Thread: It’s all been said before, but….

…as someone very new to staight razor shaving, I am finding it an amazing daily routine. Unlike almost everything these days, there is nothing disposable. Because I use a vintage razor, I have a great sense of history. The razor requires maintenance, and using it demands focus and skill. What great way to start the day. If I do use one of my DEs from time to time, it will be out of pure nostalgia. I wonder if just for environmental reasons, whether straight razors are the way of the future.

Really happy you are enjoying the process, it truly is an amazing experience. Let me know if I can be of any help. Cheers.
-Laramie-

I've been using a straight for 37 years now. I still anticipate the next shave.

I went a step further than general maintenance, and started collecting and restoring them, as well as brushes and strops. I can now enjoy a shave with a different razor, from the late 1700s to the present.

I hope that it would make a big come back, but most of today's society is just plain lazy. To exert themselves would be too much, and immoral. But there's still that select few that will. Glad your with us.

Originally Posted by yondermountain91

Really happy you are enjoying the process, it truly is an amazing experience. Let me know if I can be of any help. Cheers.
-Laramie-

Thanks. It occurs to me that the internet has made taking straight razor shaving up much easier than it must have beebpn in the past. I watched many videos on how to do it before I put razor to face. Here’s a question. Right now I have a really inexpensive strop. As I get into this, should I spend more on a better one?

A nice strop is nice but save those pennies for when you know your not gonna cut it up.

I know that there is going to be some push back but I'm of the opinion that if you can strop well it really doesn't matter too much how much your strop cost.

Ahhhh...... I see the opening of a rabbit hole. Perhaps one of our many 'acquisition disorders'. But seriously, whilst my very expensive Kanoyama is a joy to use, it doesn't produce a better edge than my much less expensive strops followed by some palm stropping. High end strops are fine to use provided the stropping technique is sorted.

I started with an old leather belt that I'd grown out of. Chopped that one up in short order, on to another, still got it.

Yeah....no internet back then. Self taught, till I found this place. I managed, but much more enlightened in the proper techniques, now.

Originally Posted by Tathra11

Ahhhh...... I see the opening of a rabbit hole. Perhaps one of our many 'acquisition disorders'. But seriously, whilst my very expensive Kanoyama is a joy to use, it doesn't produce a better edge than my much less expensive strops followed by some palm stropping. High end strops are fine to use provided the stropping technique is sorted.

Yes, I’ve been through that with DEs. I inherited the straights,and so far I spent only what it cost to have them honed and $20 for the strop. But it’s a slippery slope.

Originally Posted by Elnones

Thanks. It occurs to me that the internet has made taking straight razor shaving up much easier than it must have beebpn in the past. I watched many videos on how to do it before I put razor to face. Here’s a question. Right now I have a really inexpensive strop. As I get into this, should I spend more on a better one?

Yes absolutely to answer your question. As you 'get into this', your technique will improve along with any chance of tearing up a potential new strop. Something already mentioned is the possibility of diminishing returns, basically as Tathra pointed out, a nicer strop isn't going to necessarily make a better edge. However ask any of us how many strop(s) we own, one simply just will not do in this mans shave den, period. Cheers.
-Laramie-

I joined SRP meaning the original Straight Razor Place when it was a Yahoo Groups Site probably around the mid 90s and that's around the time I started with a straight. There wasn't much around to help you and you just learned through trial and error. I remember my first straight, a TI with horn scales and it was not shave ready and I probably rounded the edge with my first strop and really ruined it with my first hone a Norton 4K/8K combo (I still have it). I would characterize my first shave as "feel the burn" but I kept at it and the site did help to improve things.

These days there is plenty to help you on your journey. Of course no matter how good your razor or how good your strops and hones and brushes and soaps when it all comes down to it it's just you and the razor.