speed on the use &/or questions about using a Straight Razor & everything associated with Straight Razors. Myself I know everything about Straight Razors & there use for shaving, I'm also delusional! But that's why I'm so glad that I stumbled on to SRP, I had gotten tired of using those throwaway plastic razors with 3 or more blades that seemed to slice & dice my face half the time when I shaved (read that "Self Sacrifice"), so I purchased a new old fashioned Safety Razor like the one I had when I first started shaving in the late 50's when I was in Junior High School. Anyway, since when I used those wonderful throw away plastic multi bladed razor & it was like a self sacrifice a lot of the time, I've decided that I'd like to try my hand at using a Straight Razor. I hope that with a careful, light hand I won't slice & dice my face any worse than the plastic, multi-bladed, Gillette/Schick razors did at times?
My Grandfather was born in 1895 & he used a Straight Razor to shave & I remember he had two razors, both were "Boker Tree Brand" made in Germany. I've looked at 5 of the Boker straight razors, namely these: the "EXTRA HOLLOW GROUND 4/8 inch.", the "EDELWEISS 5/8 inch", the "KING CUTTER 5/8 inch.", the "PICCADILLY 6/8 inch.", & the "SILVER STEEL 6/8 inch." Does anyone here at SRP have an Opinion on these razors? Being a newbie I need everyones help & opinions on Straight Razors/equipment & the use of same. I need ALL of your help so I don't commit Hara-kiri!!!

Hi, Jim. Welcome to SRP.

Hi Jim, welcome - there's a ton of good information here for someone of our age & experience to start straight shaving. I have been back in traditional wet shaving with safety razors for 5 or so years, beginning to get the hang of the straights after having tried and quit some time ago. There is a learning curve, but I am getting up to speed and if I can anyone can ..

Hello Jim and welcome :) You made a good find that will be very helpful and provide you with good company.

Hello and welcome! Enjoy the journey...so many razors, soaps and strops, and so little time...

Got to have you with us.

Thank you Walterbowens for the welcome to SRP, I'm really glad that I stumbled onto this site. It seems to be an OUTSTANDING site with OUTSTANDING Members that are really willing to help a Newbie like me along in my quest for Straight Razordom! Thanks again for the welcome aboard!

Jim

I just thanked Walterbowens for the welcome to SRP & I thank you also GaryG. I agree it seems that SRP is full of GREAT info & GREAT members that are there to help Newbies like me along & answer my questions in my journey to Straight Razordom! Congratulations on starting back with Straight Razor Shaving, maybe we can learn & get the hang of it together without either of us committing Hara-Kiri? Thanks again for the welcome & your info!

Jim

Welcome aboard!

Welcome to SRP, Jim. Boker makes a great razor from what I see around here. I would suggest going for the 6/8 size as it is the middle of the road size for shaving. Good luck and glad to have you on board! :)

Ludvig, Thank you so very much for your welcome to SRP, Yes I think I made a really good find & I'm certain that it will be very helpful & I'm just as certain that I'll be in Excellent company! Thank you again Ludvig for the welcome.

Jim

Phrank, Thanks for the welcome, & your absolutely right, so little time & so many razors, soaps, Strops, & face balms!

Jim

Nspencer, Thanks for the welcome, & I'm glad to be here with you & the other fine members of SRP!

Jim

MattCB, Thank you for the welcome aboard SRP. You said a mouthful & isn't it the truth the older you get the more you learn & you also realize the you don't really know so much!

Jim

Speedster,Thank you for the welcome to SRP, & like I said my Grandfather shaved with one of two Boker straight razors that he had & they did a fine job for him. Oh, he also gave me my first pocket knife, a Boker Tree Brand & I still have it. It's been an outstanding knife for me. It's easy to sharpen & holds an edge well, it's got a great patina to it. The blades (three of them), aren't stainless steel they are a high carbon steel & with just a little care has lasted this long for me, I think it was around 1953 or 54 that he gave it to me! I just found out that SRD doesn't have any Boker straight razors it stock. I also check out Thiers-Issard & Dovo straight razors but SRD doesn't have those in stock either, I'm just flaber-gasted, I can't believe that they don't have but a couple of straight razors to sell! I think I'll eventually get maybe a 5/8", & a 6/8". I'll get the 6/8" first as I take it it's a better one to start off with to learn to shave with, is that right?

Jim

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Originally Posted by nuoldhand47

Speedster,Thank you for the welcome to SRP, & like I said my Grandfather shaved with one of two Boker straight razors that he had & they did a fine job for him. Oh, he also gave me my first pocket knife, a Boker Tree Brand & I still have it. It's been an outstanding knife for me. It's easy to sharpen & holds an edge well, it's got a great patina to it. The blades (three of them), aren't stainless steel they are a high carbon steel & with just a little care has lasted this long for me, I think it was around 1953 or 54 that he gave it to me! I just found out that SRD doesn't have any Boker straight razors it stock. I also check out Thiers-Issard & Dovo straight razors but SRD doesn't have those in stock either, I'm just flaber-gasted, I can't believe that they don't have but a couple of straight razors to sell! I think I'll eventually get maybe a 5/8", & a 6/8". I'll get the 6/8" first as I take it it's a better one to start off with to learn to shave with, is that right?

Jim

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There has been basically a world wide shortage of new production razors going on for some time now. I had a discussion with a vendor last year and they were back ordered back then. They get a trickle of razors now and then, basically what they're sent, and most of the more popular models, when they come in, are gone within hours.

Revisor is an excellent vendor currently making production razors, and they have a wide range of stunning looking blades.

Also, the Classified section here on SRP is an absolutely sure way to get a quality razor, for a reasonable price. Also, the Classifieds can help you find someone local to help you with any problems, and provide honing services in order to get any razor into shave ready condition - which is an absolute must.

Cheers!

Phrank and I have a real admiration for Revisor razors. If you don't mind exchanging a couple emails with a gentleman in Germany to get your order going, you'll be rewarded with a beautiful razor that takes a great edge and shaves really nice. Unlike SRD though, you'll have to get it honed when it arrives if you choose a Revisor. It seems inconvenient but I can attest to their quality as I have two and love them. If you are patient enough to manage the initial set up, check out here... 6/8 .

Two weeks ago purchased a razor from Revisor GMB (6/8) and would like to attest that their response time and the quality of the razor are great! Here is the email address of the company and the name of the person that helped me:

RevisorGmbH@aol.com
Sabine Kronenberg

Hope you find it useful!

Hey welcome to the show Jim,

I only have experience using the Boker King Cutter and in general I like it. Holds a nice edge and is light and easy to maneuver. With that being said I do prefer using vintage Sheffield made razors. The ones i usually lean towards are thicker and heavier than most modern production razors.

:rofl2:Phrank, I just scored a Boker Silver Steel 6/8 a little while ago, so now I'm on my way to committing self sacrifices! I hope I don't more than a couple of quart & get to many scars from my shaving adventure! I can't wait until I get it, I suppose it'll be here in about a week, it's coming by the U.S. Postal Service, I hope it doesn't get lost! I've got sorta sensitive skin on my face & neck, what soap should I use or should I try a cream for shaving lather? I'm open to anyones opinion on this. I've got my eye on a nice 3" x 26" Horsehide Strop, any thoughts on that by anyone?

Jim

OCDshaver, Thanks for the info about the Revisor Razors but, I just told Phrank that I scored a Boker Silver Steel 6/8 with white micarta handle. I'll definitely look at some Revisor Razors & may pick one up a little later on.

Jim

Welcome aboard....never to late to learn another craft...I took it up almost 5 years ago at the age of 53......at 58 my hands still don't shake...lol

AG69, I'll definitely be looking into the Revisor Razors & very well may buy one a little later on. I just ordered a Boker Silver Steel 6/8 with white micarta handle. My Grandfather had two Boker straight razors that he used to shave with & he gave me a Boker Tree Brand pen knife for my first knife & I still have it. I realize that things change & not always for the better but, the good Boker knives & I would think the same for the Razors are hand made in Solingen, Germany!

Jim

Hi and welcome. I would suggest you get a cheaper strop for your first as it will bear the brunt of your learning to strop. By all means get a nice one just put it away till your done tearing up your first one. Good luck with your boker. It's one of the razors that I want to get still. Any questions feel free to ask

Ed, I'm a newbie at straight razor shaving, in fact it'll be the middle of May before I get my Boker Silver Steel, it's on backorder until then sooooo, I'll just have to hurry up an wait till then before I commit Hara-Kiri by way of the face & neck. But, I'm not a newbie as far as Knives & Knife sharpening goes, I have a few Water Stones from 600 grit, (a couple of DMT coarse & medium for really buggered up Knives), up to 15,000 grit that I finish off with Horsehide Bench Strop. I don't sharpen every Knife that way, it depends on the knife & the use that it will be put to. I'm confident that I can put a good shaving edge on a straight razor after I try a few times. As I realize that there is a real difference between sharpening a knife & sharpening a straight razor, but I ought to be able to catch on fairly quickly, what do you think?:thinking:

Don't learn on the one that you use to shave with. Buy a ebay cheapy and practice on that. Watch the vids on YouTube by Gssixgun and Lynn Abrams. I reckon you should be able to pick it up easy enough. With stropping the main thing is the flip and holding the razor between your fingers that takes a bit of getting used to. Generally you will find that at the flip is where you tend to nick the strop. I say buy that cheapy razor now and start practicing and by the time you get your razor you should be able to maintain it no worries.

Hello Jim welcome to the form.

Roger

eddy79, Thanks for the advice, others have told me the same thing, which is something I should have thought of in the first place. I cancelled my razor order & am looking to get a used razor (one with some history to it so to speak), Won't cost as much & may be more than pleased with it!

Jim