[BigPants]

Hi Guys,

I've been DE shaving since April 2007 and was already using brush/cream with cartridge for a couple of years before that. I've been lurking the forums for the past week and eventually took the plunge and bought a reconditioned straight from The Invisible Edge in the UK. I haven't bought any accessories yet, so for now I will just have to sit and admire the new razor until I get comfortable and everything I need.

I think I know roughly what I need to do in order to maintain my razor, but here are a few questions that a re floating around my head;

1. Stropping - strop before each shave but should allow 24-48 hours between each strop? Therefore if I choose to shave every day (I don't currently) I will need to buy at least one more razor and rotate?
2. Honing - big uncertainty here. How often do I need to do this? I have read different things in different places. Some say every 5-6 shaves, some say every couple of months. I am a fairly impatient person when it comes to practical work and will be liable to wreck the blade. Are there any good videos/tips for this or should I just send it away for this?
3. Still honing related - is there a different way to deal with certain types of metal/construction of blades? Is there an easy way of identifying what I have and how to hone it correctly?

Other than this I am fairly happy to start.

Nick

[dward]

Welcome aboard Nick! You have come to the right place for encouragement, advice, and information. All of my questions have been answered here.

If I can make a a few recommendations. First please see if you can pick up a copy of Lynn's CD. IT is over 3 hours long and packed full of information, not just shaving. I understand the postage required to send the CD outside of the of the US can be almost prohibitive to some places. If that is the case for you, perhaps you can get a copy from someone over there. Otherwise there are some excellent free video on this site to look at. The other recommendation would be to search the classifieds for a shave ready razor to learn to shave with. There are many under $50 US. They are inexpensive razors, not cheap razors. Those selling them have their reputations at stake. So you know you will get one that is ready to shave.

1. Stropping - I use mine daily (except Sunday) and do 40 laps on the leather side of the strop. There are other who swear by using the linen side too.

2. Honing - It would be best to get a cheap razor on ebay or a local antique market to practice your honing skills. That way, you can compare your edge to the one you will have purchased in the classifieds. Check the honing forum for advice there.

Since you already have been using shaving soaps and/or creams you will know that creatnig a good lather is important, even more important with striaghts.

Again, welcome aboard!!

[sidneykidney]

Hi Nick

Welcome to SRP! I see you put yourself in the UK? There is a whole SRP:UK thread. We recently had our first meet at which there was a honing demonstration. Fortunately for you it was videoed

You can contact Silver to see it. The links for the UK meet ups are:

SRP:UK 'Razorcon' 2009 - planning thread

UK get together!

The group page is here:

Straight Razor Place Forums - SRP:UK

Silvers profile is here:

Straight Razor Place Forums - View Profile: Silver

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Sandy

[thegreatdk]

Nick,

Thanks for the post, as an ex-lurker myself, I am in a similar position, and the replies have been very helpful to me (a UK newbie) also.

Thank you all.

DK

[BigPants]

Wow. This is exactly what I needed. Thanks for the encouragement and the links guys. I know I'm going to have some fun with this stuff, and the UK stuff is a massive bonus.

This is going to sound really weird but....when I moved into my house a few years ago (maybe 8 years) I bought a small cabinet for my bathroom and some really old grooming tools from my local antique shop and made a feature out of it. When my twins were born last year my wife moved the clipping shears and the 'straights' to a safe place. Yesterday I asked my wife 'what did you do with those straight razors' - 'Oh I put them safe, I'll get them for you'. When I looked at them I found a 'Taylor's Eyewitness' and a a German 'Rivisor Extra' - both in serviceable condition and in boxes!. I bought these for about £4 each ($7) and thought they were just good for show.

Anyway I'm going to work from home one day this week and get back down there to search for more. I know my wife is going to be pleased

[ben.mid]

Hello,
You should be fine to shave every day with the same razor, should you wish. Strop before each shave. I do 20-40 on the linen & 40-100 on the leather. This is more than necessary, i suspect, but it takes no time once your used to it & i find it very therapeutic! Sometimes i'll do 10b on the linen after the shave to make sure it's dry. I don't find this detrimental to the edge. Some say not to, but really it's what works for you & there are many methods.
Honing frequency will depend on coarseness of your beard & hardness of your blade. It'll probably be every few months though. You'll know when it's necessary as you gain experience. As dward say's, get an ebay razor to practise. You may well end up with a shaver you love!
I don't think there are different ways to deal with metal types, but blade shape affects the honing technique. Straight being the easiest. Smiles & tapers introduce the need to alter the method slightly.
Good luck!

[hoglahoo]

1. I don't think you have to do that. My great-grandfather shaved twice a day for years with the same razor. I have been stropping before and after each shave for months with no noticeable ill effect. But the chances are that you will end up buying more razors regardless of the excuse- er, reason

2. You need to hone when nothing else will get your dull razor sharp enough to shave with. I suggest sending it away for resharpening until you are starting to get consistent with your shaving technique and good results. It helps eliminate the sharpness variable when troubleshooting a poor shave

3. Not that I know of. More practice makes closer to perfect!

[maplemaker]

I've modified my stropping over the last 3 shaves and have found an exponential increase in the quality of the shave I get now. To wit: For the last month, I've stropped about 80 times before the shave, and left it at that, with 10 - 15 laps on a CrOx every three days. I made a strop (disaster story elsewhere on this site) and decided to try something different. Now, after my shave, I'll strop 20 times on the smooth leather side. The next morning prior to shaving, I'll run 30 laps on the rough side of the strop (which I sanded with 400 and 600 grit sandpaper), and then run 50 times on the smooth leather side, then shave. I'm getting incredible shaves now doing that. I've not used linen, so I don't know what that would do for you, but I highly recommend stropping a few laps after you shave. I rinse the blade, then wrist-snap it a few times, then strop.

[netsurfr]

Yes you need to strop before each shave. However, that does not necessarily imply that you need to have more than one razor. I have shaved with the same razor for a month or more at times when I am really enjoying the razor. I generally strop between 60 and 80 laps before shaving and give the razor a light touchup on the Cromium Oxide strop about every 7-10 shaves.