I would invest in a barbers hone. They are easy to use, just 5 passes back and forth, and they guarantee that the edge is sharp. It may not be the smoothest possible edge but definitely good to learn on. I shaved with a Swaty barbers hone for 28 years. There are many different combinations of hones that you could purchase later but a barbers hone will get you going for cheap. You could search on eBay but user Gssixgun also sells them.
Thanks guys! I bought a barber's hone with the razor and am glad I did. I am going to use it eventually. I stropped today. I dunno, I may have made it dull. I ran my finger over it a couple strokes in, and it caught my thumb like I heard it's supposed to. After stropping, it was smooth, like I knocked down the jagged edge. Sigh. I have some ferrous oxide and some chromium oxide on a balsa wood strip I could use if I did dull the blade. But I am not frustrated by a longshot. I chalk this all up to learning. =)
Just a quick update- Shaved today. The razor is now officially dull. I don't know how or why, but it is. It just pulls. Should I use the ferrous oxide, the chromium oxide, or go straight to the barber's hone?
Barber's hone, I would think. If it's that dull, it might take more than the usual 5 or 6 strokes but do those, strop and test shave some arm hair. Repeat until satisfied. Main things to remember are 1) light touch on the hone (just weight of the blade) and 2) keep the blade flat on the hone at all times. Also, go slow at first until you get comfortable. Slow will sharpen just as easily as fast will and you'll be less likely to make errors. Let us know how it goes.
Try some laps on the CrOx and see what happens. It might just need a small touch up, you never know. James.
mind if I ask the brand of razor you purchased? there are a few brands out there that just won't hold an edge, or have a history of making duds
It's a Landers, Frary & Clark. I am gonna give it a few strokes on the CrOX and then strop. If that doesn't cut it, I will step up to the barber's hone. I am assuming I should use some oil on it. I am guessing vegetable oil will work? I do have some mineral oil on hand. Maybe that would be best. I had a long day and will not get around to doing this until tomorrow. And then I am not gonna shave with it until after Father's Day. No sense showing up with scars on my face! Or worse!
good luck with it. maybe the stropping will be all that is required from the looks of your avatar, I can imagine why you fear worse than scars - did your nose fall victim to a prior shaving accident?
Doubting the edge... There is a sequence of events that happens quite often when people first start using a Straight Razor... The first shave... Is done rather slowly and even if you actually do know how to make really good lather it normally starts to dry before you get done,,, Lather in sections shave that section then move on... if you don't, it can seem like the razor is pulling The only part of the face you should try for the first few times, is the side-burn to jaw line, carefully working the angle of the blade to Learn it... Often times after the first shave you question the edge, now I am not saying it isn't bad, but the odds are way more in favor of all the other multitudes of variables that could be effecting the outcome other then how sharp that edge is... Now at this point the new SR shaver gets a great idea !!! TEST the razor edge... This normally ends with a negative test, I don't care how well the edge is honed, or who honed it, most New guys fail with the tests,,,why??? because those tests are for people honing the razor, and you have never done them before...Lets just do a for instance on the HHT, with my hair I can pop HHT starting at 1k when I hone, so what, doesn't mean a thing... Now with my wife's baby fine hair I can't pop HHT until after the final stropping, and it still doesn't prove the edge is "shave ready" it just means it is wicked sharp... The only test that matters to a shaver is the shave test... Now the problem !!! You don't have the experience to judge even that, hence we go back to the side-burn to jaw line stroke as perfect as you can perform it... Now if the razor doesn't work on that then you need to strop it CORRECTLY, starting with the linen about 50 laps then leather 100 laps, it is rare, that stropping damages an edge enough, that a correct stropping can't bring it back... (Hint put a hanging strop along the edge of a table to eliminate the sag variable when you first start) After stropping the go back to the perfect side-burn to jawline stroke does the razor shave now??? if not then get it re-honed by a very reputable Honemeister, why did I say VERY reputable ??? because if you don't have the confidence the the razor is sharp and shave ready then you are going to repeat this cycle again... I hope that helps a bit... PS; I reccomend if you use a Barber's hone, you use Lather not vegtable oil,, but I would try everything else TWICE before you pick up a hone... LOL... My sig line at one time actually said Newb + Hone = Dull razor,,, so use that last
Hmmm. How did I get my nose and miss those big, blaring eyestalks?? :happy102 gssixgun: Thanks for the input. You know, It goes ok on the sideburn line you described. I wouldn't say awesome, but ok. I am going to strop it. I guess it still could just be my newness, but there is alot of pulling, especially in the goatee area. Chin is worst. The more I type the more I think this is my technique. But I just don't have anything to compare to. That is a problem.
LMAO I know people that have been shaving for years and the Goatee area still gives them problems.... happy102 Yer doing really well if you are even attempting that.. Slow down, take yer time, and enjoy the experience... if in two weeks it still feels rough pm me and I'll tweak the edge for ya N/C you pay the freight... BTW those LF&C razors are one of the best out there, serious steel if they are in good shape
Thanks, man!!! I just might take you up on that! And I will follow your advice. And thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread! I listen and appreciate all advice given, and there is alot of good help there. Thank you.
Watch Chimensch's vid a few times also, he really makes it look easy, but watch how he keeps his angle consistent as he moves over the different areas on his face... http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18206
I watched Chimensch's vid. Wow. Just Wow. What a pro! I will have to use that as my reference. He should do mantic style vids and really delve into the detail. But I have a feeling he might not. Alas. I will watch that more as time permits.
Jason, One thing dawned on me when I first started was to reduce the likelihood of rolling the edge on brand new razor, I picked up a couple pre-owned SR shaveready as well as new ones. Granted in hindsight an older razor instead of new would have been just as fine. The main thing is you use $20-30 razor primarily while using the more pricey one as basis for comparison. STay away from egay for time being and get shaveready ones from classifieds or from people you know. Many shavers in past claim "I ordered a new razor it shaved fine at first but now it won't shave as well as it did." This may have in turn discouraged them but don't let that get to you. There could be many factors that resulted in poor shave. Could have been lack of preparation or they may have rolled the edge etc... Besides you've fine gentlemen here to help. Glen and Lee as well as everyone have dispensed great advices and I've no doubt you'll do fine. As mentioned you'll eventually find what works for you and may you do it well.
Thanks sir-ed8! I think something happened to the edge somewhere along the line. I stropped on CrOx and the thing shaves much better now. But it has a pointy end which I don't think is really suited to me, I keep scraping myself with it. So I bought another razor off the classifieds on another site and this one has a rounded tip. We'll see how it shaves. It's a Heinrich Hadley, and I have never heard of them. Still trying to decide if I want to keep my old pointy razor now...
Use Roundpoint for now and once you get accustomed to it move on to the Squarepoint or Spikepoint. I've never tried Chromeoxide and you're doing well. Shave in good health.
Round points are great when you're getting started so you don't have that spiked point zapping you every time you're perfecting your stroke. But hang onto it. When you get a groove going you'll want to give it a try.
Ok, well I think today was shave no.3 with the straight, and definately shave no.1 with my new roundpoint. Alot more comfortable, is how I would have to describe it. I still don't have the angles down, but can see how important it is. Without that spike digging into my face, I think I can enjoy this even more. =)
Some barbers resorted to blunting the toe of square point and spike point. I've few that are like that. It detracts from its aesthetic qualities but does serve a purpose. In truth, I prefer point over blunted one.
