Thread: straightrazor shaving ...year 3

so somewhere near 1000 shaves later the jurney continues.in 3 years i have collected maybe 60 razors and 20 odd hones.i guess iwas trying to get the most out of straight razor and things have improved. no more razor burn, smooth shave most days, very little pink lather.today i shaved with the frist razor i ever shaved with and my frist honing job. the razor is a 4/8s german made razor that only has the name of the vendor who sold it many years ago here in switzerland. my hones were a hard arkansas and a black arkansas. stroped with the same paddle strop i used to touch up my carving tools. it did work, after much reading at the srp.and much help from the members it shaved well or so it seemed at the time. now three years latter and many high end hones and razors (eshers jnats cottis exc.) (ducks fillies wackers willams)
that razor gave me as close a shave as any. i think its natural to think when you start straight razor shaving and your not getting good shaves to blame it on not haveing the right razor or that your razor isnt honed to perfection.and this may be true, but more likely its operator error. summing up the last three years it has been a lot of fun. i would never go back to a plastic throw a way. the best part of it is the time i spend shaving, its like a bit of ti che before i start my day and iam more at peace thru the day. the great shaves and smooth feeling skin add to the overall peace.i will continue

That's a nice post cutalot. Thanks for that.

I think you've said some important things to, namely that many times it's probably not the equipment....but the operator.

Hey cutalot, haven't seen you around for a while but here's to 3 years and many more!

I agree with you as well. Having all the toys can be nice, but they can't make up for a lack of technique aka operator error. Someone here once had a great signature that went something like "shaving with a straight will not make you an expert shaver any more than picking up a basketball will make you Michael Jordan".... or something to that effect lol

i do like my toys thou.sorry i havent posted inawile . the new front page makes it harded to do so . things change but i like the last front page better

I still regret selling my first ebay razor. It was a Henry Nicholson & Sons 5/8 full hollow. It took an edge so easily and shaved so comfortably, and was only $8. I miss that razor. It was the first razor I honed myself, and I lent it to a newb while I honed his 2 new ones, and he wanted to buy it from me. Gave me a good price, but I know I wont find another one of those blades.

All that to confirm that the plainest razor in flat-black pants can give you the closest, most comfortable shave ever.