Potential new straight shaver

[nuclear_shaver]

So, I'm seriously considering trying out my straight razor. My dad gifted/PIF'd me his Whipped Dog kit (with poor mans strop) so that I can experiment with it, and then hopefully teach him. I've read a lot on the wiki/forum and watched a few of the youtube vids, so my questions here are mainly technical and related to care of the razor.

First, I've read that these razors can rust between shaves, so you will want to oil the blade (my razor is carbon steel). What kind of oil is recommended? I see the wiki page lists several but doesn't tell you what to stay away from. I live in a decently humid area and will only be shaving with it on a semi-regular bases (once or twice every two weeks). I have several gun oils (specifically RemOil and Shooters Choice). Will that work?

Secondly, a question about sharpening/honing the razor. The kit comes with a strop, which is used before every shave. That much I follow. For more long term care, Whipped Dog provides the balsa paddle strop. As I understand it, this could be replaced by a hone or a nicer pasted strop. Is that correct? Obviously I will put off such a purchase till much longer down the road, but I just want to get to understand the whole process better.

Thanks for helping the new guy!

The Nuclear Shaver

 

[smalltank]

Oil protects it from moisture and other elements..assuming nothing happened yet...larry is a great guy and has great deals
As long as you dont wait 5+minutes between shaves..wash n wipe your blade clean if you wait in between uses...Camellia Oil (blade/sword protectant) works well..as long as no acids are in your oils..no worries

Stropping befote/after is recommended..ALWAYS try to keep your blade as sharp as it can be..weight if the blade on the strop only..no pressure..balsa wood is after 2+months..your edge will tug/pull..assuming your technique and lather is fine..a dozen strops lightly back n forth (weight of the blade only)...will keep your razor going for many months til you need to repeat this..but strop is always to be used..Welcome Aboard!

 

[drathgeb]

Best of luck it is addicting.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I don't use oil. If you do not let any water get into the pivot area, or on the inside of the scales, and you wipe the blade dry and clean immediately after use, and you keep your razor in a reasonably dry plate, YMMV but I don't think you need to oil. Camelia oil is most often recommended. Mineral oil works fine. I wouldn't use a gun oil. Could have bad stuff in it like traces of heavy metals, etc. For long term storage, a good solid coat of vaseline will protect it.

Yes, you strop on the hanging strop before each shave. 3 or 4 dozen laps is good. You can also hit the balsa for a dozen laps after each shave, to maintain your edge. No need for this for the first week or two, but thereafter it is a good habit to fall into.

You will want to upgrade your strop once you get the hang of stropping and are no longer a danger to your strops with a sharp blade in hand. I would recommend the Big Daddy strop from www.starshaving.com because it is cheap, it is big, and it is reversible. The quality is good for the price. It comes with a felt piece which you may or may not want to use. Made in America by Americans.

I don't know exactly how big Larry's balsa blocks are, but I like a 3" x 12" balsa board, 3/4" or 1" thick. You will too, once you try one, if the one that comes in the Poor Man Strop Kit is smaller than that.

Yes, you could get a finish hone but I would hold off a couple of months. Your pasted balsa will keep your edge going for that long, easy. When you do take the plunge, I suggest skipping the rocks and going with lapping film. Film is cheap. It gives you a long and wide honing surface. It gives great results right off the bat, with a short learning curve. The plate stays flat and never needs lapping or soaking. Do a search for threads with "lapping film" in the title.

Good luck and happy shaves

 

[nuclear_shaver]

Thanks for all the great advice guys! I think I'm going to go for a first shave tomorrow. I think I should be set with what I got from Whipped Dog (I got a really nice razor from him for the price, would recommend to others looking to get started).

For the forseeable future I should be ok with the strop/bamboo provided in the kit. I think if this is something I'm interested in, I will upgrade to a nicer set of pasted strops, and eventually (a long time from now) get one of those 4K/8K stones. I have a good number of knives, and I think I can justify the purchase. As for leather strops, will probably use the leather one provided in the kit. I will very probably knick it up a bit, but since its pretty cheap I don't have to feel bad!

Thanks again!