Hello from Orlando, FL, USA

Hello. Newbie here. I just started to learn how to shave with straight. I think I have some basic needed stuff, but will probably need a bit more to be all set....Mainly, I'm here to learn techniques and equipment. Currently, I have a vintage Henckels Friodur, new production Henckels, an old carbon Henckels, a Platinum Henckels, a new production Dovo (cryo-treatred), and soon to come 2 TI carbons.

I also have Henckels (from knife sharpening) 250 to 8000 Japanese whetstones, a strop, and soon to come Norton set dedicated for razor only and 12000 Naniwa. On the list is coticule and half micron paste....and dedicated strop for pasting.

I'm also a woodworker....so I'll be doing a lot of scales.

Currently, I'm inconsistent with the honing and not getting too good of results from the Dovo, which I sent to cryo treated (and it wasn't good before), but I do get good results with all Henckels (I only have 8000 stones then strops). So that's a mystery for me to figure out. lol. Don't worry, I have a granite reference block that I lap my stones on.

First I recommend learning to shave with a razor that has been honed by someone well versed in the stones...often referred to as a pro or veteran. Normally takes about 30 shaves to start getting things "right".

Once you have the shave down, then start honing, there is a LOT of information available here. Keep a fresh pro honed razor available as your reference blade, can't recommend that enough. When the pro hones the blade, ask them to finish the reference blade to 8K so you will be comparing apples to apples. A 250 stone is too rough IMO, I typically recommend 1,4,8K to start with or 1,3,8 if you are messing with Naniwa stones. I am not familiar with the Henkels stones, any clue who makes the stones for them?

If I can be of assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me via PM.
Scott

I really have no idea about Henckels stones....they are made in Japan and are synthetic waterstones. I usually start honing at a 1000 and had the new production Henckels professionally honed....and I see that my results are only slightly inferior without stropping. Maybe it's my stropping?

Stropping is a part of the shaving routine, this is why I recommend 30 days/shaves to get it all down before getting into honing. There is a lot to learn before moving up to the stones. I mean no disrespect, but at this stage you don't have enough expereince to really know the differences between a pro honed edge and others. Please, just learn to shave first. Enjoy the journey as there is a lot of good stuff in-between the beginning and the end...rushing to the destination will more than likely cause you to have setbacks & none of us here on SRP like to hear of setbacks.

Lets build a foundation first and then once you have the shave routine down I will be most happy to assist you on the honing side of straight shaving. Proper facial prep, stropping, whipping up a lather, skin mapping & stretching, and actually learning what strokes work you, as well as razor maintenance are all part of the "shave routine"...it's a lot to master if you think about it, but once you have it down you will be wondering "why was that so hard?".

Thanks. Appreciate the feedback. :) It's pretty daunting to start. Soon, I will probably visit The Superior Shave as they are about 2 hours from me. Although The Art of Shaving has a store by me....I don't see that they even have strops....so I don't think I can get anything honed there.

+1 on learning to shave properly and stropping is king!!! learn to strop and shave then attack the honing!! The only way to tell if you hone properly is to shave, that said if you cant shave properly how will you know!!

About the best place to get a razor honed is by one of our guys here: Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Contact one of them and go with who you feel comfortable with, with the price of fuel...I'd mail it in a USPS priority mail small flat rate box.