Thread: My heretical rules for enjoying str8s

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Cheap when you HAVE money is called "cheap". Cheap when you DON'T have money is called "thrifty"!

Or, getting by with what you got! That was my mode for many years, and still is to some degree!

Originally Posted by b7j0c

number ten shouldn't offend anyone

the people with the least-active brains are obsessed with things (see: the mall)

the people with moderately-active brains are obsessed with opinions (see: talk radio)

the people with the most-active brains are obsessed with ideas (see: caltech faculty lounge)

I believe most of this. As for objects or things, I've always appreciated objects for their function and ability to create ---but it is also possible to appreciate an object as a creation of intellectual (ideas) endeavors and for its ability to produce a feeling or response (some emotional, some intellectual). Of course these are not dime-a-dozen mall products.

Justin

Regarding honing, I find that my edges get sharper and smoother
after a few shaves and some time on the linen and leather strop.
The quality of the shave will remain at it's peak for many weeks
after the honing, so why would I go and hone the edge to make it
harsher? Perhaps you are not employing a linen strop properly to
do the job of keeping your edge keen.

- Scott

Originally Posted by sebell

Regarding honing, I find that my edges get sharper and smoother
after a few shaves and some time on the linen and leather strop.
The quality of the shave will remain at it's peak for many weeks
after the honing, so why would I go and hone the edge to make it
harsher? Perhaps you are not employing a linen strop properly to
do the job of keeping your edge keen.

- Scott

My thoughts to a T!

Originally Posted by b7j0c

hi all, been a while since i was here

mostly because i have discovered, through trial and error, a set of guidelines that have allowed me to enjoy effective straight razor shaving. i label them "heretical" because they go against most of the advice given here.

1. HONE BEFORE EVERY SHAVE. this is probably the big one people will find issue with. my biggest shaving gripe was ineffective edges. now that i have mastered honing (at least to my satisfaction), i figure i deserve that newly-honed shave every time. not much mind you, just a couple of strokes on an old oilstone (between 3k and 5k grit) and then a few on the swaty, followed by some stropping. total time - about five minutes work. i put a little pressure on the blade and i also double or triple tape the spine, whatever i have to do to get the edge in a short period of time. the result is a blade that will cut three days worth of mountain-man stuble with one pass. why not get this every time? i have to say i find the prevailing wisdom here of infrequent honing to not match reality and seems focused more on keeping the blade pretty instead of effective.

2. NO EXPENSIVE RAZORS. since i want a "HHT" keen edge on *every* shave, my heavy honing regimen will likely limit the life of the razor. since i only buy used or even left-for-dead razors off the web, i don't feel bad about an approach to honing that limits their effective life. also anecdotally i suspect that these cheaper razors have lower quality metal than new expensive razors, which is good, because i want them to hone quickly. why do people want steel so hard they can't quickly sharpen it?

3. GET THE CHEAPEST LEATHER STROP POSSIBLE. the $39 illinois special will strop your razor. when you nick it (you will), just toss it.

4. GET THE CHEAPEST REAL BADGER BRUSH. you're only using it to put foam on your face, not paint the mona lisa.

5. CHEAP SHAVE SOAP. and use A LOT of it. since i use william's mug soap at 99 cents a bar, i don't worry about wasting it.

6. GENERIC JOJOBA OIL. this is the effective ingredient in other aftershave moisturizers, just buy it on its own for $2 a bottle and use sparingly.

7. SHAVE MUG == OLD COFFEE MUG. who is paying $20 for a shave mug????

8. ITS OK TO USE A MACH3 ON SOME PARTS. i realize i will never get the steady hands needed to do just underneath my bottom lip.

9. NORTON8k == USELESS. COTICULE == EXPENSIVE USELESS. PASTES == MESSY USELESS. with the norton 4k, my old oilstone, and the swaty, i can put a "HHT" edge on anything i get from ebay.

10. THE RAZOR IS A TOOL, NOT AN HEIRLOOM. obsession with pretty things is the domain of the small-minded.

11. SMELLY STUFF IS FOR WOMEN. when you put on your fave aftershave/cologne, the rest of us on the bus, subway, or office meeting room are gagging.

in conclusion - use cheap stuff, heap whatever abuse you have to on it to get it working, and throw it away when it fails or wears out.

Originally Posted by b7j0c

number ten shouldn't offend anyone

the people with the least-active brains are obsessed with things (see: the mall)

the people with moderately-active brains are obsessed with opinions (see: talk radio)

the people with the most-active brains are obsessed with ideas (see: caltech faculty lounge)

Well, you're entitled to your opinions. Thanks for taking the time to let us know what they are.

And I guess, on a general level, I don't disagree in principle with most of what you say. There are no fixed rules - if something works for you, great. I like the fact that new ideas, suggestions, and opinions get thrown around on these boards. It gives me new ideas, and keeps me from getting stale.

But I would like to point out that things can spawn opinions, and opinions can spawn ideas, and to turn an idea into an action can require, to some degree, becoming obsessed with things. At least that's been my experience. In my opinion the difference between your three "obsession states" has nothing to do with brain-activity type and everything to do with motivation.

James.

sebell writes:

*Perhaps you are not employing a linen strop properly to
do the job of keeping your edge keen.*

i don't use the linen strop at all. from what i can tell, the prevailing opinion here is that the linen strop serves no functional purpose and will not (and cannot) improve the quality of edge on your balde. the best explanation i have heard for the linen side is simply to clean the razor.

The internet- the place to go to shove your opinion in everyone elses face and get away with it.

100 years ago, when straight razors were the only means for beard removal, I'd have agreed.

However, in this day and age, if all you want is to get enough beard off of your face to look presentable for an entire day, you buy some electric thingamajig and get the job done in less than 30 seconds. Hell, they even have rechargeable, portable ones that you can bring to work and do a quick once-over in the bathroom during lunch if you have really heavy growth.

The very fact that anyone would use a straight razor at all indicates that they're not just "looking to get the job done".

That being said, your opinion is your opinion after all - and opinions are never wrong. One might get the feeling that you hold your eleven points to be somehow universally appliccable - which would be wrong, but I don't think that was your intention.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Cheap when you HAVE money is called "cheap". Cheap when you DON'T have money is called "thrifty"!

Another way to view it, there is cheap and there is inexpensive

A cheap razor = Zeepk or pakistanni (can I use those names here )
an inexpensive razor = a 10$ ebay/flea market find that you hone and clean yourself.

" 10. THE RAZOR IS A TOOL, NOT AN HEIRLOOM. obsession with pretty things is the domain of the small-minded."

Why can't it be both? I have a knife that I use for leather working that was my Dads that dates to possibly the depression era, its not pretty but it is functional and a sight better than the new one I have.

My wife and daughters like my "obsession with pretty things"

Bob

i don't use the linen strop at all. from what i can tell, the prevailing opinion here is that the linen strop serves no functional purpose and will not (and cannot) improve the quality of edge on your balde. the best explanation i have heard for the linen side is simply to clean the razor.

I don't know if it's truly the `prevailing' opinion, but many folks
around here do believe that it serves to sharpen the edge and
maintain it for months between honing. I have found this to be
true with my own experiences.

- Scott