Straight Razor Newbie

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DarkStar
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Straight Razor Newbie

Post by DarkStar »

Had started a thread on the old forum but it was lost in the *cataclysm*. There was nothing of importance in the thread just a whoohoo i shaved and didn't have to go to the hospital :) I have a bit more experience with it now, just enough to have some questions and confusion.

I bought a shave ready razor from a known and trusted vendor. I understand i did not pay for pretty just for functional but i'm a little disappointed in the kit i got. Maybe this is just me being anal so i'm here for a reality check. Not naming names as I may just be too critical and complaining about nothing.

The razor
  • I was a bit shocked by the amount of corrosion still on the blade. Nothing at the edge though so i guess this acceptable? I'll clean it up better myself when i get a chance
  • The heel end has a small frown. I tried to capture it in a picture but it's hard see. It's quite obvious when held in hand. Seems like i'm bound to cut myself if i try to use the heel to shave. So far I'm just avoiding it.
  • The bevel was quite course. I would have thought if properly honed it would have been pretty smooth looking to the eye. yet i could see lots of areas of the bevel that showed pretty course grind lines. Mostly these went away once i stropped it on a strop of charged balsa. this made me think it had not been stropped after the stones.
  • The bevel was not set across the whole razor. Mostly due to the frown at the heel. It was obvious that only part of the blade was hitting the strop and the part in the frown was being missed entirely.
The balsa strop
  • Main issue here is it's not flat at all on one side. Huge hump. I have more powder to re-charge it so should i just use some wet-dry on a flat surface to flatten it?
Leather Strop is fine... Glad i got a cheap one because i've already knicked it a few times. I think this is mostly from the sharp point near the frown at the heel. But i'm sure a lot of it is my technique.

Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/uwvZMrEjsFCvwh466

All that said: I've shaved with it about 10 times. I'm getting better although it has bit me a few times. Worst was on my chin (valley between lip and chin) Got a pretty nasty one here.... Need to be way more careful.

My finest stone is a Shapton Pro 15k Is this ok to hone with? Should it be shaveable after this stone or do i have to use a charged strop to finish it off? I realize this is partly opinion but a general consensus if this is in the ball part or not would be helpful.
Cutuu
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by Cutuu »

U should be able to shave off a 15k shapton. Was the razor used?
DarkStar
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by DarkStar »

Yes, used vintage razor. Well respected and often recommended vendor by people at SRP. His "shave ready razor" should be shave ready per that forum.
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Kit Craft
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by Kit Craft »

Was the razor listed as sight unseen or flawed? If so corrosion, hone ware and warped scales comes with the territory. An unset bevel and a frown, not so much.
DarkStar
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by DarkStar »

Yes, Sight Unseen. I'll suck it up and clean up the corrosion. That's just me being whiny.

Spent some time on the Shapton 15k last night. Skipped the warped balsa and went straight to bare leather then my face. Better. Much smoother. Not as tuggy as before but not nearly as effortless as my DE. Clearly this is partly technique but it does seem the honing helped.

Might need to drop back a few levels to get a clean bevel all the way across but for now this will do. Need to find fresh sand paper so i can fix the Balsa strop. Want to try that before i go further with stones.
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by Kalaeb »

Re:razor, corrosion and pitting comes with the territory when using vintage. A full restoration of that razor would cost some coin. People could do it, but a restored razor will be in the 250-300 range.

The frown is also not really an issue as it's just a small heel portion. Previous owners likely caused it and would take a full restoration to fix.

Balsa is super cheap, don't waste your time with anything uneven. You can pick up some balsa at the craft store for a few bucks or sand it down until flat.

I end on a Shapton Pro 15k as well. I strop before shaving with it just to guarantee a refined edge. I also strop before every use on leather with .25 micron diamond spray.

Keep at it, SR shaving is a long journey, but it's well worth it.
DarkStar
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by DarkStar »

Thanks guys. Always more to learn :)

I have diamond spray in .5 and .25 I was hesitant to use it due to complaints I've seen online saying Diamond gives a harsh finish compared to Green/Red (Chromium/FE)

Should i just forget the Chromium/FE and use the diamond when i set up a new strop?
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Kit Craft
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by Kit Craft »

I can't speak for diamond but I use CBN with no issues. As for your shave being different between the straight and the DE. I have been playing around with straights for about a year and I still prefer the shave from a DE. More than once I have thought about throwing in the towel.
DarkStar
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by DarkStar »

Need to get my technique down before I commit either way but not getting great shaves yet that's for sure.

Dug through the attic and found new sand paper. 500grit wet/dry for the Shapton. Butter smooth now. More laps on that bad boy then time to test her out.

Fixed the strop too but didn't get a chance to recharge it yet.

More enamored with the getting sharp side of things than the using them but need to know they are sharp somehow!
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Kit Craft
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by Kit Craft »

DarkStar wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2017 5:57 am Need to get my technique down before I commit either way but not getting great shaves yet that's for sure.

Dug through the attic and found new sand paper. 500grit wet/dry for the Shapton. Butter smooth now. More laps on that bad boy then time to test her out.

Fixed the strop too but didn't get a chance to recharge it yet.

More enamored with the getting sharp side of things than the using them but need to know they are sharp somehow!
That's me as well. I have always been more into the sharpening side of things. Maybe someday I will get the hang of this shaving thing, though. I hate shaving... :lol: As a kid I always wanted to shave like my dad. That is until I started shaving. :mrgreen:
DarkStar
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by DarkStar »

So took her for a test run this morning.

Results were Actually pretty good. The only places not great were where i was too afraid to go against the grain (Under nose mostly but the whole Mustache area causes severe butt clenching)

Against the grain is still pretty scary. Dont have the feel down yet. All in all I'm calling success. Didn't break out the DE for cleanup when I was done.
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Kit Craft
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by Kit Craft »

DarkStar wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2017 10:11 am So took her for a test run this morning.

Results were Actually pretty good. The only places not great were where i was too afraid to go against the grain (Under nose mostly but the whole Mustache area causes severe butt clenching)

Against the grain is still pretty scary. Dont have the feel down yet. All in all I'm calling success. Didn't break out the DE for cleanup when I was done.
Hah, that is one way to put it!
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by Cutuu »

I was surprised at how low my angle needed to be for better shaving, but im still learning myself.
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by Kalaeb »

I never go against the grain. For me it's guaranteed burn, does not matter how sharp the razor is.

Don't assume you have to go atg for a good shave.
Chefson
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by Chefson »

Kalaeb wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2017 10:28 pm I never go against the grain. For me it's guaranteed burn, does not matter how sharp the razor is.

Don't assume you have to go at for a good shave.
I have to agree apart from I don't shave my head/face the barber does. But as above he always goes with the grain, not against it.
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Straight Razor Newbie

Post by Timothywoomb »

I am trying to get into straight razor shaving. I was just wondering how long it has taken some people to finally get used to it and get good shaves from it. One month? Six months? A year?
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by snipes »

Timothywoomb wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 6:42 am I am trying to get into straight razor shaving. I was just wondering how long it has taken some people to finally get used to it and get good shaves from it. One month? Six months? A year?
I'm not the best person to answer, but your post has been sitting here a few days so I figured I'd generate some traffic on it. I gave the straight razor a try for a few months and finally making the switch to DE safety razors. I like making the shave lather etc., but didn't like the hassle of trying to maintain the straight razor edge. Seemed like too much work coupled with also trying to figure out how to make a good lather and all the trials associated with that journey.
I can say I was nicking myself each time for the couple months, but also had quite a few very bad lathers which I'm sure didn't help.
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by nakneker »

I got into straight razors last year just for the fun of it. I have two, an old soligen that’s in great shape and a forged Japanese kamisori. Both are fun to use and do a great job, maintaining them is easy. I watched a Dr Matt video that I’m pretty sure I found her on the site and I use the two stones he mentioned in the video. An 8k Shapton Pro and Natural stone called a Imperia La Roccia. He’s a straight razor guru and this video just showed one of many techniques more for us guys who wanted a simple solution. I touch those two razors up once every 3 weeks or so and have no problems, lots of fun. I’ll look for the video and like it if I can find it.
“The goal is to die with memories, not dreams.”
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by nakneker »

“The goal is to die with memories, not dreams.”
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Re: Straight Razor Newbie

Post by old onion »

nakneker wrote: Fri Feb 08, 2019 11:04 pm https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cXVW_S6VaBw
That's a fantastic video and have always been tempted to try a straight but I think it will be prudent for me to allow you and DarkStar to be Guinea Pigs a while longer before I try it. Well...because I am a whimp..go head say it. :oops:
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