I guess it's my turn

My name is Mike and it's time I use my razor.

I bought my Herbertz Solingen razor in Solingen Germany in 2000 but until now it has just sat in my dresser drawer.
I met a fellow user of this forum while on vacation and he directed me here.

I have tried to use this razor only a few times since its purchase and always ended with regret. Then my new found friend explained to me that it needs to be honed before being truly ready to use. So, as I said, it's time to get this razor started.

I understand Lynn is the one who should hone my razor. So... do I pm him or email or something else?

I'm looking forward to putting this twelve year investment to use and to meeting some other like minded people.

Thanks for letting me share.

Wow - you are the second guy I have heard of shaving with a non-honed razor today lol. Makes me cringe lol.

Congrats on moving forward! I am sure someone will pipe up soon with respect to how to get a hold of Lynn.

Good luck! I am looking forward to hearing what you think after the hone.

Congrats and welcome.

I am new here too (and new to shaving properly). I predict you experience a real earth shattering revelation when you get your honed razor back. Its like having the wind in your hair for the first time...it just feels right;)

Welcome, I dont think Lynn would have an issue if you just PM him. But he is also listed in the classified section under member services. And as I understand it he can put a decent edge on a razor(typed as sarcasticly as possible).:rofl2:

Hello Mike:
Lynn is the master of the straight razor and a gentleman. Please look him up in the Classified section, and I am sure he will be pleased to receive a personal message from you. Indeed, have that razor honed properly before you shave with it. Good luck.

Thanks for letting us help. You'll find we're very helpful. Get that razor honed, buy a strop (but don't strop before you use the newly honed razor) and read, read, read...

Hey, Mike. Welcome, and boy- are you in for a treat. Especially w/ your past experience. It'll be a real rush to feel that something that sharp can feel that smooth against the skin.

As the honorable Carlmalsoschneider said - read, read, read. I would only add that when starting, that reading (and physical practice) would be best spent on the 3 basics - the shave technique itself (your first str8 shave is linked on the home page), beard prep/making lather, and stropping.

Best threads I've found on the latter two are:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ch-2011-a.html

How To Build And Apply Traditional Shaving Lather - YouTube

Your mission, should you decide to accept it (groan), is to practice several times making good lather, massaging it into the beard for a good 2 min. and then try shaving w/ your normal method - and see what a difference that makes. Stropping may be the bigger challenge. I butchered strops while learning. Practice w/ a butter knife on your strop, or with your razor, cut a couple sheets of newsprint the length of a strop. Put a binder clip on one end and attach to a solid anchor about waist height, and practice stropping so you can keep both the spine and the cutting edge in light contact continuously. Glen's recommendation to lay a hanging strop on a hard, flat surface is a good one.

For the next several months (at least), you'll be mapping your facial topography and especially how the beard lies in what area - and what stretch and stroke cleans each area. Rather than thinking of taking your razor to the stubble, think of making the stubble available to the razor by how you stretch and stroke.

The best shaves of your life are in your very near future.

Great idea re. practising making lather. When I first started SR shaving, and hence investigating the world of 'good' soap and creams, I loved them so much I practised making lathers a LOT. I didn't actually shave, just made the lather, put it on my face, and washed it off :-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Great idea re. practising making lather. When I first started SR shaving, and hence investigating the world of 'good' soap and creams, I loved them so much I practised making lathers a LOT. I didn't actually shave, just made the lather, put it on my face, and washed it off :-)

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...until the stores started circulating Carl's picture to their security staff. Then he started having to BUY the soaps and creams too.

But seriously folks... welcome to you, scubamyk. Where exactly is this cowboy capital?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roughkype

...until the stores started circulating Carl's picture to their security staff. Then he started having to BUY the soaps and creams too.....

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Yeah, where'd all this "honourable Carl" stuff come from anyway??? :w

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ryan82

Yeah, where'd all this "honourable Carl" stuff come from anyway??? :w

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Stuffed if I know, Neil...I mean Ryan. 'pparently I'm a mentor too, what's with that??? Actually, I'm supposed to be writing stuff for the Wiki, but I have writer's block. May need to up the opium dosage...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Stuffed if I know, Neil...I mean Ryan. 'pparently I'm a mentor too, what's with that??? Actually, I'm supposed to be writing stuff for the Wiki, but I have writer's block. May need to up the opium dosage...

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Or you could start snorting Coke - I did but those cans are a bugger to get out of your nose

:OT

Oh, yeah, right, we're supposed to be welcoming Mike. Ever notice sometimes a guy pops up and says "hello, I'm new here.." and then there's like 50 pages of advice before the guy responds again? Are we 'close talkers'?

Social awareness- close talker.wmv - YouTube

Awesome guys! Thanks for the info and the laughs!

I have worked on the lather end of shaving for some time. I have used many different shaving soaps over the years and have tried many different brushes. The one I keep going back to is an Italian "natural" hair brush that is a little more firm than most but I like the lather peaks it creates. It seems crazy when I say it, but I use good soaps and brushes then shave with the disposable Mach V.

I have a friend who owns a hair salon and she has a guy who sharpens her scissors. Should I contact him to ask if he hones razors or is it most likely that he would destroy the razor?

I've said it before and I'll say it again - NEVER let anyone touch the edge on your razors UNLESS they use one themselves.
They just don't know what a razor needs.
:soapbox:

It doesn't sound crazy to say you use good soaps and brushes and use a plastic thingy, at least you're 1/2 way there. Great that you're going the whole way now. Like havachat said, probably NOT a good idea to get that guy to hone the razor, unless he is experienced in it and USES them. Of course he may be EXCELLENT at it, but I wouldn't risk it.

A LOT of people would disagree with me, but I'd jump right in and hone my own from the beginning. To do that, you need two shave ready razors, a lot of knowledge (gleaned from here) a lot of advice (that we're very willing to give and very quick to offer) a strop of course, a Norton 4/8 and a Shapton 16k. That's how I started. I always say if I can do it anyone can. I'm not a 'handy man' at ALL, but I found I could hone, with help from the guys here. There's heaps of videos on honing here, once you've exhausted your
40 GIG download limit watching honing videos, you're good to go!

As I say, a lot of people would differ with me, but all I can speak from is my experience. I've been straight shaving for a year now and have NEVER called on anyone else to hone my razors. All but one started with me shave ready, and that one that wasn't was a real bastard to hone. Two that WERE shave ready got dulled for the JaNorton challenge. Having been able to hone my razors and keep them sharp with only my own hands (and with all the help from here) is very fulfilling for me; something I'm very proud of. How many people on the bus today have done that, and are doing that, do you think? I'd bet none. If that doesn't motivate you to 'man up' and shave AND hone like a man, then be a big woosy wooster and ask the honemeisters for help :-) (JOKE, the services offered here and elsewhere are top notch, I'm sure, it's just that I'd rather pack my own groceries :-)

Before I actually got a straight I was using a good brush and soap with one of those orange plastic thingies. And still got a better shave than with the can goo and the mach III.

If you want Lynn to hone it, send it to Straight Razor Designs, he has a sharpening section on the site. That's where all of mine go.