So, I got myself a straight razor!

**sphincter** · 11-30-2007, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by QuieTSToRM33

http://www.headblade.com/

I was gonna post the same thing but figured I should read through and see if someone beat me to it..

there's a BADASS shave shop near my house and they sells traight razors, all kinds of nice shaving supplies, ets.. they have the super old school "safety razors" where tehy just put a cover over a regular double-edged razor available everywhere.. kinda like used in box cutters, but the nice double-edged ones.. the cover is adjustable for somereason and then u=you can throw away the blade after a few uses and it's FAR cheaper than today's dispoable!!

**sphincter** · 11-30-2007, 12:30 PM

I am sooo thinking about going RIGHT NOW and geting one!!! but I am on the motorcycle today since it's raining and the wife took the working car to work... my street racer is outside broken since we just got married and coffers don't support rebuild anytime soon

**Atomini** · 11-30-2007, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by WelshWarrior

My barbers have always done it at about a 45degree angle. When you say flat you mean totally parallel to your skin?

I'm sure there are all sorts of ways and techniques. And yeah I mean paralell. You'll notice on a straight razor if you lay it flat, it's angled because of the shape, so the razor's edge will always be on a cutting angle if you lay it flat. I think it's awesome because I can get all kinds of angles and areas that a safety razor can't get to.

**C_Bino** · 11-30-2007, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Atomini

For my first shave with this, should I go against the grain or with it? I've always shaved against the grain because of such a close shave I get and i've never had any ingrown hair problems.

No way man. Go with the grain without a doubt. I wouldnt NEVER go against the grain with a straight razor. Barbers dont even do that and they are trained for this shit lol.

You will irritate your skin far too much. You lose more skin using these things than any other razor so I wouldnt risk it.

Really you gotta just get a feel for it I suppose. Its very hard to explain in words but I mean its easy enough trust me. I have taught my gf how to use it and she has shaved me with it before and not cut me. The main thing to keep in mindis to just kep a constant pressure on the face. Dont start and stop or let your hand jitter at alll. Just long straight strokes with the same pressure applied the whole way through. Be careful around the jaw line. I always do my face as upper and lower. Shave the cheeks and moustache then after do the neck because I have tried using it like a mach3 and going from cheek all the way down and onto the neck and its always a problem and I nick myself on the jawbone.

It great for shaping if you have facial hair though. If you keep a goatee or chinstrap or whatever its so easy to make it looke perfect. Good luck.

**C_Bino** · 11-30-2007, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Atomini

I'm sure there are all sorts of ways and techniques. And yeah I mean paralell. You'll notice on a straight razor if you lay it flat, it's angled because of the shape, so the razor's edge will always be on a cutting angle if you lay it flat. I think it's awesome because I can get all kinds of angles and areas that a safety razor can't get to.

You cant really do it parallel, you gotta go with at least a 30 degree angle. But like I said you really just gotta feel it out for urself. You will easily get the hang of it in no time at all.

**WelshWarrior** · 11-30-2007, 01:29 PM

Okay, Ima have to get me one! I'm going to spend all night researching these boys. Bino, what do you use? The best seems to be Dovo.

**Atomini** · 11-30-2007, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by C_Bino

You cant really do it parallel, you gotta go with at least a 30 degree angle. But like I said you really just gotta feel it out for urself. You will easily get the hang of it in no time at all.

Question about stropping. Should I do this before every shave? And how many strokes? I also read alot about this whole thing about how you shouldn't strop it before 48 hours after you shave with it because the blade grows or something?

**WelshWarrior** · 11-30-2007, 03:07 PM

Goose, I've been researching prices for about 4 hours straight now. Carter and Bond is by far th emost expensive.

The cheapest is dovorazors.com by a mile. However, they are all oos so the next best option would be:
hairscissors.co.uk

**Tock** · 11-30-2007, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by Atomini

Question about stropping. Should I do this before every shave? And how many strokes? I also read alot about this whole thing about how you shouldn't strop it before 48 hours after you shave with it because the blade grows or something?

Ordinarily, you'd strop just before each shave. About 10 - 15 times in each direction.

Back in the day, rich guys would have sets of 7 straight razors, one for every day of the week. Letting the blade rest for a whole week would give it time for very tip of the blade's edge to re-allign itself (somewhat, but not completely). But in the real world, where you use one razor every day, you can go ahead and strop it right before you shave.

The deal is, when you shave, the edge deforms as it cuts the hairs, it doesn't actually get dull in the sense that it loses bits of metal. You can re-allign the edge with the strop, making it sharp once again. A light touch is what it takes; you'll figure it out.
But after a few months, the blade may indeed get dull to the point where a new cutting edge needs to be formed. That's when you "hone" it. You'll need a good quality Arkansas sharpening stone. It's very fine; sometimes called "Arkansas Surgical Stone." Some experts say you wet the stone with oil first, some say you wet it with water, and others say you use it dry. Me, I use water, because it's less messy than oil. For you, use whatever works.

**peteroy01** · 11-30-2007, 10:13 PM

good luck on shaving ur nuts

**Red Ketchup** · 12-01-2007, 01:42 AM

I've been shaving with a straight razor for nearly a year now... I LOVE it

I got a nice DOVO which does a fiiine job shaving my ugly face

To keep it sharp, I have a leather strop and a large 4000/8000 grit norton water stone. The stone is nearly $100 but well worth it. I use the stone only every 4-5 months, but you feel the difference after you used it.

Oh, word to the wise... it's NOT a good idea to use a straight razor when you're on clen !!!

Red

**Towel** · 12-01-2007, 05:33 AM

man that thing is hardcore! I want one as well. I will probably scew my entire face with it before I really start learning how to use it properly

**WelshWarrior** · 12-01-2007, 05:36 AM

All the badasses coming out of the woodwork now!

AR - home of real men! Going to order mine today, haven't been this excited since I was a kid!

**Atomini** · 12-01-2007, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by Tock

Ordinarily, you'd strop just before each shave. About 10 - 15 times in each direction.

Back in the day, rich guys would have sets of 7 straight razors, one for every day of the week. Letting the blade rest for a whole week would give it time for very tip of the blade's edge to re-allign itself (somewhat, but not completely). But in the real world, where you use one razor every day, you can go ahead and strop it right before you shave.

The deal is, when you shave, the edge deforms as it cuts the hairs, it doesn't actually get dull in the sense that it loses bits of metal. You can re-allign the edge with the strop, making it sharp once again. A light touch is what it takes; you'll figure it out.
But after a few months, the blade may indeed get dull to the point where a new cutting edge needs to be formed. That's when you "hone" it. You'll need a good quality Arkansas sharpening stone. It's very fine; sometimes called "Arkansas Surgical Stone." Some experts say you wet the stone with oil first, some say you wet it with water, and others say you use it dry. Me, I use water, because it's less messy than oil. For you, use whatever works.

Oh okay, I see. ANd the canvas side of the strop? My barber told me to do several strokes on the canvas side before the leather side. Why is that?

**Tock** · 12-01-2007, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by Atomini

Oh okay, I see. ANd the canvas side of the strop? My barber told me to do several strokes on the canvas side before the leather side. Why is that?

Right after you hone your blade on the sharpening stone, there may be a few tiny bits of metal, so before you strop on the leather, you strop on the canvas, and this keeps the extra bits of metal from getting stuck in the leather and damaging it.
So, you'll use the canvas only after sharpening on the hone. For everyday use, just use the leather.

Some people rub Ivory bar soap into the canvas to facilitate this process. I don't know if this actually helps or not, but it doesn't seem to hurt the canvas, so I keep mine soaped up.

---------------

Oh, another tid-bit . . .
You'll need to condition your leather strop from time to time. I've heard that ordinary saddle soap works fine. And olive oil is supposed to work, too. And if your palms tend to sweat a lot, you can just rub your sweaty palms on the strop leather (I dunno about that one--seems to me that salt would accumulate on the leather and cause problems). Some companies make a leather strop compound specially made for conditioning razor strops, but I don't think it's any more effective than saddle soap. You might check Tandy Leather (or some other leather retailer) to see what they recommend to keep leather conditioned.

About strop pastes -- don't mess with these until you know exactly what you want them to do.
They come in different colors which signifies their abrasive quality, and when you put some on your strop, it can't be used for anything else. And all that you need your strop to do is bend the metal at the very edge of the blade back into proper position. Abrasives are irrelevant for this.
You'll need them when you try to sharpen a neglected blade.
Yellow strop paste is ok, though -- it doesn't have any abrasives, it's just strop conditioner. Overpriced, IMHO.

**Amorphic** · 12-01-2007, 08:57 PM

i guess i better jump on the straight razor bandwagon

**Red Ketchup** · 12-02-2007, 12:50 AM

Hey Tock, question for ya...

Is there really any difference when using a badger hair brush? Those things are bloody expensive! What will a $50-$120 brush do more than my $20 brush?

Red

**Tock** · 12-02-2007, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by Red Ketchup

Hey Tock, question for ya...

Is there really any difference when using a badger hair brush? Those things are bloody expensive! What will a $50-$120 brush do more than my $20 brush? Red

Badger shaving brushes come in 3 (basic) flavors: Pure Badger, Best Badger, and Silvertip Badger. Some people say they can tell one from the other, but personally, I can't tell much difference between them (I have all 3). But there's a huge difference between the Boar Bristle Brush and any of the Badger Brushes. It's like night and day.

Over time, the Badger brushes will cost the same or less as Boar brushes, because they last longer. Why? Glad you asked. It's because the individual bristles are much more flexible, and when you press the brush against your face, the bristles flex. The Boar bristles will break over time, while the Badger bristles return to original form without complaint. A Boar bristle brush will last a couple years, while a Badger brush will last 10 to 20, if you take reasonable care of it.

They also give a much wetter lather (wet lather gives a much better shave), because the bristles are much more porous and hold much more water.

Here's some helpful info on the topic:

http://www.classicshaving.com/articl...90351/5618.htm

As an aside, the best shaving soap I've ever used was from a company named "L'Occitane"
http://usa.loccitane.com/FO/Catalog/...usg_MensCorner
It's expensive, but it's good. $15 for a soap, $30 for a soap and cheap metal holder (which I don't recommend, because water will oxidize it).

The next best is cheaper, which is what I use most of the time. Soap cakes from Williamsport Barber Supply
http://www.williamsportbarber.com/ShopSite/shaving.html
8 cakes for $10 plus shipping.

I've never had good luck with Williams, but it's widely available in drugstores, so it has at least that going for it . . .

If you're tempted to try the barbershop latherizer machine with the Campbell's latherizer soap, don't bother. That stuff is light-weight, made to work with the latherizer machine, and is good only for wispy neck hair.
And the brushes they sell aren't very good, either.

For heavy beards, the stuff I recommend is the Lucky Tiger "Molle" shaving cream, available from
http://getluckytiger.com/osproducts.html
It doesn't have much of a scent, but it beats everything else I've used. And, you apply it with your fingers (a layer about as thick as 2 sheets of paper is all you need), as it is too thick to apply by brush. $8 for a 15 ounce jar, plus shipping.
Second place for shaving cream goes to Trumper
http://www.trumpers.com/ which comes in a variety of fragrances, but costs a lot more (about $25 for a 5 ounce jar). It works fine on average to light beards, not so good on heavy beards.
Art of Shaving is pretty much the same stuff as Trumper, and just as pricy.

And anything that comes in a can pales in comparison.

How do I know all this stuff? I used to work as a barber, I did lots of shaves on lots of guys.

----------------------------------

Oh, one more tid-bit . . .

If ya want to try straight razor shaving without commiting a lot of cash for a good straight razor, get a "Monseiur Charles" razor and a 20-pack of disposable razor blades. You'll need the "mini-shaper" blades, not the regular ones. Personna is the only brand of disposable razors to use for shaving, the other ones just aren't as sharp, and aren't comfortable to use.
http://www.imagesupplyhouse.net/Stra...p-1-c-323.html
The combination will set you back about $35 (plus shipping), and you won't have to buy a hone or strop.

There's another razor similart to the Monseiur Charles, called a "Hess" razor, but IMHO it's harder to work with.

**Red Ketchup** · 12-03-2007, 12:57 AM

Awesome info bro! Thanks!

Looks like I'll be ordering a badger brush

Classicshaving has some decent priced ones, and I'm already a customer there, my razor and shaving soap came from there and their service is decent.

Red

**Atomini** · 12-03-2007, 07:36 PM

For those who live here in Canada.... do you guys know at all if places like Canadian Tire has a department or service that will hone and sharpen blades for you?

**Red Ketchup** · 12-04-2007, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Atomini

For those who live here in Canada.... do you guys know at all if places like Canadian Tire has a department or service that will hone and sharpen blades for you?

Holy cow!!!

No way man! You don't let anyone near your razor! There is a HUGE difference in how to sharpen an axe or even a kitchen knife and a high quality razor. Very few "sharpening services" know how to sharpen a razor without ruining it.

Your best bet is to get proper sharpening stones from Lee Valley and learn to do it yourself (there are a few decent youtube videos on that). If thats not an option, then have a local barber do it for you, or else have him reccomend someone who can.

Have a look at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjzMJ3Ny-eE This guy has 3 videos on honing your razor and a video on stropping.

Hope this helps a bit...

Red

**WelshWarrior** · 12-04-2007, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by Atomini

For those who live here in Canada.... do you guys know at all if places like Canadian Tire has a department or service that will hone and sharpen blades for you?

Razor blades? If that's what you mean I understand it to be more complex than normal knives in that they need a special type of hone, then they need a particular stropping method used.

The link posted on p1 of this thread explains why.

**Castradomus** · 12-04-2007, 02:47 PM

This is the best idea i have heard of in awhile. So anyways, i need a source...anyone tell me if there is any good online places to buy razors off of? Atomini, did you said you got yours off of a barber?

**Atomini** · 12-04-2007, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by Castradomus

This is the best idea i have heard of in awhile. So anyways, i need a source...anyone tell me if there is any good online places to buy razors off of? Atomini, did you said you got yours off of a barber?

Got mine from a barber & beauty supply shop, which my barber referred me to when I asked him where I can get straight razors from..

Also about the honing, i'm reading all these articles on honing and it's making me scared to hone my razor myself since it's apparently a very sensitive thing to do and if I do the honing the wrong way I can screw up my blade for good...

**Red Ketchup** · 12-04-2007, 03:31 PM

It's really not that hard bro, but it does take time and patience. You can't rush thru a honing job which is why I would trust nobody but myself to do it properly...

If it's your razor you'll be carefull and take your time to hone it properly, I'm not sure someone else would care as much to do it right.

Watch the 3 videos on honing, you'll see it's really not as hard as it sounds.

If you're really hard up, check out classicshaving.com, they do have a straight razor sharpening service, but it's not cheap ($20 + shipping). It may be worth it if you don't want to buy a $100 water stone and learn to do it yourself though.

Red

**Tock** · 12-04-2007, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by Atomini

i'm reading all these articles on honing and it's making me scared to hone my razor myself since it's apparently a very sensitive thing to do and if I do the honing the wrong way I can screw up my blade for good...

No, not for good.
About the only "unforgivable sin" you can commit against your razor is to bend it, or chip a big piece of metal off, through dropping or whatever. Most everything else can be fixed.

You might want to get a cheap razor from eBay and practice with it before honing your own blade. They can be had for a $ or two, and who knows, you might just hone it back to life.

**Atomini** · 12-08-2007, 02:34 PM

I just bought this for honing: http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/pr...romSearch=true

Is this what I want? I can always return it if it's not appropriate for straight razors.

**WelshWarrior** · 12-09-2007, 04:11 PM

The link doesn't work for me. Have you tried straightrazorplace? It's a real helpful forum for cut-throat users.

**Red Ketchup** · 12-09-2007, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by Atomini

I just bought this for honing: http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/pr...romSearch=true

Is this what I want? I can always return it if it's not appropriate for straight razors.

Hmmm, nah bro... thats great for a pocket or kitchen knife, not for something that has to glide on your face! Those stones are probably a 200 or 400 grit "medium" and an 800 "fine", that not even close to "razor grade" honing. On a razor, the honing work is done on an 8000 grit stone.

The only time I'd use such a coarse stone is to reshape a chipped blade, and since it's not wide enough I'd probably butcher the blade. What you want is a high quality water stone thats at least as wide as the lenght of the blade.

This is what you need to hone:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...072,43071&ap=1

To reshape a chipped blade you want the : 220x/1000x Combo

For honing and regular maintenance, you want the 4000x/8000x Combo

Personally I only have the 4000x/8000x Combo, if I even chip my razor then I'll get the coarser stone.

Hope this helps

Red

**Tock** · 12-10-2007, 06:11 PM

Check out this $20 DVD, it's got 3 hours of good info on blade sharpening, shows you how to hone, how to strop, how to shave. It's worth it.

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...40/3712199.htm

**WelshWarrior** · 12-11-2007, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Tock

Check out this $20 DVD, it's got 3 hours of good info on blade sharpening, shows you how to hone, how to strop, how to shave. It's worth it.

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...40/3712199.htm

Mine arrived today - just settling down to watch it.

**BigLittleTim** · 12-11-2007, 07:10 PM

Meat pies!

Sweeney is coming to theaters this Christmas.
Sweeney will show you how to use a straight edged razor.

-BigLittleTim

**BigLittleTim** · 12-11-2007, 07:11 PM

**3bd** · 12-11-2007, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by Kratos

lmao, watch out for your carotid artery

I get like 2 months out of a mach 3 blade

I give you many style points though

LOL! I was just thinking the same damn thing. But honestly Anitomi you are inspirational and intelligent as hell. I like the idea. Let me know how it goes. For me the big screw comes from the shaving cream that runs out just when you need it most, so I now use the shaving soap and brush - which would compliment your straight razor perfectly! I want to know how much control you get out of it.

**Atomini** · 12-13-2007, 06:47 AM

I returned the crappy sharpening stone kit today. Gonna have to go back to the barber supply shop to get the proper stone.

**Atomini** · 12-13-2007, 06:36 PM

Okay, here's a tip: NEVER EVER USE SHAVING CREAM!

I just switched from the stupid shaving creams in the bottles to using shaving soap, and it was SO much better! The shaving soaps are made for straight razors and provide way more lubrication for the razor so it just glides right along your face. My shaves are even better now.

**northerntouch** · 12-13-2007, 06:45 PM

All that talk about the straight razor made me go pick one up today. Got the exact one shown in the pics, I didn't get the leather stap though, too damn expensive. I paid $80 bucks Cdn. The beauty supply place I bought it from wants $80 bucks for the strap. Any suggestions where to get a cheap strap? I'm gonna try it tonite see how it runs.

**3bd** · 12-13-2007, 06:53 PM

How well can you trim around goatees with a straight razor?

**Atomini** · 12-13-2007, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by northerntouch

All that talk about the straight razor made me go pick one up today. Got the exact one shown in the pics, I didn't get the leather stap though, too damn expensive. I paid $80 bucks Cdn. The beauty supply place I bought it from wants $80 bucks for the strap. Any suggestions where to get a cheap strap? I'm gonna try it tonite see how it runs.

Do you live in Toronto or in the GTA?? That's the exact same prices I paid.

And i'd just go ahead and get the strap if I were you, it's good quality and you're gonna need it. You'll need a sharpening stone later on at some point too (I just went back to the place today and got a proper stone).

**northerntouch** · 12-13-2007, 07:03 PM

Yeah man I actually live in scarborough Bro. Did you go to that barber wharehouse on Orfus rd. I'm asuming you live in Toronto bro, I think I'll take your adivce and buy the stap and stone.