What is needed to step to straight razor?

N

nhyrum

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Jun 28, 2016
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So I'm finally feeling ready to make the step up to a straight razor from a safety razor I've been using the last few years. What all do I need? Just the razor and a strop or two?

What are some quality razors that won't break the bank? What strops? Gonna have to learn to strop too...
 
I'm guessing you already have a soap and brush?

Whipped dog have starter packages, don't spend a lot on your first strop, as its common to nick them while learning, so most recommend lower cost strops, until you have the knack. A combo strop with a leather section and a cotton/linen section for compound is about the minimum. but you can get away with a lot less. The main thing is to start out with a razor from someone who will sell it as shave ready, and has a reputation as such. Honing razors isn't particularly hard, but learning to shave and hone at the same time adds a lot of variables that make the process slower and bloodier.
 
Yes, I already have oil, cream(not canned) and a brush I've been using the two years.

Do I use compound with the strop? I'm about to get a leather covered paddle strop, will that work for the razor?

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for normal everyday stropping, 50-100 laps on bare leather is the norm, then when it starts to not be enough, 25-50 on a strop with compound. Everyone gets their own method, and even certain razors will like a certain treatment. If you have a paddle strop, which is typically shorter, you'll need more strokes, and look up the X-stroke for stropping, since your blade will certainly be wider than the strop. In general, you want to keep your razor stuff and your knife stuff separate, as the edges on a razor are so much more delicate, that while its possible to use them both, its just inviting trouble to risk damage to your razor strop with a knife edge, or get a heavier grit on your strop by accident.
 
if you want to use compound you need two strops one for compound and one bare. the better the strop the better your chances for success. I use a tony miller strop and it serves me well. I have several strops even a vintage koken horsehide the tony miller has an edge on par with the koken. remember once you add compound to leather it remains there . one micron diamond gives a very nice crisp edge .5 is just added polish which some say helps I stop at one micron.
 
Thanks for the help guys. I have decided on a separate strop for the razor.

Now, what are a few good starter razors that come shave ready. From what I've read 5/8 and full hollow is the norm for a decent razor?

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a 5/8 full hollow is sort of a mid-range size. some guys like lighter, some heavier, but in general that's a good starting point until you learn what you like. Shave readiness of a razor has nothing to do with who made it, everything to do with who sold it. Some guys buy and tune up cheap chinese razors into real workhorses, and you can buy a several hundred dollar razor from one of the top brands, and it won't yet be ready to shave. Whipped dog sight-unseen razors are vintage razors that have been brought up to shave readiness, and there are a lot of vendors who support straightrazorplace and badgerandblade who sell new ready to use razors. you might also find a honemeister who is local to you (don't let a knife guy touch razors, get a razor specialist) who can do touchups once and a while (six months to a year in many cases) Its a matter of reputation, and so this corner of this forum isn't the best place to look, its a bit quieter than the dedicated shaving forums.
 
I recently got a Filarmonica almost new on eBay for $100 and change. That thing is what I would consider one of the best buys I have ever got. When shopping for Filarmonicas you must know which ones to get because the good ones are among the best and the others are not good.

Otherwise if you want to give it a spin without spending a fortune whipped dog is where I would look for a low priced high quality straight razor.

I have not cut myself very often and when I did it was tiny because I started out very very very slowly and methodically after watching youtube instructional videos on straight razor shaving. I would highly recommend youtube videos by geofatboy of shave nation.com. My routine from unboxing to stropping to shaving is slow and somewhat ceremonial because I don't want to make the mistake after getting a lot of straight razor experience of taking safety with a straight edge for granted.

I find the experience of straight razor shaving to be relaxing and interesting but I must admit my Edwin Jagger double safety razor is still king when it comes to giving me the closest shave. That may change as I get more experience.

I started out with a Dovo best 6/8 inch half hollow round point with a so and so edge from the factory that was remedied by sending it to the perfect edge for a honing. The round point is more forgiving since the tip of square points and the like can pierce your skin if you lose attention to where it is. Some recommend round points for beginners but I am on the fence with that one since you can learn to take to round point for granted and will have to unlearn that habit if you start using non round point blades. Square points and the like do allow for more precise touch ups in harder to get areas than round points and may be desirable for advanced shavers or maybe just learn to use one from the start. I don't know I will leave that to you but slow and methodical is to key to preventing cuts whatever shape your blade is.

((((((( Am I the only one that finds this automatic text spelling corrector to be more trouble than it's worth ? ok back on subject)))))))

There are advanced shavers that prefer round points regardless.

The plastic black scales on my Dovo broke. This is a common problem with plastic scales from all brands. I found the dove plastic scales to be very durable after trying to break them even more after I removed them so they probably have a high percentage of defects (from the moulding process ??????) since they did break and I often read complaints about it on the web. Keep in mind that I brought this razor knowing this and gave it the gentlest of handling with the thought that they will not break because of it. I was wrong it just snapped at the pivot area.

keep in mind some of the best razors (like my Filarmonica) have thin (the dovo was thick by the way) plastic scales and don't be surprised if they break. I always shave holding the on to the blade tang and gripping area of the blade letting the handle just kind of hang which is the proper method as well as safe.

I just got a Rockwell 6S safety razor in the mail today I was going to give it away as a retirement gift but I am getting to like it so much I may just start using it and order another one for a gift.

Back to straights I find honing to be straight forward and not too hard to master with one little glitch. These days it is easy to get warped razors even among the top brands fresh from the factory, With vintage blades warped blades are very possible.

I have learned how to sharpen the ones I can't fix but that took me a lot of practice and time to learn with rusty $10.00 thrift store razors and I can still get a keener edge (and you could too I suspect) on a properly profiled blade (not warped) much quicker and easier.
 
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Hey guys I have a question about a straight razor I've had for years and have used it a couple of times to shave with and it seems to be a good quality unit from what I can tell. About 15 years ago the "Garrett Wade" Company who mainly sells woodworking and sharpening tools was running a special buy on a Theirs Issard straight razor. It wasn't cheap by any means I paid almost $100 including shipping and so forth.

Now I chatted with some guys over at www.straightrazorplace.com and they all said that the Theirs Issard was by and large a good quality razor. But I just wanted to know if you guys knew anything about that particular unit? I'm about to quit using commercially made disposable razors and I want to use a really good quality straight razor to shave with but I want to start out right. I already have a great assortment of strops and many of them I already use on my Spyderco and Benchmade knives.

I have one strop I got from a Barber's Supply Co made with Russian Boar Hide and I've heard those are really good strops. I also paid a pretty nickel for the strop as well. I hope I've got good gear to start with?
 
Patience will help a lot while learning to strop and also the angle you hold the razor when shaving.
 
I find honing and stropping a properly made straight razor to be much easier than sharpening a knife.

All you have to do is hold the straight razor flat on the hone or strop since the spine of a proper designed straight (a design that has evolved over hundreds of years) acts as an angle guide. It takes patience yes because you want to be slow and methodical due to the very fragile edge of a straight razor which can easily be damaged with a little slip but I have to say if you take your time and just hold it flat it works like clockwork. Straight razors are deliberately made to have as least of a learning curve as possible when it comes to stropping and honing.

That being said straight razor honing does require practice to be proficient at and you have to be able to judge when its done. A slip on the hone can do some real damage to a straight that may take lots of work or a trip to a professional honemeister to repair. I would start by practicing with $10.00 thrift store beaters or cheapies before grinding away at your fine quality TI straight razor. You can always send it out to a REPUTABLE professional too if you don't wish to bother.

Stropping is another story just lay it flat, be gentle and slow. Speed comes after you have well retained the muscle memory from repeated stropping over time. A slip on a strop will usually make a dull spot but the potential for bad damage is not as great as when it happens on a stone. You must learn stropping if you want to use your straight razor regularly.

This is for straight edge straight razors things get more interesting when sharping a smiling edge and even more interesting if your edge is warped (as in frustrating.)

Compare this to knife sharping where the there is no guide (on most knives) and how sharp your edge gets depends on how steady you hold an angle with your hand while sharpening it. On a knife for a super keen edge you must be super keen at holding your angle super keenly steady while passing it over the hone or strop unless you are using a guide. Freehand knife sharping requires skill that comes with lots of practice and experience unless you happen to be exceptionally talented at it (some people are.)
 
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