Thread: New Straight Razor shaver here saying hello and I have a couple of questions...

Hello.

I've sent 4 straights I picked up from an antiques shop away to be honed and am expecting them back at start of the week (they include a like-new hamurg ring, a used Gotta a Thomas Renshaw and one of unknown origin but has the word 'perfection' etched on the side). I've also purchased a whetstone which is approximately 12-15k grit (it's a welsh natural stone) and plan on buying a strop from the Stropp shop to complete my setup. Is there anything else I need to complete my setup in order to keep my straights shave ready for as long as possible? Am I biting off more than I can chew by trying to maintain an edge on the whetstone whilst still learning to shave using a straight? (I've been using a DE razor for a year or so and know how to lather, and how a fair bit about pre and post prep etc...) My plan is to use each of the razors in turn, strop them before and after every shave and then use the whetstone every half a dozen shaves (with each razor) or so to try and maintain the edge. Does anyone have any suggestions/advice/words of warning/tips/predictions/ regarding the setup I'm considering.

Thanks for reading this, all feedback is much appreciated.

Sounds good.

Don't strop them after they come back from honing, just in case your stropping is a bit wobbly. Shave first.

When one starts tugging, give it a few light, gentle laps on the Welsh slate - less is more.

I'd keep one as a reference, using it only occasionally, so when you start wondering if one is losing its edge, you have a very sharp one to shave with next time to compare it with. Use the others as a regular rotation.

Enjoy!

If you want to start off easy, i would recommend going to Whippeddog.com. There are strops that go by the names poor man strop and rich man strops. They are in the range of 20-60 dollars. If i could go back to my first shave i would have gotten an Alum block which helps your face recover from a close shave.
As MAtt69 had said shave first strop later, but when stropping you want high tension on the strop but no pressure on the blade. Also you should get a lower grit whetstone, the 12-15k if fantastic but its a slow cutter, maybe consider getting a norton 4/8k stone. Also don't be afraid to go on you tube and look at videos of people stropping, honing, and shaving they help out a lot. I hope you enjoy you first time.


Whipped Dog Straight Razor Shaving Equipment

Norton 24336 Japanese-Style Combination Waterstone 4000/8000 Grit, 8-Inch by 3-Inch by 1-Inch: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Hello Hobo, Welcome Aboard,

I agree full heartedly with the first two responses. I would like to add, if your only hone is a 12,000-15,000, you will not be able to see where the hone is hitting the edge, or where it may be missing. You're putting polish on top of polish, and it will probably not be visible. Most methods for testing an edge take a while to learn, other than on your face. A marker along the edge may help, but with a very thin blade there won't be much to see. Good Luck!

Keep one razor as a reference (as already told by others)
Use hone only on 1 razor and only when you feel it needs.
Try to keep them sharp with stropping. yes you can strop and keep a razor sharp for several months. Honing should be the last resource after 100 shaves.

Ps welcome in this fashinating world

Also, don't forget to ask whoever honed your blades whether he used tape on the spine, and then use or don't use it yourself accordingly.

Some folks put one or more layers of electrical tape on the spine to protect the spine and/or to present a different angle to the edge where it touches the hone. The difference in angle isn't huge, but if he did use tape and you don't, your touch-up sessions on the hone will take much longer the first time because of the different angle. Long story short... check if he used tape, then do the same yourself.

And have fun!