Hi all, Complete noobie

**GRIFFIN** · 06-21-2010, 04:30 PM

Hi all, I just inherited my grandfathers straight, wet stone, and strop. I'm really pumped to give this a go! I need to find a strop (the one I have is shot) and order cream/soaps and a brush before I can get going. It's hard to find this stuff locally in rural Nova Scotia but I'm bound determined to get going. Any tips you feel may help me along the way are more than welcome!

**Topgumby** · 06-21-2010, 04:38 PM

Welcome!

What a great way to start, with a family razor.

**BroJohn** · 06-21-2010, 04:39 PM

Hi Griffin, welcome to B&B.

Read though this site, but for Str8 shaving info, stop by the 'Straight Razors' forums here at B&B. The guys there will help you get underway.

-- John Gehman

**Fairchild86** · 06-21-2010, 04:44 PM

Welcome to B&B

**Dennard** · 06-21-2010, 04:45 PM

Welcome, GRIFFIN.

**pauls51** · 06-21-2010, 04:58 PM

Welcome to B&B!

**GRIFFIN** · 06-21-2010, 05:04 PM

Thanks guys hopefully I'll hit the ground running by the end of the month and from what I've seen so far this forum has more information that one will ever need.

**Don** · 06-21-2010, 05:16 PM

Welcome to B&B!

**NickCutlip** · 06-21-2010, 05:17 PM

Welcome to B&B !!

**KarthVader** · 06-21-2010, 05:19 PM

Welcome! Great community here; erudite and friendly. Good luck on your shaving endeavors!

**Luc** · 06-21-2010, 05:27 PM

Welcome to B&B!

Your first step will be to have the straight honed so you can shave with them. Contact a honemeister to do so. Some will restore the straight to make it shiny and hone them to be shave ready: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Honemeister

Next, you will need a strop to maintain the edge. You can either get a used one or buy one.

Have a look at the check list of what you need, it should help you: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=154234

**dpmtherrien** · 06-21-2010, 06:16 PM

Welcome to the B. Just enjoy yourself here.

**Barbash** · 06-21-2010, 06:20 PM

Welcome to B&B!

**LarryAndro** · 06-21-2010, 06:38 PM

For short term use, I am sure it is possible to find stropping material locally. About any smooth finished piece of leather can work. Just put it on the edge of a table. You can strop on a variety of surfaces such as newspaper (black ink), denim, leather. I remember a thread on StraightRazorPlace.com; someone stropped on their denim pants leg for some months before buying something better. I don't recommend that. Only making the point that you have local options while you are taking your time weighing better options.

**GRIFFIN** · 06-21-2010, 07:22 PM

Thanks for the tips Luc & Larry. Theres a shoe repair shop down the street that I think will be able to help me out with the strop for now. I was looking on your web-site earlier once I dive a little deeper into this I'll probably need a second razor you'll be hearing from me when that time comes.

**LarryAndro** · 06-21-2010, 07:39 PM

Shoe shops are good places to get a strop. Ask them to attach a hook at the end of a strip of smooth leather about 36 inches long. That is too long in all likelihood. But, use it for a day and then cut it to the right length for you.

No matter how smooth the leather feels, I recommend that you press it smooth with a flat-sided coffee cup. Oil the strop and press it hard with the side of the coffee cup all up and down the strop. And, you might repeat this from time to time.

**GRIFFIN** · 06-21-2010, 07:44 PM

I found a norton dealer about an hours drive away will probably pick up a 4000/8000 stone this week if as my grandfathers got broken in the mail.... Canada post FAIL! link to the dealer below.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...072,43071&ap=1