Thread: Hi yall

Hi everyone... I have been into knives for a few years, and have always wanted to pick up a few straight razors... just never have found any at the flea markets/etc that looked decent for the price... so, through my boredom (deployed to SWA) I found this and a few other forums and started researching... and here I am!! I have picked up a nice razor from Larry @ whippeddog straights, and of course been cruising the bay for the el-cheapo learn to hone types and should be awaiting a few boxes under the XMAS tree when I get home... I defiantly have the urge to get into honing, and it sounds like QUITE the challenge!! For now, just hoping to polish a few blades nicely and learn how to drill pins out, build scales, etc.... (haven't noticed a lot of heavy french polished bubinga or burl scales... yet....) Anyway's hope to see you all around, gonna go read up a bit & hit the hay! Later!! Jim

Welcome to the SRP!

Be sure and read the Wiki on this site. There is a whole bunch of good info there to get you started. perhaps the best thing you can do is to send one of your razors out & have it honed by someone from here. Look in the Classifieds section (top of page) under Services and see who is offing honing services. That way you will know what razor sharp really is and it serves as a benchmark for your own honing endeavors. We have had many knife guys who initially thought that a knife and a razor the same beast so honing should be easy. They discovered otherwise.

French polish?.... we have a number of woodworking guys here. One who specializes in shellac is Spazola.

You have lots of company here!,

Hi Randy, thanks for the pointers! Yeah, I have figured by reading that I don't want to screw with a decent razor blade until I can mess up a few junky ones!!.... I do plan on having the nicer looking blades honed up by some of the forum members that offer it! Just hoping to pickup broken and rustbucket blades to try and get a feel for honing (& rust/removal, pin work, etc)... i havent even figured out what stones to use at this point LOL!

As for the woodworking, I am a total klutz with a saw, but I have a nice wood shop on base, and think it would be a nice to try.... a note from a friend of mine gives me some clue as to why french polishing may not be commen with straights, (I have only seen it on guitars & other wooden instruments) and that is that it dosent particularly agree with water... or heat... oh well.....

Thanks again for the tips, lots of awesome information on the site!!

Jim

Welcome Jim, I'm a member at three other sites and can tell you this one rules the roost, fo sho !!!!!!!!!!! I'm a friend of Larry, he lives about 45 - 50 minutes from me and you can't ask for a better guy. He has been checking out the razors I've bought off the bay, and honing them till recently when I got a Norton Water Stone Combo. I honestly can't say enough about this forum as far as the friendliness of the people and the wealth of knowledge on this site. Enjoy, as I know you will, just stick around you'll see I promise !!!