Thread: Hello from Hellas!!!

Hi everybody.
My name is Dimitrios and i am from Hellas (Greece). I made the desicion to start wet shaving so i ordered and i am waiting for delivering of the equipment showed bellow:
1. Thiers Issard “le grelot form” 11/16 x-thick grid (1/4 hollow) SR.
Basic 11/16
2. Omega 636 silvertip badger.
3. Dovo strop, 12K chinese waterstone, dovo paste. Leather Strop Hone 2X Dovo Paste Sharpening Set | eBay
4. Gold Dollar #66 και leather-canvas strop for practicing.
Black Handle Stainless Steel Straight Edge Barber Razor | eBay
and
Canvas Leather Sharpening Strop for Barber Open Straight Razor Sharpening Shave | eBay
Thanks for the knowledge you are giving me throught the threads of the forum.

Welcome to SRP!
the first 3 items are nice. many find that the gold dollar set is not even good for practice, i'm sorry to say. the strop may not be much better and may in fact depending on the surface might be bad for a blade.

the dovo paste really is not needed. in fact the only dovo paste i have used is the yellow one that is abrasive free and is really just a strop dressing. the red paste should never be placed on your main strop.

enjoy,
jim

Yep, I tried the different pastes too, but I find that a clean broken in strop works best for me. Don't worry about knicks int the strop when first starting.. They will go away after time. My favorite strop is an Illinios that I pasted the crap out of when i bought it new.. I tried cleanining with leather conditioner and made it worse... I finally said the hell with it and threw it in the washing machine, and set it between some bords to flat dry it. Now it is my best strop.
That 12k is okay for a finishing stone, you will need a 1k, 4, 8k to put an edge on that gold dollar. If money is tight go with some King brad stones, if money is good order some Shptons and you will allways have good edges.

Welcome to SRP Dimitrios.
Apart from the nice TI & Dovo strop, I see you bought a cheap razor & strop for practice. Good plan.
You can even make a strop from a sheet of newspaper to help develop a light touch.
The yellow paste will only be necessary if you store the strop in an air conditioned room or have very dry climate. The red is more abrasive & belongs on it's own dedicated strop.

Thank you for your interest and your replies.
I want to mention that i realy want the dovo strop and the hone, but the 2 paste are part of the set so they are wellcomed. About the practicing i am planning: First shave with regular razor, then put again shaving foam and finally "shave" the foam with a straight razor that doesn't cut at all, but helps me understand handling, moving, grabbing, angles, etc of a SR withought the danger to cut my throught. The same with the chinese strop to work out with the gold dollar. I believe it is going to take at least 2 weeks before i touch the real razor and strop. I also intend to buy naniwa's 1k, 3k, 8k in about 6 months and practice with the cheap razor before i try the TI. My only fear is my choise of ordering the TI instead of Dovo's Bismarck. I hope i don't regret.
Thanks again.

Γεια σου ρε Δημήτρη και καλώς ήρθες στο φόρουμ!

Welcome to the forum.

Originally Posted by jimlertas

My only fear is my choise of ordering the TI instead of Dovo's Bismarck. I hope i don't regret.
Thanks again.

A well honed TI is a joy to use.

Yasou Jimi!
Great choice for a first razor! Enjoy it in good health.

Hi Dimitrios,
I got that same TI last month and love it. You obviously have impeccable taste