Thread: Hi from Australia

Greetings from down under Gents,

Just stopping by to introduce myself and thank you all for this great forum.
I got into straight razor shaving about 15 years ago when I inherited a razor I've had a hard time identifying. It's marked:

"Extra Hollow Ground"
"Es=ex Razor"
"Wald Solingen" Made in Germany.

It's a 5/8" extra hollow with what looks like bone scales. I shaved with it for a while, but busy life took over, and I found it hard to keep sharp.
A couple months ago I got sick of the electric shaver and the plastic disposables. So I lurked around this place and learnt alot and bought a new Dovo Bismarck with a 3" Latigo strop and a set of Shapton stones from SRP to get the Es=ex back in shape.

That's been a frustrating journey! I'm a woodworker, and I maintain all my own tools, but getting a razor sharp is on a completely different planet. I'm a bit frustrated with the Shaptons (4k, 8k, & 16k) - just couldn't seem to get an edge off them. I finally managed to get an edge off of my trusty 8k Japanese waterstone followed by CrOx on a balsa strop. But I'm still not at a stage where I feel I can confidently go from blunt to HHT5. I wish I could find a local honemeister to learn from, but I don't think there are too many around Canberra - and if there are, I'm not too sure about how to find them.

Anyway, thank-you all for the great site. I'll keep learning, and hope to eventually contribute one day.

Cheers,
Murray

G'Day Murray and welcome - it's good to have another Aussie on board.

If you would like to post me your razor, I'll hone it up for you - gratis - just PM me for details.

We love photos here so, if you can post a few of your razor, that would be great.

If you look up gssixgun on YouTube you will find lots of great information on honing.

Let us know how you go with your new gear

Hi Havachat - thanks for the welcome and offer.
Here's a couple of photos of the Es=ex razor. On closer inspection, the scales look like some type of plastic.
If anyone can tell me some history of this one, that would be greatly appreciated.

Bake lite scales (pre plastic), and youn need to bring the razor to a 1k first to set the bevel, then work your way back to the 8 k. And... It is a good razor, ihad one myself in the 6/8 ths variety..

Welcome to SRP.
There's a lot to restoring an edge but maintaining one is not such a big challenge.
The Shaptons are a great hone for razors. Just takes some practice.
If you're ever in Sydney & have a spare 5 minutes give me a holla.

The SX is one of many brands made by C.F. Ern. A prolific Solingen maker & a good one.
Small list of his brands below

C. Friedrich Ern, Solingen-Wald in 1922, Kanalstrasse 43 in 1939. Brand names: 'America Del Sud', 'Army and Navy', 'Ator', 'A.V. Humboldt', 'Balance', 'Bank', 'Bar', 'Barbersone', 'Barbers Pet', 'Barden', 'Bessimar', 'Bur', 'Cuba', 'Electro Taban', 'Ern', 'Ern 1166', 'Ern A-Z', 'Ern-Blaauwappen', 'Ernette', 'Ern-Goldwappen', 'Ern-Grünwappen', 'Ern Junior', 'Ernovo', 'Ern-Silberwappen', 'Es-Ex', 'Farwood', 'Flaggen', 'Generale Ameglio,' 'Gong Razor', 'Gorki', 'Janissaire', 'Junk', 'Justrite', 'Ka Ci Be', 'King George', 'Knight Commander of the Bath', 'Kuroki', 'Laborista', 'Le Mondain', 'Lerne', 'Leiste', 'Liliput', 'Little Dorrit', 'Magnetic', 'Master', 'Master of Arts', 'Master of Science', 'Mickiewicz', 'Moustafa Kemal Pascha', 'Niazi', 'Nodzu', 'Oxama', 'Palmerston', 'Peer', 'Perfecto', 'Persian', 'Platypus', 'Primus', 'Protector', 'Püt', 'Raccoon', 'Roosevelt Razor', 'Schwert', ' Essex', 'Sim Mart', 'Ski', 'Strandbad', 'Suneo', 'The Boss', 'The Crown And Sword Razor', 'The Kid', 'The Michaelin', 'The Mussel Razor', 'Turban', 'Waldern', 'Waldoo', 'Wee Macgreggor', 'Zeibek', 'Zepp.' Open- blade razor maker.