As posted in SOTD, today was my first ever straight shave, with what is probably a barely functional straight that I took a liking to just this morning at an antique store. Three hours later, the irritation has dissipated (let's hear it for Lucky Tiger and Skin Bracer!) and I'm surprised that I'm 90% BBS. I am impressed with how well it went, all things considered. I've often said I'd never try straights but I've been curious to try it for awhile. Finding the razor today I figured it was time. I know that men for at least 200 years have kept up with their own straight maintenance. I confess, though, that the whole thing intimidates me. I'm willing to pay someone to hone the Admirals back into shape but (and maybe this is just ignorance talking) the down-the-road upkeep - from what little I understand of it - is a rabbit hole I'm not sure I want to go down because even with one razor, the expense of materials seems a little steep but maybe I'm mistaken. My understanding from what I've read: a good strop and two stones of different grits is the minimum. Is this accurate? What would I be looking at, cost-wise, for a bare minimum maintenance setup once I learn how to properly hone and strop my own razor? Thanks in advance for any input and for your forgiveness of my ignorance, gentlemen.
I am checking in so I can see what the old timers have to say. It can be a really deep rabbit hole though. I am up to 13 straights and three strops. I am not going down the stones hole though. I will let the masters touch up my razors. Right now I just use my straights on Saturdays, but that has worked out very well for me. I am rotating through my straights, so it will take a long time before I will need any stone work.
Here is a thread I started on this topic, a while back. http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/inexpensive-straights-hones-strops-etc-for-beginners.52233/
Since my RAD has burned out and I've pared down my safeties to a handful of favorites (which I'd been thinking about thinning out even more, before I found the straight, because several just aren't used anymore), I honestly can't see myself needing or wanting more than one straight. Yeah, I'm sure you all say that at first, too.
May I suggest one more straight. Only because when you send one out. You will still have a straight to use. Also read up on how to use a strop properly. A paddle strop might be a good first strop. It will help keep the proper angle. Do not fear. You will roll an edge or two learning. That is normal. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Photos. It is far from pristine but is better looking in person. I cleaned the dust out of the scales after these pics so now it looks nicer. Slight rust on various parts of the blade but nothing that (to me) looks like a total loss.
A strop is really all one needs if you are already in possession of a shave-ready straight razor. If you need to have it honed, you can always ship it out and have it done at a reasonable cost—maybe annually, if necessary—or every few years if one properly maintains the edge. Shave forum discussions tend to complicate the process. Guys can become more concerned with collecting stuff rather than the actual process of shaving. 'Back in the day' a straight razor user had one razor, a leather strop and possibly a small hone to maintain the edge. Simple stuff, really.
That's what I figured had to be the case for most men. Even I could manage that. I can tell it'll be 2 days before I need to think about shaving again.
Yeah, send it out to get professionally honed. Then get two strops. One linen (or some other substitute) good for holding chromium oxide or some other kind of polishing medium and one leather. You are looking at a minimum investment of $20-$30 for everything. (Except honing) These strops can hold off needing another professional honing for several weeks of use. If you want to get into honing then Depending on where you live Arkansas stones are slow but inexpensive. The inexpensive ones will need lapping with silicone carbide powders and plate glass. (Old storm window) Again a lot of work but low financial outlay. (You need 3 stones: bevel setting (medium), honing (hard) , and polishing (black or translucent) And once the lapping/polishing is complete you won't do it again for years.
Maintaining a Properly Honed SR Just Requires a Strop..The 1st Port of Call is to Learn to Shave & Strop a Razor Competently..Then the 2nd Step is to Perhaps get Some 0.5 Chromium Oxide to Maintain a Sharp Blade..Paste Can Maintain an SR for a Very Long Time in Capable Hands..The 3rd Step Maybe 6 Months Down the Line is to get a Good Quality Finisher & Refresh Stone like a 12 K Naniwa Super Stone.. I Would Advise Anyone to Learn to Shave & Strop before Anything..Jumping into Hones & Stuff Too Early Can Confuse & Hinder Ones Journey into the World of SR Shaving..Catch the Monkey Slowly.. Billy..
Get a strop and a barbers hone. You literally can keep an edge going for years, as long as you don’t damage the edge.
I am still a newbie of sorts at this. I am about to finish up my first year. I agree you should send it out the first time, just to see where it’s supposed to be. Then you can keep it sharp for a long time with a pasted strop and some sort of finisher. You could also look into lapping film as an alternative to a finishing stone to begin with. Here’s why I say that: When you start looking into and buying stones, it can be kind overwhelming. What grit, what brand, how do I know it’s lapped, how do I lap it, with what grit, and what medium, hone with water or oil, natural or synthetic, what the heck’s a slurry, and how do I make one? And then there are a ton of guys on forums who all do these things differently, and to make it worse, they’re all correct. Except the few who aren’t, but you’re to green to tell. Lapping film is dirt cheap, works really well, and it’s almost idiot proof. For ten dollars, you can buy enough of it to last you years. In the meantime you can figure out if straight shaving is even for you, and how you want to move forward with stones.
