Thread: Hi from Detroit (or atleast close to it)

Hi everyone!

I'm Chris from Wyandotte, MI, which is a nice little Downriver suburb just south of Detroit. I have been lurking here for a few weeks, and finally bought a few straights off of ebay... dumb, I know. But, knowing the type of person I am, I can never NOT tinker with something, and if I wreck em, by my math I am only out a few bucks. I got three for $30 (I think you guys call em e-bay specials) and I took myself to Woodcraft and got a Norton 4K/8K.
i have spent the last week trying to hone and get something "shave ready" to no avail. One thing is for sure though, When a razor says "shave ready", it most certainly is not!!! Heck, one of them has even got a decent twist to it too... so that'll be an extra challenging project for me.
I have just been taking my time, trying to soak up as much info as I can. work the hone a little, try some pyramids, and when I have stubble, try to shave. Not quite there. repeat. And so it has gone.
You guys are certainly an awesome group of people, and I look forward to hanging out for a while and maybe (fingers crossed) actually getting to shave with one of these bad boys one day!
If there is anyone else who is in the Detroit area who hones.. I would be very interested in picking your brain.. I could pay... or buy beer... or maybe do some dishes.

Hello and welcome to SRP.

Welcome to SRP. There are several of us in the area. Many with more experience than me.

I've spent more of my time working on shaving technique - oh, hell, and just enjoying a good shave! Honing is in the near future and I expect it will be a real challenge.

So, what are you using to shave when your ebay blades fail you?
Are you developing a good pre-shave routine?

Tinkering with blades is great fun. I regularly work on several blades I've got laying around. The wife is getting concerned about me playing with sharp things! But I wouldn't miss the luxury of my early morning routine.

We've got some great metal workers here, but it's about the shaving - isn't it?

Enjoy!

Yes, it SHOULD Be about the shave! lol.

I have spent a phenominal amount of time developing a great (for me) pre-shave routine. Always shower first, wash face with pre-shave face scrub, got my soap and brush- work up lather, splash more hot water on face, lather up, let it sit for a few minutes, wipe off with hot towel, apply new fresh lather and begin shaving. one pass with grain, splash with hot water, re-lather. once across the grain, splash with hot water, re-lather, once against the grain. rinse with hot water then cold, apply cold towel for minute. Apply after shave balm, once taht dries I moistureize with cocoa butter lotion.
When my ebay razor fails me (EVERY TIME so far) its back to the Schick Hydro.
Using this metod, I get a pretty smooth shave with minimal irritation....... provided I only shave every other day.
My motivation for switching to a straight is
1) tired of paying for diasposables
2) supposedly a better shave day after day (less irritation)
3) the coolness factor - shaving like a REAL MAN... how my great grandpappy did!

I tried to use the straight again this morning after a few pyramids the night before last on the norton 4/8. I am definitly making progress... but it still isnt there. I will try my hand at honing again today.

The concensus I am getting from here is that the razors I bought (Beauty and Barber) are garbage, and a waste of time to hone... but I own and I'll be damned if I give up on em.... that's just how I am. If I grind em to the spine and never manage to get them sharp, I guess I'll call it quits.
In the mean time I am in search of a good, shave-ready one from a member here, for quality and edge (sharpness, bevel, etc) comparisons.
In hindsight, I probably should have bought a "good" razor before I spent $100 on hones... but this is how I learn.

Welcome to SRP.. one way of shaving similar to a straight is hit Sally Beauty Products and get an inexpensive Fromm Hair Shaper if you are looking for something instead of the Schick to shave with. They run about 10 bucks with 2 blades and a 10 pack of blades is not much if you need extras before you get the straights shave ready.. or you can check the classifieds here and see about a shave ready vintage blade for a decent price.

Sounds like you have the prep down just need to get a shave ready blade and work on technique now.

Good luck on your journey and have fun.

Hi, and Welcome to the forum. Learning to shave with a straight razor can be a daunting project for anyone. It takes some time to get your technique down. Honing is also challenging. Because your new at this, you may not know if you have the blade shave ready or not. Some suggestions:

Get a shave ready razor, (Do not tinker with it) Learn to shave properly with it.
you can find one on the classifieds here that should be shave ready. At least that way you'll know it's not the blades fault.

Also, you'll have a bench mark for honing. Keep practicing honing with your Ebay blades. That's the best way to learn.

You may want to get a bevel setter, a 1k hone. You said you had Woodcraft by you, You can get the Norton 220k/1k combo stone..The 220 comes in handy...
or you can get a King 1k, a very popular stone.

Welcome aboard! +1 for Zib's suggestion regarding the Classifieds. Another excellent source is whippeddog. You can usually find a nice, shave ready straight there for under $30. Getting your first straight off eBay is a real crapshoot, as I think you've found out.

My other suggestion is to not worry about learning to hone right now. Learning to properly (and safely ) straight shave will take up enough of your time. If you pick up a shave ready razor from the sources mentioned, it will be a while before you need to hone, as long as you properly maintain your SR.

Welcome to your new obsession!

It sounds like you've got a great pre-shave routine.
If I may suggest, purchase a DE and some good blades as a part of your back up. You can buy acceptable to really good blades for $.20 to $.50.

I would also suggest a Dovo shavette with personna ridgid back blades.

I still use both in my regular rotation. The art of stropping and honing takes time to develop. Some of us (me) are probably slower than others.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Enjoy.

Thanks for all the replies, tips and suggestions guys! Yes, buying your first straight off of ebay is DEFINITLY a crapshoot, and I lost this time! so far I have $30 wrapped up in razors and strop, and another $100 wrapped up in hones (seemed like a good purchase because I'd need them eventually anyway, even if just for "touch ups").
I cant wrap my head around tossing these in a drawer and getting a shave ready. I spent the money, and for those of us with wives, you know its hard enough to get the misses to "let" you spend your money on a new toy.... try explainaing why it now sits in the junk drawer!
I am pretty tapped right now, and what adds to the frusteration is that I have gone through this and have not gotten ONE shave from these things. So, the plan of attack is to keep honing and trying. I fancy myself as kind of clever, and I think with enough tries I will see some success eventually. In the mean time, I will definitly keep my eyes on the classifides - if I see something shave ready for $20-$30 I will shatch it up. But, in all honesty I cant see myself not worrying about learning to hone right now. I have razors that dont shave, and I "need" to get them usable... its a matter of personal pride, and perhaps a bit of OCD.
I will freely admit that I have made a series of wrong turns thus far.. and my approach was probably the path of most resistance, but I suppose I can feel good in knowing that once I get these junk razors giving a nice shave, I have climbed a mountain, and I can stand on the top with a baby smooth face and be damn proud....
.....trying to stay positive!

Hey neighbor welcome to SRP.