Thread: Paddles, razors, and strops, Oh my!

I drove a 400 mile round trip on Sunday to meet Ken Rupkalis. I enlisted his help in my quest for honing guidance. It was the most fruitful 400 miles I've ever driven. Armed with my honing stones and a handful of razors which though honed by me, were not shaveable.


In a short time, Ken was able to show me the errors of my ways and before too long, I was honing upshave ready blades. I even was able to get the Gold Dollar 6/8 I got from JReiter shave ready, and it was a smiling razor! I shaved with it this morning and determined that not only did I do good work, but that darn blade is capable of giving some really good shaves!


Not satisfied with the pinning of one of my razors, he repinned the toe of the scale in nothing flat and made a cow's ear into a silk purse! It was poetry in motion.


I also took a tour of his workshop and found out he is planning to build a larger one. I could understand that as he has got an awful lot going on. Paddles, razors, and strops, Oh my!


We left enough time of course to smoke (a truly nice robusto!)a stogie and chat. We have an awful lot in common. It's amazing how much we had in common. It was like I had known him for years!


I can't speak highly enough of him. He is a craftsman and a gentleman. I've seen his shop and his products and realize there is a reason for his success. And he is known only by word of mouth. It's the best advertizing there is!


Ken you are a credit to your professions, all of them!! :-)

WOW!What a great experience you had learning to hone directly from a pro.You must know what an advantage that is over the majority of us who managed to learn,but with fits and starts and checking back to the forum,etc...I have not had the pleasure of doing business with Ken,but know of him(through the posts of experienced members) to be a helpful and professional businessman who could make more profit from this,but chooses to keep prices reasonable for the new guys who want to get into this.
I'm jealous that you got to see his shop,too.