Thread: Hay, from New York

Hay all, name's Billy aka Halvard.

I am 19, from Long Island New York, and a recent convert to Straight Razor shaving.
Few months ago I decided I was tired of constant razor burn from those stupid 5 blade contraptions, putting unknown chemicals which produce a radioactive looking orange goo on my face, and changing out the cartridge every few weeks, or less. so I went to Amazon (mistake), and started looking through their razors. I found one that looked good, the Buckingham and sons (BIG mistake), which came with a 'strop'. I also ordered the Van Der Hagen premium shave set, a boar hair brush, cake of soap, and simple but nice dish, overall that was a good buy. I also got a styptic pencil because my hands often shake.
After a few days of the Buckingham and sons doing basically nothing, and having to use my mach whatever turbo monster, I ordered a barber's hone off ebay, it arrived, tried sharpening the Buckingham, didn't get anywhere,
That was a few months ago, much more recently I decided to give straight shaving another chance, but use the SRP forums. I quickly found a company for the razor which seemed to fit my needs, Dovo. And a company for the strop which did the same, RupRazor. Along with placed to buy both of them Dovo from ClassicShaving, and RupRazor from the manufacturer, RupRazor.
I ended up choosing a Dovo 'Bismark' 6/8 and from ruprazor I got The Filly. When they arrived I immediately stropped, lathered up, and went to work.
The difference between a very sharp blade, like a Dovo, and a glorified box cutter, like the Buckingham, is amazing. I have never had a more pleasingexperience than using my Dovo. Now rather than just seeing shaving as another thing to do in the morning, I see it as a sort of..waking up ritual to look forward to.
Sorry if that was a bit wordy, either way, very much looking forward to interacting with all of you in the future
~Billy "Halvard" Friedman

Hi Halvard,

Welcome to SRP! You're lucky you've found it this soon; many of us hacked around for longer before we landed here. I'm glad you've given it another chance, this time with better gear. At least you got some practice stropping with your first stuff.

Does your 6/8 Bismarck have a thumb notch and a "shoulderless" blade? I have a lower-level Dovo that is the same shape as the 6/8 Bismarcks, and I think it is ergonomic perfection, not only for shaving but also for honing and stropping. Stropping especially, that shoulderless design is so friendly.

We're glad to have you here, and are here for you if you have questions.

Best wishes.

Thanks for the welcome
I am not 100% positive, but I believe that it does have a subtle thumb notch, as well as a shoulderless blade. I haven't stropped very many razors, but just thinking of how the grip would go on one which wasn't shoulderless, I can imagine it being much trickier.

There are differences with every blade, but like most everything else to do with straight shaving, take your time and get a feel for each one. As you get used to a particular blade the grip and motion will become second nature.

The shoulders can hang up on the strop edges. I find the shoulderless blades much more relaxing to strop.

Originally Posted by roughkype

The shoulders can hang up on the strop edges. I find the shoulderless blades much more relaxing to strop.

Me too. I find the big old shoulderless Sheffield wedgey blades to be my favourites - both for shaving and for stropping - and my King Cutter and Griffon with shoulders to be the most challenging on the strop. And when it comes to ease of honing, you can pretty much reverse that equation.

Yeah, I find stropping my De Pews difficult (he's a funny little thing) and the very thin ivory scales of my Swedish razor can be a hassle when I strop too. They're all different. Sometime I find opening the razor at a greater than 180 degree angle (i.e. not straight) can help. Also, curling my fingers very lightly around the scales helps too.

I was lucky, I found this place BEFORE I staretd SR shaving. In my obessed way I read heaps and heaps while waiting for my first razor (a Burrell from ebay) to arrive. I was lucky that it was a nice and sharp razor. It's difficult enough to learn to SR shave, let alone trying to do so with a blunt piece of junk (I'm not saying anyone's razor is a piece if junk).

This site has ben INVALUABLE to me on my journey. There is no way on earth I would have learnt what I have learnt in any other way.

Keep frequenting the site, Billy, we'll be with you and support you every step of the way, in fact, try and stop us!!!

Carl

Indeed, Carl is The Unstoppable. And if he were to stop, SRP would be a far less jolly place!

Hi, Halvard, and welcome to SRP, buddy! I'm glad to see that you didn't just chuck it all onto the scrapheap after a dismal introduction to cutthroat shaving. I hope you maintain the same tenacity when it comes to learning how to properly strop your new Dovo! Ask any question you wish -- that's why we're all here.
See you in the trenches, buddy!

Welcome to the Forums!!!!