Thread: Shave ready razor question

How many shaves can I get with a shave ready razor? Will I have to get a strop and a stone and do this everyday? Right now I'm using a shavette but i'm wanting to get a straight razor and need a little info. Thanks.

you'll want a strop if plan to use the razor with any regularity

So I strop daily before shaving but I can send it away to get honed?

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

you'll want a strop if plan to use the razor with any regularity

Edge longevity will depend on how often you shave, beard type, how well the razor is honed, proper stropping. If stropped right the razor should be good for a month at least. The razor will need stropping before every shave so you will need a strop.
When the razor starts to pull you can use a barber's hone to bring it back to shave ready condition. You will have to learn how to use a hone, so may be you will have to get a shave ready cheap razor (see the classifieds) to practice on when it needs a refresh.

Originally Posted by cherokee76

So I strop daily before shaving but I can send it away to get honed?

Yes, that's a working option

Take a look at the "Poor Man's Strop Kit" here:

Whipped Dog Straight Razor Sales

It has a plain leather strop, and a double-sided balsa pasted strop. If your razor _starts_ "shave ready", that kit will keep it going for many months.

Then, it'll be time to send it out, or learn to hone it yourself.

Charles

I strop before every shave. I find that if I don't the shave is so uncomfortable due to the edge being unaligned so to speak. I have a regular rotation of about 4 razors and I hone about every 2-4 months depending on how comfortable I feel my shaves are.
How much you hone will depend on razor type and personal preferance. by that I mean that the longer you go between honing, the coarser hone you will need. I usually don't go back to the lower grit hones with my razors once the bevel is set because I hone them more often. In fact, my most used razor probably gets honed once a month, but this is just a few passes on my shapton 16k to keep my shaves as smooth as possible. If I go longer I usually will move down to an 8K grit or lower before progressing up the ladder.
I realize that was long, but truth is there is no set honing period. I didn't really understand that until I started shaving with a straight and honing it. But once you do you will find your own time frame that works for you.

Thanks. This really makes sense and helps out a lot. Appreciate it.

Originally Posted by 8BallAce

I strop before every shave. I find that if I don't the shave is so uncomfortable due to the edge being unaligned so to speak. I have a regular rotation of about 4 razors and I hone about every 2-4 months depending on how comfortable I feel my shaves are.
How much you hone will depend on razor type and personal preferance. by that I mean that the longer you go between honing, the coarser hone you will need. I usually don't go back to the lower grit hones with my razors once the bevel is set because I hone them more often. In fact, my most used razor probably gets honed once a month, but this is just a few passes on my shapton 16k to keep my shaves as smooth as possible. If I go longer I usually will move down to an 8K grit or lower before progressing up the ladder.
I realize that was long, but truth is there is no set honing period. I didn't really understand that until I started shaving with a straight and honing it. But once you do you will find your own time frame that works for you.