Help For A Beginner - Straight Shaving

Hi Everyone,

After 5 or so years of shaving with a DE razor, I finally felt ready to begin straight shaving, and I really would appreciate some tips and advice. MY first attempt was a DISASTER.

I purchased an (admittedly very cheap!) straight razor from Amazon. I thought I'd do this just in case it simply was not for me, and I did not want to spend lots of money for a failed venture.

And so purchased a £9.99 razor from Worldshopville.

I also purchased a leather strop, chromium oxide bar and a 3000/8000 whetstone.

The razor arrives and I use the whetstone, about 20 or so laps with each grit.

I then applied the chromium oxide to one of the fabric sides of the strip and did about 20 laps. Then 25 or so laps on the OTHER fabric side.
Then 50ish on the leather side.

I try the arm test and the razor barely cuts anything. No plinking sounds, No baldness on the arm.

I have repeated all of the above five or six times with very little effect; at which time, I thought "Sod it, I'll try anyway" and I've just had my first attempt on a week old beard.

So, shower, leather, blah blah. HereI go...

... I don't think a single hair was cut. It appears to STILL be blunt. Not that I've tested on anything other than my face and arms. (I'm tentative, just in case it isn't).

Could it be me using a poor technique??? I guess it's not shaving technique, cos it wasn't cutting, whatever angle etc. I tried l.

Or have I gone TOO cheap with the razor. I also bought what appears to be a lower to mid-range (on price) strop.

ANY help would be much appreciated. I've done a lot of research on YouTube, but where some of it seems to be jargon, I may have missed something...

Thanks for reading my long essay!


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Literally brand new to straights too but I am sure of the answer you're going to get - a razor must be properly honed from the start, with the bevel set properly, then usually sharpened on a series of stones to become usable.

Some claim to be shave ready from new and have been honed correctly. Many more claim to be shave ready but need a touch up on a finishing stone. The very cheap ones like yours probably haven't been sharpened at all and are very likely to arrive blunt.

Send it to one of the guys here who hones razors, or keep it to learn to hone yourself and buy a shave ready one. Someone can advise you on eBay sellers who will sell shave ready razors, or some guys on this forum will sell you one at a reasonable price. It may be a little more than what you paid, but remember with a cheap one you'll probably have to pay to get it honed!!

And HI! Welcome to The Shave Den!

 

You should purchased a shave ready straight. And focused and learning how to shave and strop. Honing is a whole skill set in itself.
So.... buy a “shave ready” straight, learn to know what a shave starp blade is. Even improper Stropping can blunt the edge.

 

As someone that was in your boat starting out about 2 weeks ago it seems to me you have created way too many variables for yourself. You should definitely start with a shave ready razor when learning. Trying to get the blade shave ready for yourself on day 1 is too steep a learning curve.

I would think from here I would probably send the blade out to be honed for a reasonable price or just buy a sight unseen razor at an affordable price that is shave ready and go from there. Others will reply to this and tell you where to buy the razor from or who to get your razor honed by. Im newer around here so I won’t pretend to be an expert.

I will say that day 1 it seems impossible. After several attempts things will start clicking and it becomes very doable.


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Well done guys! 3 identical answers haha. I'm just correcting my spelling mistakes. Damn autocorrect

 

Actually @curzontom should have stopped in and asked questions first. Either way, if you’re committed to learning; we’re more than willing to walk with you through the process

 

All of the recommendations above are spot on. There are many variables in straight razor shaving that will impact a shave. However, if a razor is not properly honed, then you’re not getting to step two.

The razor might be cheap, but if it can be properly honed and maintain an edge, then you’re good to go. After honing, it’s all about technique.

Can you post a picture of the razor? Also, where do you live?

 

I forget to tell you...

Welcome to The Shave Den!

 

Some of these guys have more shaves with a straight under their belts than I have straight, DE and cartridge shaves combined!

 

Actually I have ZERO shaves below my belt!

 

And anyway, @curzontom , I'm having the opposite problem...

Mine was extremely well honed by our own @Billyfergie and it is sharp as

Problem is I can't stop cutting myself with it

 

Now you mention it I've never heard of a straight being used in that way...

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

 

A Lot of those Amazon SRs are Decorative Pieces to be Kind to them..Get a Shave Ready Razor from a Reputable Source & Decent Strop & Off You Go..

Billy..

 

D) All of the above

Welcome to the Den!

 

There are a few things that are important in my close and comfortable shave with a straight razor.
All of the above have talked about the razor and the edge being very important, and they truly are, the rest of it for me is all about technique. Shaving technique and stropping are the two most important skills for the new shaver to develop.

 

We will know oh so much more when we see a pic of your razor

It might well be "Not your Fault" for failure

 

First, I would post pics of the razor you are trying to use. Let us decide where to go from there.
If it's in good shape, then send it out to be honed, by a reliable person, who has done this before. After you get it back, use it and don't try to hone it, just stripes it. If you are successful, you can take it further, and play around with other straights to hone. You will at least have a properly honed razor to compare them to.

 

Looks like the Razor Might be this One or Similar..Same Brand & Price..An Amazon Job..

Billy..

 

Hey Billy, Is that a Pakistani Razor @curzontom has?? ? If so, then he might want to toss it. If Chinese, there is a chance it can be honed. Personally, I would start with a known razor manufacturer. One you know that can be successfully honed.

 

Chinese razors can be hit or miss and Pakistan razors almost always miss. If its Chinese, I would send it out to someone to try and hone it