Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: Hi from England

  1. #1
    Member Brummel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Poynton, Cheshire
    Posts
    65
    Thanked: 12

    Default Hi from England

    Hi ! , been DE shaving for a year but always wanted to give this a go ! I have bought a new Edwin Jagger Dovo, Jemico leather / canvas strop and readying up for first shave Sunday. Hoping it goes ok because the wife is less than keen on the idea. So trying to avoid facial injuries is really going to matter on this one !

  2. #2
    Member Brummel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Poynton, Cheshire
    Posts
    65
    Thanked: 12

    Default

    A quick question i forgot to ask.I have some of the yellow tube leather paste. Do i apply it to the strop prior to first use of it and just use it occasionally ? thanks.

  3. #3
    The Assyrian Obie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Milwaukee, WI
    Posts
    11,145
    Thanked: 2755

    Default Hi From England

    Hello, Brummel:

    Welcome to Straight Razor Place. Most of your answers can be found in the vast network of information provided at SRP. Start in the Wiki. You also will find information for beginners on razors, strops, wet shaving products, and so on. We're glad to have you with us.

    Regards,
    Obie

  4. #4
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    32,564
    Thanked: 11042

    Default

    Welcome to SRP. As Obie suggested check out the SRP Wiki. Particularly the article on the first straight razor shave by SRP founder Lynn Abrams here. Was the razor sold as 'shave ready' ? IOW, honed by an pro. If not Steve Dempster of the Invisible Edge is in the UK and an expert honer. You can find him here. To avoid nicks or cuts read my sig line below and follow the old barber's advice. Still works for me.
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  5. #5
    The Electrochemist PhatMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Hastings, UK
    Posts
    1,714
    Thanked: 527

    Default

    Brummel,

    Welcome

    Have fun with your straights !

    Best regards

    Russ

  6. #6
    Senior Member AlanII's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    1,689
    Thanked: 244

    Default

    Hi Brummel. You'd do well to get that blade sharpened as others have said. Jimmy's recommendation of Steve at the Invisible Edge is a good one. The yellow Dovo paste is leather conditioner, you probably don't need it at the moment, just rubbing with your hand should be good, though others with experience of that particular strop may chip in. This is what the Wiki has to say about the matter and it's a great resource in general. Good luck.

  7. #7
    Well Shaved Gentleman... jhenry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    3,860
    Thanked: 3760

    Default

    Brummel,

    Welcome to SRP...

    ++1 on the advice in the previous posts. Read the SRP wiki and make certain that your razor has been honed before shaving. That will insure that you have a truly "shave ready" blade. Once your str8 razor is honed, you don't need to strop it for your first shave. Go slow and don't exert too much pressure against your face with the razor. I repeat, go slow and avoid resting a stationary balde against your face. Keep it moving at all times. Only shave one side of your face the first time. Next Sunday shave both sides of your face. The Sunday after that, shave both sides of your face and your neck; and the fourth Sunday finally shave all of your face, plus those more difficult "problem" areas of your face (ie. chin, upper lip, etc.).

    You may also want to try the Robeson bay rum beard preparation method to prepare your face and beard for your shave. I am including a description of the Robeson method with this post.

    BTW...My wife and daughter weren't too keen about me shaving with a str8 razor at first either. If you follow the advice in these posts and keep the blood letting to a minimum, though, you will eventually win her over.

    Take care--and smooth shaving.
    Attached Images Attached Images  
    "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Mark Twain

  8. #8
    Member Brummel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Poynton, Cheshire
    Posts
    65
    Thanked: 12

    Default

    Thanks for the advice the friendly welcome and taking the time to reply . It is very much appreciated !

  9. #9
    Senior Member blabbermouth Joed's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    5,003
    Thanked: 1827

    Default

    Welcome to SRP Brummel! As mentioned above, be sure your razor is shave ready before you try shaving with it. Best test for a newbie is to try and shave arm hair. It it cuts that (testing can be done dry, no lather) than you can start on your face. As you will find in the WIKI articles, start straight shaving slow and don't feel like you have to shave your whole face with a straight razor until you get comfortable. Suggest starting point is just your side burns and cheeks, finish with what you are currently using. Once you get the feel of the straight you can progress further. Be observant of the razor angle, roughly twice the thickness of the razor from your face (~30 degrees) and avoid using pressure on the blade to your face. Both of these will reduce razor burn.

    As for the paste, if the razor is cutting arm hairs do not put the paste on your strop. A shave ready blade should last several months before needing to be refresh. Once you put the paste on your strop you will never get it all out. A lot of us do not paste our strops an of the bunch that do, it is usually a different strop or the 'linen' strop that gets pasted. A leather strop w/o paste would be used more than a pasted strop for most of us.

    You may want to practice stropping with a butter knife to get the hang of it and so you don't damage the edge on your straight razor. Be sure to keep the spine of the razor on the strop at all times so you don't roll the edge, which is a common newbie error. Practice making shave lather also. Getting all of this down on the first shave can be a lot to focus on.

    Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
    “If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.” (A. Einstein)

  10. #10
    < Banned User >
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Terre Haute/Lafayette Indiana
    Posts
    98
    Thanked: 17

    Default

    I use lather rubbed in with a glass bottle to condition my strop, it makes it have great draw. Never used that paste though.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •