Talk me into/out of it

I have wet shaving for many years, I started shaving with a DE for several months.

I am intrigued by the straight razors, so much so I have purchased and used the Feather Artist Club RG razor. I like the razor but feel a real straight edge would be better.

How hard is it to hone/strop and maintain shave ready?

What is the minimum i would need?

Thanks all

It is REALLY hard, and you would need to spend THOUSANDS. Do not go onto ebay or BST and bid against me on anything. There is nothing for you there.


Oh fine. It is not that hard, and you can get into it for under $100.

Not so bad. Stropping should take you between 2 minutes to maybe 10 minutes (I used to strop for ~10 minutes as I was going slowly, very slow, when I started, now I'm around 2 minutes).

Honing isn't that difficult. I think the longest bit was to find the right stone. Some are happy with a barber hone, some prefer a higher grit, etc.

I would suggest reading the interactive guide to straight shaving: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Interactive_Guide_to_Straight_Razor_Shaving

It's not too bad doc. Luc's link has a bunch of helpful info. It's well worth the learning curve if you ask me. There's so much helpful info here that many of us used (and still use) to learn. Also, if you want a in-person demo, I'm not too far I'm sure and would be glad to help.

There is a learning curve to navigate but it isn't too hard. Heck, I can do it. You can probably get a shave ready straight for around $50 and a basic strop for $30. That'll get you going for a while.

You're only going to find enablers in the straight razor forum...

Stropping and maintaining is actually really easy. There is really only one thing that takes any sort of time and that is honing or getting your razor honed. I send mine out at the moment since I haven't invested in what I need to hone razors and am wary about that for now. But stropping is really easy, takes a few minutes before (and I strop 10 times after which is about one minute at most) but really not that hard. Maintaining your razor is as simple as stropping, keeping the blade SUPER dry, and every now and then retouching the blade on a pasted strop. You can go over to whippeddog.com and you can pick up EVERYTHING you need to start for 50 bucks (sight unseen deal). That is a razor, strop and a pasted strop. This is what I use right now (though I have been picking up some razors now) and it works out great. I hear that the Feather razors like that are some serious steel and aren't very forgiving. The nice thing about a "real" straight is that you get feedback, I have stopped myself from cutting myself by just getting to know my razor, you can kind of feel it before you do any damage IMHO. Definitely at least worth a try, even if you bought and used the straight for a month you could probably easily drop the kit on the BST for close to what you paid (easily sell it at 40-ish dollars as a newbie kit). So the worst that could happen is you lose out on 10 bucks to try something that you may find works awesomely for you.

Angry__Panda said:

You can go over to whippeddog.com and you can pick up EVERYTHING you need to start for 50 bucks (sight unseen deal). That is a razor, strop and a pasted strop.

Click to expand...

Larry (WhippedDog) also has the option to get a barber's hone with the sight unseen. It does cost a bit extra, but it should prevent you from having to send the razor out to be honed, at least as long as you don't ding the edge...

nahh...not pricey by much...ignore your soaps and creames..brushes and bowls for a sec...2 straight razors $40-$75 depending on a 5/8 or 6/8 size blade..and how fancy you want it to look..strops are about the same price http://ruprazor.com/store/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=9&Itemid=32 has a great starter strop $22..just add a D ring for $6 more..helped me out alot..still works great many months later. $28 well spent IMO

Go for it. I picked up DE/wetshaving back at Christmas. Jumped into the straight world with a $30 straight bought here in the BST thread in February and picked up the Poor Man's Strop Kit from Whipped Dog. Works great. I have a years supply of DE blades that is quickly becoming a lifetime supply as I use them less and less. Straight shaving is where it's at.

I also bought a barber's hone from Larry as well and have been able to keep that 60 year old Reppenhagen shaving beautifully since then.

Stropping and honing are just like shaving, watch the angle and avoid pressure. Don't get in a hurry and you'll be just fine. Besides, if you mess it up, you can send it to Larry and he'll hone it for less than $20. Not a bad deal.

Charlie

Doc226 said:

I have wet shaving for many years, I started shaving with a DE for several months.

I am intrigued by the straight razors, so much so I have purchased and used the Feather Artist Club RG razor. I like the razor but feel a real straight edge would be better.

How hard is it to hone/strop and maintain shave ready?

What is the minimum i would need?

Thanks all

Click to expand...

The razor you already have, the Feather AC, is an excellent choice. Loaded with the Feather pro or super pro blades that razor will have a sharper edge than you'll be able to get with any "regular" straight.

A regular straight and the Feather AC are both the same type of razor, an open blade razor, and are used the same way.

Do it

You can start cheaply, and that's really all you need! Check out the "what you need and why" link in my sig. You would be surprised how cheap it can be

I strongly recommend it. I wish I'd done it years ago. It has a learning curve but it's not THAT steep.

+100 on Larry at Whippeddog.com. Great guy, great razors, and he will answer emails quickly to help you get set up the right way!

There is indeed a learning curve, but you say that you already wet shave, so that keeps you from having to learn straights and lather making all at once. That takes a lot of variables out of the way. Having a truly shave ready straight will be the biggest thing. Larry can take care of that.

The learning curve is there, but it is pretty easy to beat. I am down to a quality one pass, sometimes two pass shave. My "work shave" is a DFS bordering on BBS on my cheeks and sideburn areas that takes me 12:35 TOTAL, including stropping, getting the brush soaking, soaking the soap, everything. I think that twelve and a half minutes isn't too bad. If I'm doing something, ehem, more intimate, I will do a three pass, but for every day work shaves, I just do the one pass.

legion said:

It is REALLY hard, and you would need to spend THOUSANDS. Do not go onto ebay or BST and bid against me on anything. There is nothing for you there.


Oh fine. It is not that hard, and you can get into it for under $100.

Click to expand...

Right. The last thing we need is for you to figure out how much fun it is, how good the shaves can be, how easily you can learn to shave...and then have you go and buy up all the nice razors off the BST and Ebay. Go back whence you came....

The more the merrier my friend....everyone on this side of the boards roots for every new straight shaver to succeed so jump on in!!

Kentos said:

Right. The last thing we need is for you to figure out how much fun it is, how good the shaves can be, how easily you can learn to shave...and then have you go and buy up all the nice razors off the BST and Ebay. Go back whence you came....

Click to expand...

+2

.....

Of course, go for it. It feels as awesome as it looks.

So long ad you leave the RI antique stores to me.....that's my turf.

(kidding)

legion said:

It is REALLY hard, and you would need to spend THOUSANDS. Do not go onto ebay or BST and bid against me on anything. There is nothing for you there.




Oh fine. It is not that hard, and you can get into it for under $100.

Click to expand...

That is funny, I really like B&B, but I find the real characters are in this sub forum

Luc said:

Not so bad. Stropping should take you between 2 minutes to maybe 10 minutes (I used to strop for ~10 minutes as I was going slowly, very slow, when I started, now I'm around 2 minutes).

Honing isn't that difficult. I think the longest bit was to find the right stone. Some are happy with a barber hone, some prefer a higher grit, etc.

I would suggest reading the interactive guide to straight shaving: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Interactive_Guide_to_Straight_Razor_Shaving

Click to expand...

Thanks, I read that and it only got me more intrigued

Brent said:

You're only going to find enablers in the straight razor forum...

Click to expand...

Yea, I noticed that

Angry__Panda said:

You can go over to whippeddog.com and you can pick up EVERYTHING you need to start for 50 bucks (sight unseen deal). That is a razor, strop and a pasted strop.

Click to expand...

I just got the deal, I spoke to Larry-great guy

dpmtherrien said:

The razor you already have, the Feather AC, is an excellent choice. Loaded with the Feather pro or super pro blades that razor will have a sharper edge than you'll be able to get with any "regular" straight.

A regular straight and the Feather AC are both the same type of razor, an open blade razor, and are used the same way.

Click to expand...

I like the feather but it is very "Stiff"

medicevans said:

+100 on Larry at Whippeddog.com. Great guy, great razors, and he will answer emails quickly to help you get set up the right way!

Click to expand...

I agree, great guy

Kentos said:

Right. The last thing we need is for you to figure out how much fun it is, how good the shaves can be, how easily you can learn to shave...and then have you go and buy up all the nice razors off the BST and Ebay. Go back whence you came....

The more the merrier my friend....everyone on this side of the boards roots for every new straight shaver to succeed so jump on in!!

Click to expand...

Funny

Obiwan said:

So long ad you leave the RI antique stores to me.....that's my turf.

(kidding)

Click to expand...

Thanks, I had not thought of that.

This isn't the right place to come if you truly wish to be discouraged. We're all a bunch of crazy enablers in here.

professorchaos said:

This isn't the right place to come if you truly wish to be discouraged. We're all a bunch of crazy enablers in here.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I have noticed that already.