Getting into stright razor shaving; need some advice

T

The_Knife_Man

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May 30, 2014
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I've debated getting a straight razor for some time now. I've decided to just get the minimum first to try it out. So far I've decided on a Broker 4/8th straight razor w/ micarta handles. So now I need a strop. The cup, brush, and soap can come later if I don't slash my face up.:eek:

I think a Illinois Razor Strop would fit my needs. Is there anything I should be looking for when shopping for a stop?
 
The problem with most guys who begin straight razor shaving is that they are not advised well on what they need to invest in to be able to actually shave with a st razor. The biggest problem is that they never get the razor sharp enough to do the job. This is due to the fact that the proper stones are never purchased.

In order to get a st razor so sharp that it will shave you with out a problem you have to first have a st razor that is good enough to take a very fine edge - something that many of us do not do in the beginning due to the cost. Then you have to invest in no less than four wet sharpening stones. The first one will be 1,000 grit and often you can get stones that have two grits to them, one on each side. You will need 1000, 4000, 8000 and most importantly you will need a 12000 grit wet stone. It is this last grit that really makes the difference and most guys do not go so far as to acquire a stone of this type since the cost of all four stones can easily run up to $200. That is why so many of us resort to sending our razors out to be sharpened. Now, I predict that there will be those of you who dispute this but I would take any razor sharpened with an 8000 grit stone and make it much sharper with my 12000 grit stone. The cost of this from Woodcraft is about $40.
Also, on the subject of strops, Illinois no longer makes their strops with genuine shell cordovan but I find that they work well none the less if you put either a strop dressing or honing oil on them. So, let us add up what it costs to shave with a st razor. First you buy a good used st razor made in either Solingen Germany or Sheffield England. Expect to pay $50 or more for one off of ebay. Next, the stones - lets say $200 for all of them. Then, the strop and dressing which I estimate will cost you perhaps $50 for both. So, you have a cost of over $300 to get started in this art unless you send them out to be sharpened. By the way - most $60 razors will need some type of rehab so add that cost to the total.
I began my first st razor activity when I was only 19 years old by placing ads in what was then the LA Free Press. This was in the late 60's. Good luck!
 
Apparently I must just be fantastic at sharpening.
I bought a straight razor (this make and model) for $20 from an antique store near me.
Sharped it myself on a Shun DM0600 combo whetstone (1000/6000 grits).
Stropped on a compound loaded strop (Bark River White compound on a DLT thin leather strop).

Have been shaving with it for about 9 months, with no issues once I got my soap/brush situation squared away. I strop it 5 times per side before shaving, and it is a perfect mirror edge every time. I really don't understand what the fuss is about with all this "minimum four stones" and "you can't do it yourself, send it to a 'honemeister'."

My set up cost me:
$20 - Razor
$35? - strop/compound
$80 - whetstone
$free - soap/brush/etc (gift from girlfriend, I believe it was in the 20-50 range though)

Grand total of $155-185, if you count that I didn't previously own the strop, compound, and whetstone. But seeing as this is a knife forum... Everybody should know how to sharpen and have the tools to do so anyway.
 
inheritthefire said:
Apparently I must just be fantastic at sharpening.
I bought a straight razor (this make and model) for $20 from an antique store near me.
Sharped it myself on a Shun DM0600 combo whetstone (1000/6000 grits).
Stropped on a compound loaded strop (Bark River White compound on a DLT thin leather strop).

Have been shaving with it for about 9 months, with no issues once I got my soap/brush situation squared away. I strop it 5 times per side before shaving, and it is a perfect mirror edge every time. I really don't understand what the fuss is about with all this "minimum four stones" and "you can't do it yourself, send it to a 'honemeister'."

My set up cost me:
$20 - Razor
$35? - strop/compound
$80 - whetstone
$free - soap/brush/etc (gift from girlfriend, I believe it was in the 20-50 range though)

Grand total of $155-185, if you count that I didn't previously own the strop, compound, and whetstone. But seeing as this is a knife forum... Everybody should know how to sharpen and have the tools to do so anyway.
Click to expand...


Yes, you did get lucky but a lot beginners can't take an antique store razor in their normal awful condition at the $20 level and get it to look like the linked example and hone it to shave ready. Also past experience sharpening knives may have some benefit but honing a razor is a bit different from what I can tell.

Near as I can tell a good condition shave ready vintage razor normally runs $50-$80 range from the BST on dedicated razor forums. A decent new stop likely $60 or there abouts. Then there is the actual act of stropping and there again as stated previously most beginners manager to cut or nick them learning how to strop. So you learn strop repair if it is salvageable and also likely have to re hone the razor damaged when you nicked/cut the strop. Soap and a brush can be the least expensive items on the list as a good $10 boar brush once broken in and a stick of Arko will do nicely. Still, that is in your dollar ballpark but does not include any hones. That could easily put it over the $200 closer to $250 or more depending on the hones selected. Not a cheap hobby to start from square one with.

Bob
 
BobbyH said:
Yes, you did get lucky but a lot beginners can't take an antique store razor in their normal awful condition at the $20 level and get it to look like the linked example and hone it to shave ready. Also past experience sharpening knives may have some benefit but honing a razor is a bit different from what I can tell.

Near as I can tell a good condition shave ready vintage razor normally runs $50-$80 range from the BST on dedicated razor forums. A decent new stop likely $60 or there abouts. Then there is the actual act of stropping and there again as stated previously most beginners manager to cut or nick them learning how to strop. So you learn strop repair if it is salvageable and also likely have to re hone the razor damaged when you nicked/cut the strop. Soap and a brush can be the least expensive items on the list as a good $10 boar brush once broken in and a stick of Arko will do nicely. Still, that is in your dollar ballpark but does not include any hones. That could easily put it over the $200 closer to $250 or more depending on the hones selected. Not a cheap hobby to start from square one with.

Bob
Click to expand...

I suppose my sharpening skills were greater than I gave myself credit for.
That said, I must have gotten lucky with my razor. It had some minor tarnishing that I polished out by hand, and that was it.
Now that I'm on my other computer, here is my personal razor:
XXWIZVd.jpg
 
inheritthefire said:
I suppose my sharpening skills were greater than I gave myself credit for.
That said, I must have gotten lucky with my razor. It had some minor tarnishing that I polished out by hand, and that was it.
Now that I'm on my other computer, here is my personal razor:
Click to expand...

Yea, for just a little tarnish and some hand polishing she was in pretty good condition to start with especially at that price point. Nice find looks barely used. I have heard people say that with vintage NOS razors they have stropped them and shave, no touch up honing needed. It just might be that factory edges were much better back then than they are now.

The real fun starts trying to get one honed up that has issues like chips, uneven grind or a twist so it won't lay flat on the hones. If you are really lucky you get multiple flaws in one razor. All kinds of fun to be had and the flaws are not confined to used razors, new production razors have been known to have flaws too.

Bob
 
It's my understanding that when honing a straight it is intended that you wear the spine as well as the edge, to maintain the same angle throughout the life of the blade.

Sharpening really doesn't get any easier than a built in angle measuring device.
If it's flat across the spine, you can grind the edge back to flat.
 
inheritthefire said:
It's my understanding that when honing a straight it is intended that you wear the spine as well as the edge, to maintain the same angle throughout the life of the blade.

Sharpening really doesn't get any easier than a built in angle measuring device.
If it's flat across the spine, you can grind the edge back to flat.
Click to expand...

Yea, that is my understanding too that in theory the hone wear to the spin and blade edge help maintain the proper geometry.

Yea, honing should be pretty easy with that built in angle measuring device.

Exactly how many straight razors have you honed so far or is this your sole venture into straight razor honing?

Bob
 
I use to sell Straight Razors at a store but to date have never shaved myself with one.

The point I would like to make is.
I nice Boar hair brush, a quality soap and any deep mug are all great things to have to shave even with safety razors!

I lather up the brush every morning with Williams brand shaving soap. A quarter the price of Colonel Clonks and the others we sold at a Men's shaver shop and works far better. It has Tallow in it which I think is one of the reasons that is works so well and conditions my face too.
 
Don't get discouraged at first. Certain spots are easy and some are a bear! May seem impossible at first especially if you are accustomed to an easy shave. Have a look at http://whippeddog.com/ Great site to get in inexpensively and some great knowledge.
 
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