Thread: 7 razors incoming!

Dear Fellow Razorheads-Thankfully, I contacted Max and Quinton prior to this endeavor, and they saved me from buying some dogs! Per Max, I bought a nice balsa wood honer with Chromium Oxide coating , along with a Big Daddy 3" wide leather strop with canvas back.
I have shaved with a Lucky brand disposable razor for over a year, along with a two edge safety razor. Both take DORCO blades. Realized the limitations of these and broke down and bought some like new straight razors. Some are shave ready and some are not.
Here are my queries. Should I try shaving with all of the razors and see if ANY need any stropping? Should I try just leather stropping at first to see if it improves any of the razors? Was not going to leather strop any of the razor ready razors. If I understand correctly, 5 complete strokes on the balsa wood/Chromium Oxide strop, followed by 25 strokes on the canvas strop followed by 25 strokes on the leather strop should be enough for a sharp razor that's not shave ready, correct? I have been told about oversharpening and, of course, don't want to do that either!
I do have 7 razors incoming. Some are like new and others are VERY clean and sharp vintage blades. I feel a little confidant, as I have sharpened machetes, axes, knives and scissors. Razors will definitely take more time, but I do hopsital mnt. for a living and am willing to learn. Thanx for any advice and feedback-Gearhead222-PS-Almost forgot, but I thought that one must leather strop BEFORE shaving but never afterwards, especially with the blade wet-correct??

Originally Posted by gearhead222

Here are my queries. Should I try shaving with all of the razors and see if ANY need any stropping? Should I try just leather stropping at first to see if it improves any of the razors? Was not going to leather strop any of the razor ready razors. If I understand correctly, 5 complete strokes on the balsa wood/Chromium Oxide strop, followed by 25 strokes on the canvas strop followed by 25 strokes on the leather strop should be enough for a sharp razor that's not shave ready, correct?

Welcome to SRP. I would suggest you read the beginner's guide here in the SRP library for a start. Lynn gives good advice on the first straight razor shaves. If something out of the bunch of razors you're getting shaves well stick with that and learn to shave before you worry about learning to sharpen and hone. Kind of taking it in steps instead of trying to master it all at once.

I would recommend stropping on clean linen first, clean leather following the linen. A pasted balsa , leather or felt is good to have for special needs but not for regular daily use IMO.

Originally Posted by gearhead222

Dear Fellow Razorheads-Thankfully, I contacted Max and Quinton prior to this endeavor, and they saved me from buying some dogs! Per Max, I bought a nice balsa wood honer with Chromium Oxide coating , along with a Big Daddy 3" wide leather strop with canvas back.
I have shaved with a Lucky brand disposable razor for over a year, along with a two edge safety razor. Both take DORCO blades. Realized the limitations of these and broke down and bought some like new straight razors. Some are shave ready and some are not.
Here are my queries. Should I try shaving with all of the razors and see if ANY need any stropping? Should I try just leather stropping at first to see if it improves any of the razors? Was not going to leather strop any of the razor ready razors. If I understand correctly, 5 complete strokes on the balsa wood/Chromium Oxide strop, followed by 25 strokes on the canvas strop followed by 25 strokes on the leather strop should be enough for a sharp razor that's not shave ready, correct? I have been told about oversharpening and, of course, don't want to do that either!
I do have 7 razors incoming. Some are like new and others are VERY clean and sharp vintage blades. I feel a little confidant, as I have sharpened machetes, axes, knives and scissors. Razors will definitely take more time, but I do hopsital mnt. for a living and am willing to learn. Thanx for any advice and feedback-Gearhead222-PS-Almost forgot, but I thought that one must leather strop BEFORE shaving but never afterwards, especially with the blade wet-correct??

Shaving a razor is NOTHING like shaving any other blades. You need special stones and technique. I am a chef and can put a damn good blade on my japanese knives but a razor is a different story. I would shave with them all before I went into honing or stropping them just to see where they are. I would also read and watch multiple videos on stropping as you can, and probably will roll your blade. You can practice stropping technique with a butter knife as it is kind of an awkward movement at first until muscle memory kicks in. I ruined a strop going straight at it with a razor before researching and practicing. If you do have some that need a sure honing there are several members on this site that hone professionally. Have fun but try to resist doing what I did and jump feet first into everything. Your razors, and possibly your face will thank you!

hey be careful anf good luck with your new toys!

Thanx guys! Will keep you all posted!-Gearhead