I am learning to hone and had previously honed this razor. It was not shaving as smooth as I would like so I decided to refresh it. I put some lather on a Norton barber's hone followed by CrOx on felt. Much better. It is a great feeling to be able to do this. I still have tons to learn but am encouraged.
I've not honed yet, but the time is coming soon. I've also not heard of lathering a stone Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm in the same boat as you, Brian. I just touched one of mine on the BH, followed with pasted strop, linen and leather. I used canned Barbasol in the hone. That's the first time I used canned cream in over two years. Baby steps......
That is how it was done back in the day. No fancy Japanese waterstones, no coticules just a barber hone and strop. I going to assume that the razor would have been sharp when you bought it. I also would guess that some fellows had more advanced Arkansas stones and such but not the average Joe.
This was my first time touching up with a BH. I had read about the lather trick and gave it a shot. It worked nicely.
Cool idea for a thread. I've got just about a year in shaving with a straight and about 9 Months honing. I'm finally getting edges and shaves I like consistently. 1. I like the nostalgic feel of using the straight, plus I like maintaining the razors. And of course, a straight gives me a closer more comfortable shave than DE or SE. 2.The biggest challenge for me has been learning to use my coticule to get the edge I want. 3. This year I'd like to get to a point where I'm constantly getting an irritation free DFS all the time. When I reach that point I'd like to buy one brand new razor, and one old razor. 4. I'm a double handed shaver. It didn't take long for the left to catch up, and I tried using just the right hand afterward and found it more difficult to get into position than it was to just use my left Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Speaking of "handedness" When shaving ATG on my neck and from chin to mid cheek (close to the mouth) I shave the right side of my face with my left hand by reaching across. I switch the process for the other side of my face. Are there any others that do a "reach over"
I haven't done much ATG yet, but occasionally I do swap hands for a better angle, or better visibility. I've not had too much trouble, but I am naturally slightly ambidextrous. This is interesting and while it shouldn't surprise me it does a little. It sounds like SRs can be just as variable to ones shave as a DE and what works for one person may not work as well for another.
Slowly but surely the straight weekend expands to fill the whole week Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
What a great thread I am in: I have been using a straight for a year and half so I am not new but here goes What do you enjoy most about the whole SR process? - In the beginning it was just cool, macho and scary, then it became the challenge and now it is the zen like concentration it requires. I can clear my head and start the day. What's your biggest challenge so far in your learning process? - There were many challenges but the hardest was the ATG pass on my neck. To go ATG on my neck requires going from my ear towards my chin. Once I figured this out and successful executed it was a great feeling of accomplishment. What do you hope to accomplish in the coming year? (BBS shaves? Learn to hone? Learn to strop? Buy a zillion razors?) My focus this year will be honing and thinning the den. Are you a single-handed or double handed SR shaver? I never thought I could do it but I use both hands. I tried to be a one handed shaver but some of the angles were just impossible so I started using both. To finding the right grips, angles and build muscle memory I used an empty CJB shavette. While I can get a great shave from a straight, DE or SE I get the most pleasure using a straight. I am not into this for the nostalgia but because for me this is the best technology. Most of my razors are modern.
Your whole post is great, but these two points stood out to me: If I find changing hands a challenge as I go, I may use this idea to help. A quick search shows there are some pretty inexpensive shavette razors that might do the trick. QFT. I didn't get into this for the nostalgia, nor have I stayed in it for that, however overtime the nostalgia has crept up on me. Mostly in the realization that we already had some of the best tech for this. The new stuff is just a worse value for us and more profitable for them.
Look for the heaviest shavette so it feels similar to straight. Welcome to the dark side. The carts tore up my face, now I would not even use them if they were free. I should have been specific most of my straight razors are modern straight razors.
I agree, somewhat. Sure, the new Straight Razors are very expensive, but they are also very pretty. I don't have any new Expensive Straight Razors, because I can't justify the cost. Don't get me wrong, I could buy nothing but new, but, I much prefer old proven razors, with a little patina. Plus, shaving with a 150 year old rescued razor, brought back to life, is fulfilling for me.