New member from Iowa

Figured I'd introduce myself. I'm a recent newcomer to the gentlemanly pursuits. It all started with a fascination with properly made and enjoyed libations. From there on in, I found straight razors, pipe tobacco, and a love of fedoras.

I'm a college student starting my third year of law school, and despite the dire financial situation common to those in my circumstances, I decided to take up wet shaving.

A random find at a garage sale yielded a fine-grit sharpening stone for a dollar. Apparently, the homeowner's uncle, a wet shaving enthusiast, had recently died at the age of 101. Unfortunately, the rest of the shaving equipment was gone. The brushes and mugs were considered old and were thrown out. The antique straight razors, all 10 of them immaculately maintained, as described by the homeowner, were thrown out with the garbage by the homeowner's wife because, in her own words, she "did not want knives in the house when the grandkids were over." I did not ask about the existence of kitchen knives in the house.

I wanted to be as self-sufficient as possible, so a trip to the local antiques mall (Fancy flea market) yielded two blades with moderate potential, and one to be used for practice in restoring and maintaining straight razors, all for a grand total of $30.

I welcome any and all suggestions as to the restoration, use, and other equipment (strop, mug, brush, soap, etc.).

And now, for the pictures:

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_CIMG5239.jpg

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_CIMG5235.jpg

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_CIMG5234.jpg

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...h_CIMG5240.jpg

Another Iowan college student! Praise be! And with a love of pipe tobacco and fedoras! Why haven't we met before??

As for your questions, you'll find a ton of information from the members here, and in the wiki. Lots of great products out there in the way of soaps, brushes, strops all of both commercial and artisanal make.

As for the razors and equipment, if you want to learn how to shave/strop/hone/restore you'd be welcome up my way anytime-- where in Iowa are you? I don't have a ton of strops or whatnot to test, but I could show you how to use the stuff and would be happy to help... we Iowans have to stick together!

If you are in law school in Iowa, then you're either in Des Moines or Iowa City. I live in Iowa City so I can be a resource for you as well.

Thanks for the welcome, fellas. I've already started perusing the wiki and, along with a few informative youtube videos on identifying chipped and nicked blades, it helped me select what I hope are at least halfway decent razors. I spend most of my time in Iowa City, but come back to Des Moines to visit occasionally.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by volchonok

Thanks for the welcome, fellas. I've already started perusing the wiki and, along with a few informative youtube videos on identifying chipped and nicked blades, it helped me select what I hope are at least halfway decent razors. I spend most of my time in Iowa City, but come back to Des Moines to visit occasionally.

---

Just let me know if you ever want a honing lesson. You'll learn a little, get to play with some hones, watch the process under a microscope, and you'll end up with razors honed for free. In fact, even if you don't have time for such a lesson, I could still just hone a couple for you for free so that you can start out with sharp razors.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Utopian

Just let me know if you ever want a honing lesson. You'll learn a little, get to play with some hones, watch the process under a microscope, and you'll end up with razors honed for free. In fact, even if you don't have time for such a lesson, I could still just hone a couple for you for free so that you can start out with sharp razors.

---

^^ Good deal right there! Ron is a great guy, I can't think of anyone better to learn from!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Utopian

Just let me know if you ever want a honing lesson. You'll learn a little, get to play with some hones, watch the process under a microscope, and you'll end up with razors honed for free. In fact, even if you don't have time for such a lesson, I could still just hone a couple for you for free so that you can start out with sharp razors.

---

I'll have to bring my razors to Iowa City when I come back on Friday and take you up on that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by volchonok

...snip...
I'm a college student starting my third year of law school, and despite the dire financial situation common to those in my circumstances, I decided to take up wet shaving.

A random find at a garage sale yielded a fine-grit sharpening stone for a dollar.
....snip....

I wanted to be as self-sufficient as possible, so a trip to the local antiques mall (Fancy flea market) yielded two blades with moderate potential, and one to be used for practice in restoring and maintaining straight razors, all for a grand total of $30.

I welcome any and all suggestions as to the restoration, use, and other equipment (strop, mug, brush, soap, etc.).

...snip...

---

Welcome...

Start with the basic basics.....
For a dozen bucks get "van der hagen premium shave set" (walmart, CVS).
You will want to upgrade but this will get you wet shaving.
While you are restoring and sharpening your blades you can
shave with the inexpensive Yellow Handled BiC tossables.
They will condition your face for a blade and teach you the
important and critical "lathering" step.

First clean your razors to remove soap scum, and other crud.
Hot water 'n soap, an old tooth brush, dry with tissue, wipe with
alcohol and then lightly oil.

If they have rust or corrosion you can rub it off with some
3M wet dry black abrasive paper finishing with 2000 paper.
I like to use slightly soapy water with my 3M wet/dry paper.
Dry and lightly oil.... Fifteen or twenty min with very fine paper
will let you see how much more sanding you need.

At this point you can test hone/sharpen the razor for shaving
or continue on with more extensive hand sanding and hand polishing.
A test is a good idea, spending a week sanding and polishing
on a blade you cannot sharpen or that will not hold an edge
for you is a week better spent on a different blade.

N.B. (note well) that a dull razor will still cut you so sand with
caution.

Sharpening is a challenge. A razor needs to be finished at
about 8000 grit or finer. A 8000 grit hone will however not
set a clean continuous bevel so you will likely need more than
the one hone you have. This is where having a local experienced
shaver help is a bonus. If the blade is in OK shape you can
send it to one of the honemasters... they will apply a pile
of hones that might cost you $200-1000 and have an experienced
hand for the task so the price is a BARGAIN.

A strop is a necessary bit of kit. A clean leather
strap 2.5" wide from Tandy will do the job.
A modest priced canvas and leather strop can be found
at most of the sponsors web sites. Do not go cheep
a strop is used every day, inexpensive is OK.

Have fun...

I stopped by the two walmarts in Des Moines today, and that set was nowhere to be found. Their website now lists it as no longer being sold by walmart. However, a trip to target netted me a relatively cheap ($8.99) "Shea Moisture" brush, a seemingly usable mug, and a side trip to HyVee left me with a bar of williams shave soap for experimentation. I'll be picking up the recommended set online later on in the week.

Bonus points for the crazed looks of horror and disbelief from the Target and WalMart employees when I asked them for a "shaving brush."

I have nothing meaningful to add except I'm from Iowa as well :) Davenport to be specific.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Herbie5075

I have nothing meaningful to add except I'm from Iowa as well :) Davenport to be specific.

---

In that case I suppose I should make the same offer to you. Do you ever come to Iowa City? If not, you can still PM me if you need some honing done. I'll do a couple for you for free just to encourage more Iowans to use straights.

Ron is a great guy, as is Benjamin, you would be hurting no one but yourself by not taking up the offer.

Welcome to SRP...Glad to have you aboard.

Those look like some nice antique store finds. Once you get them honed you shouldn't have any problems getting into the swing of things.

BTW...Take Utopian or nun2sharp on their offer. There's nothing like an expertly honed straight razor to get you hooked on straight razor shaving for life.

Take care--and smooth shaving

If this keeps up, maybe we'll have a quorum for an Iowa meetup instead of being the pitiful refugees at the Missouri and Minnesota meetups.

Speaking of which, is a MN meetup in the works yet? I painfully recall missing last year's due to the machinations of my sister in law and that one was in the middle of August last year.

An Iowa meetup? Why not. I'd even go so far as to volunteer my apartment in Iowa City for an SRP Iowa BBQ. It's the same way a few of us got rx7 meets going in central Iowa.

I appreciate all of the offers of help, fellas. I'm just about ready for a honing lesson, if the offer still stands. Two of my razors seem to be in decent enough condition to be honed - the Wade & Butcher and the unnamed English blade. However, this would have to be sometime next week at the soonest. I'm in the August intersession right now, and cramming a semester's worth of classes into one week leaves me with painfully little time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Herbie5075

I have nothing meaningful to add except I'm from Iowa as well :) Davenport to be specific.

---

Herbie,

I'm in Quad Cities (Coal Valley) and I'm new to str8 razors. Started shaving 3 weeks ago and am still learning. I could do a trip to Iowa City sometime for a str8 get together. It would be fun!

Born, raised, and lived in Iowa (Monroe, Cedar Falls, Emmetsburg, Des Moines, Polk City) until a job transfer took me south.

This shaving set is available at Amazon for $11.99 plus free shipping (if you make a $25 total order):

Amazon.com: Van Der Hagen Premium Shave Set (Soap, Bowl, Brush): Health & Personal Care

Yep, ordered that a week ago along with textbooks, got it in the mail yesterday. Tested it out today in the morning. I don't know if I simply don't fully know what I'm doing, but I prefer my Target-bought Shea Moisture brush. I seem to be able to make a better lather using it with the same soap than the van der hagen one. I have no idea what the Shea Moisture one is made out of, but it does have softer bristles. The bowl is helping out since the mug I got before was way too deep to build a lather comfortably. I kept hitting the rim with the brush handle. When you're practicing lather building techniques techniques for an hour, that sound tends to get a bit annoying.

Utopian, since you're the closest to me geographically, I've been trying to get a hold of you, but your PM box is full. I'm back in Iowa City.

This also goes for anyone else in the area who wants to meet up. Or, if you guys do want to do a meetup, we can start thinking about dates.

volchonok,

Any word from anybody in the Iowa City area as to a proposed date to get together? I'd be up for that sometime even if its just a few of us.

LouG

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by volchonok

Utopian, since you're the closest to me geographically, I've been trying to get a hold of you, but your PM box is full. I'm back in Iowa City.

This also goes for anyone else in the area who wants to meet up. Or, if you guys do want to do a meetup, we can start thinking about dates.

---

I'm sorry, I've been...distracted.

I will PM you about help and if you are still offering to host, that would be great!!! (I would offer to do so, but my house is not currently suitable for much of anything.)

If Volchonok is willing/offering to host, then please throw out some potential dates that will work and we can start from there.

Welcome:

I lived in Davenport when I was 7, 8 and 9, 1954 to 1956 and loved it. It was three of the greatest years of my life. Davenport is one of the best kept secrets of great places to live.

Three years ago I visited the city for a week and revisited all the old places. I was surprised that after over fifty years I could still find my way around.

Good luck with your new adventure in the world of straight razor shaving.

If I can ever be of any assistance please advise.

Dewayne

Well gentelmen, it looks like there are a few people from Iowa here... Hope I can join the fun...

I'm still looking for a low price straight for my first one... Don't have alot of $$$, after all Iowa does like their taxes...;) :rant:

On the chance that we might be able to actually get enough people interested, I have started an Iowa meet-up thread.

Please put any further meet up discussions there so that we can keep it consolidated. Hopefully we can make this happen!

Hello everyone!
I'm new to the site. I Googled Iowa city straight razor and this site came up.
I need a place or someone to teach me how to properly hone my razor.

The youtube videos have not been too helpful and I did see the link for Shaving-Smart, which is nice, and if it comes down to it I will sent it to them to hone it.

So please if anyone knows a place around Iowa City that I can go to please let me know.

Thanks
(Sorry if this is wrong place to post this, I saw this thread and I became impatient!)

Unfortunately Ron, who is one of the best teachers out there in the razor world, has (I believe) recently moved out to Baltimore. I'm not sure who else hones in Iowa, but if there is no one closer to you, I'd be happy to show you the ropes. I'm up in Decorah most of the year, but am in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area several times a year.

Welcome!

I started shaving with a straight over thirty years ago and have not regretted it at all.

I hope you enjoy your journey.

Lived in Davenport for three years when I was a child. Loved that city and the people there. Have many wonderful memories.

Again ... Welcome

Hello Ignomeny,

I moved from Iowa City about 5 years ago, but bought my first two straights there, at the antique mall on Gilbert Street. Pretty reasonable prices. If The Soap Opera is still open on the ped mall, they're a good place for soap, brushes, and strops. Or they were, anyway. Last time I was there, the only straights they had for sale were $10 wedges from China. Skip those! The rest of their stuff was good quality.

Good luck meeting up with the local shavers, and enjoy that great town!

Sorry for the delay in noticing this thread. Things have been complicated lately, but the upshot is that despite picking up a moving truck, paying a deposit on a place, buying a futon, buying new underwear, packing up all my razor toys, and stockpiling way too much food, my Baltimore move is cancelled. I'll be in Iowa for a few more weeks but will be moving to Minnesota some time in January.

Ignomeny, I will send you a PM about a lesson. I can try to get you set up with whatever you may need.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Utopian

Sorry for the delay in noticing this thread. Things have been complicated lately, but the upshot is that despite picking up a moving truck, paying a deposit on a place, buying a futon, buying new underwear, packing up all my razor toys, and stockpiling way too much food, my Baltimore move is cancelled. I'll be in Iowa for a few more weeks but will be moving to Minnesota some time in January.

Ignomeny, I will send you a PM about a lesson. I can try to get you set up with whatever you may need.

---

There's a deal! Couldn't ask for a better teacher!

Wanted to say hey to all. I am not real big into Straight razor shaving yet but have always wanted to try it. Before trying it on myself i was wondering if anyone knew any places around Marshalltown, Cedar Rapids or Ames that offers striaght shaves? Any info would help me and my 2 friends greeatly we've been looking for 2 years now and haven't found any place. Thanks.

Welcome to Straight Razor Place!