Greetings from West Texas

Kind of new member here from Texas. Been around a little bit but just now introducing myself.
I have been alternating between double edge and a Feather AC for a few years but I'm about to make the move to a real straight. I've put it off because of being confused about strops and hones. I think that all came from info on another forum. This seems like a lot more straight (no pun intended) forward group who doesn't turn it into rocket science. Looking forward to learning more (a lot more) and enjoying straight shaving more than I currently am.

Welcome to SRP. The guys here are great. Take your time and have fun on the trip.

Welcome to SRP, you don't need to worry about hones just yet, all you need is a decent razor and strop.

http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/x...h1/welcome.gif

The Wiki here is a treasure-trove of information.

To maintain a straight razor indefinitely (if it starts out sharp):

. . . A leather strop (wide range of prices, sizes, finishes) (use before every shave)

. . . A fabric strop (usually sold with the leather strop) (use before the leather strop, every shave);

. . . A barber hone (around $20 for a vintage hone, there are no new ones) (use when the stropping doesn't leave the blade sharp enough).

I like using a CrOxide pasted strop to polish the edge after honing (and between trips to the barber hone), but that's personal preference.

Things only get complicated if you start with a razor that's dull, or chipped, or otherwise damaged. Then stones and honing skills become important.

"Honing" is one of the reasons some people prefer to use replaceable-blade straight razors -- Dovo Shavette, etc.

charles