Thread: How did you learn?

I bought a Straight that was suppose to be shave ready and it wasn't so I had to learn how to hone. Not that it bothered me a lot because I truly think there are no advantages in starting with a shave ready razor and that is because when you strop you will dull it and you don't really know how a razor should feel because you can't get the angles right when starting. So, I believe one should learn how to hone and when one thinks he knows how to do it, (by getting decent shaves), then buy a shave ready razor from a reliable source to compare. Of course that's my way of seeing things!

(I know it wasn't shave ready because I did prep properly, use to do it for DE, and I used it without stropping because the guy that sold it to me said he had already done that and no matter how I tried it just didn't shave properly. Also it didn't cut my arm air)

Well, it was before this site existed. Just on a lark I bought a TI and some soap and thought I would just shave afterall how difficult could it be? I have the scars to prove that. Basically I just stumbled along by myself.

You guys don't know how lucky you are having this site.

Originally Posted by yoshida

I bought a Straight that was suppose to be shave ready and it wasn't so I had to learn how to hone. Not that it bothered me a lot because I truly think there are no advantages in starting with a shave ready razor and that is because when you strop you will dull it and you don't really know how a razor should feel because you can't get the angles right when starting. So, I believe one should learn how to hone and when one thinks he knows how to do it, (by getting decent shaves), then buy a shave ready razor from a reliable source to compare. Of course that's my way of seeing things!

(I know it wasn't shave ready because I did prep properly, use to do it for DE, and I used it without stropping because the guy that sold it to me said he had already done that and no matter how I tried it just didn't shave properly. Also it didn't cut my arm air)

I'm using a shavette, so the only way I can identify shave readiness at this point is by putting in a new blade. How would you recommend a newb determine a shave ready blade from something that's not quite there.

I just ordered a shave ready Dovo from SRD, and figure that with that I would get a feel for a what shave ready really is.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

You guys don't know how lucky you are having this site.

I sure do know just how lucky I am having found this site to learn how to str8 shave. However there are times I wonder if I should quit coming here and reading posts, everytime I do I find there is something else I "should" buy.

I had wanted to try a str8 for years but had never gotten around to it, then when I finally got so sick of paying for cartridges that I just couldnt take it any more, I googled straight shaving and guess which site popped up. The rest is history, still just recent history but I am getting there. I followed most of the advice such as starting with a shave ready razor, but went for the whole shebang right from the start(except for my go-tee). Even though I joke about always finding something else to buy when coming here, it was only because of this wonderful site that I knew what to buy to start and how to use it, well knew the theory of how to use it, the empirical knowledge took some time. Thanks SRP and all you fine people here.

Ladies and gentlemen:

I had wanted to shave with a straight razor way back in my twenties. A few years ago I finally made the move.

At the time I shaved with a double edge razor. A friend had used a Feather straight razor with replaceable blades for a short time and given it up. I borrowed the razor from him and began, using two hands from the first day. By then I had done extensive research on straight razor shaving.

About a week or so later I ordered a real straight razor. Several more followed. Unfortunately, with major problems with my hands, I gave up the straight razor for a time until my hands healed somewhat.

I have stayed with the straight razor since then, and plan to do so for as long as my hands hold out.

Regards,

Obie

Shavette and a lot of knicks. Recently I've been using a NOS filli #10 with the small 3/8 blade but after touching it up with a barbers hone it shaves pretty decent. I've said before that I just jumped in. Also that I had come across SRP as well as B&B multiple times but originally kept thinking "forums are for nerds" (this has to do with my supervisor at work). So here I am and happy about it. Could have saved some time and headaches if I had just come here first. Oh well.

watching old movies and staring a lot in the mirror. Was already a wet shaver. I think I watched the angle of a BIC disposable and tried to match that.

I bought my first from The Invisible Edge, a Wapi in Violet scales. Very sharp, and still mirrored finished. I taught myself and chatted here for advice, and watched lots of youtube videos.

Cheers
David

I am a novice with a straight and only have two shaves under my belt so far. Both have been really nice shaves with no nicks or burn. While waiting for my straight to arrive I just read everything I could find on str8t shaving and watched a lot of videos. So far, no problems. I find that it isn't really such a mysterious undertaking as a lot of folks seem to envision it.

i was doing some ironwork on a gate when the owner gave a box of junk, ammo, gun cleaning kit and a razor. that razor sat in my shop for years untill i stumbled across it one day and thought ,maybe ill clean this up. it was more rust than razor but in the end it looked ok. then i wondered if you could realy shave with this thing? so i put it to the stones and got it ...well better than knife sharp but nowheres near shave ready and gave her a dance ...no joy so i started looking for tips to straight razor shaving and honing and found this place. after much trial and more err i got her up and running.. later i got a dovo from lynn and found i didnt do so badly, his was sharper for sure but both would give a good shave. anyway i have never looked back i make knifes so this is a natural for me to cut off my beard with a knife