New to Straights. Strope vs Hone vs Stone?

I'd really like to give straight shaving a try. I recently lost my father and he would always rib me for not having "the balls" to give straight shaving a try and I don't know...I just feel like he'd be smiling down on me if I at least give it a try. I only wish he was still around so he could teach me. Anyways, I know nothing about it. My father tried to bless me with his many years of knowledge in the style but I never felt that I would get into it so I stupidly never paid close attention. Now, in my quick reading in the Stickies, it tells you what to buy but not what each is unless I missed a thread on it. Apparently, a starter shouldn't invest much in a straight and the size doesn't matter. The main point for a newbie would be to ensure the razor is shave ready. Where I'm lost is regarding what Stropes, Hones, and Stones do. Obviously some or all of them are used for maintenance or sharpening, but I have no clue what to buy to start out.

Also, and I'm sure this is going to obviously be a YMMV thing, but what should I expect from a straight shave compared to a DE shave which I've done my whole life? My father gave me my first DE razor when I started to shave as he has always been dead against cartridge razors. I didn't even know that wetshaving had such a following until I stumbled across this amazing community. My father would've loved you guys. Sorry, I'm having a hard time with his passing. Going back to what I was saying, should I expect some nicks/cuts/scary blood loss on my first few shaves? How long should I expect for it to take before should start getting into a good grove with solid technique with my experience with DE shaving?

Anyways, thanks very much for any information that you can pass on to me. You guys are an amazing group of people and I'm blessed to have found this site.

Have a great day and Happy Holidays.

I don't have any advice to offer but I am in a similar boat - just starting out with straights, and I will be following this thread closely. Actually just *about* to start.

Sorry to hear about your Dad, I'm sure this is something he'd be happy about.

Welcome to the club...
I'm a newb too, bought a Parker shavette a couple months ago. The disposable blades are really sharp. My advice: keep the blade angle as low to the skin as possible, and keep the skin pulled taught. I've only had a couple of cuts so far, and I think both were from getting too cocky and forgetting to pull my skin tight.

The learning curve for straights, particularly in the chin/upper lip areas, is much longer than with a DE. So do it if it is fun for you and use the DE to touch up after the straight for quite a while.

Many razors say they are shave ready but most aren't and need to be sent to someone first. If they truly are shave ready then all you need to do each time before shaving is to strop them with a leather strop. Eventually they will need more and this is when you go to a hone (which is a stone).

If your razor is shave ready you could probably get just a strop and a small "finishing" hone and not have to do more for years.

As far as cutting yourself. Initially you will probably accidentally poke yourself a bit more with the straight but after a little experience it shouldn't be any more than with a DE. The cuts generally come not from the actual shaving stroke but from positioning the blade around the nose or where ever and not once you are actually using the shaving stroke.

Honing: fancy word for sharpening. I always thought it sounds like what "sharpening" means only taken to extremes.

Stones: A method to do the sharpening. Steel + hard surface + rubbing = sharp edge (not that easy tho)

Strop: leather (usually) that does a final dressing of the edge before the actual shave.

More info about everything: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Interactive_Guide_to_Straight_Razor_Shaving

Welcome! My condolences on losing your Father. If he left you his straight razor kit/stuff, it will be a beautiful way to remember him. My moms father passed away when she was young, but I inherited his honing stuff a couple years ago. Yet another reason the straight shaving appeals to many is that the stuff is made to last generations, if kept properly. Very personal thing to use the same tools as a relative no longer with us.

Peace.

Krodor said:

Honing: fancy word for sharpening. I always thought it sounds like what "sharpening" means only taken to extremes.

Stones: A method to do the sharpening. Steel + hard surface + rubbing = sharp edge (not that easy tho)

Strop: leather (usually) that does a final dressing of the edge before the actual shave.

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just to make Krodor's great explanation more clear (laymen's terms).

Stones (sometimes called hones (n.) ) are the vehicle used in a method (sometimes called honing(n.)) to sharpen (hone (v.)) by taking metal off the edge of a razor until you have a sharp bevel "V" at the edge. An edge must be V to shave well. how well finely it is honed depends on the comfort or sharpness. but the initial V is crucial. honing in the very fine range can be called finishing and won't make a bad V good.

Stones or Hones can be synthetic or natural.

after honing, the edge can still use some alignment (maybe due to micro-serrations or bending of the edge or something else) and the strop adds that last little bit of sharpness and smoothness wanted to make a great edge for shaving.

The main point for a newbie would be to ensure the razor is shave ready. Where I'm lost is regarding what Stropes, Hones, and Stones do. Obviously some or all of them are used for maintenance or sharpening, but I have no clue what to buy to start out.

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Don't buy any hones yet, send it out to be professionally sharpened. there is a list of professional honers in the wiki here. it's worth the money (~$15-25) the first couple go arounds). Definitely get an inexpensive strop (<$40), don't use your father's as you'll probably nick it or cut it and you'll feel really bad. Probably don't even use your father's straight yet either.. get a whipped dog straight or some decent (not expensive needed), just in case you drop it or clip it on the sink by accident.. you'll be sad then too. take a look at the superior shave site, maybe straight razor designs straight of the month. get one off the BST here shave ready and if it needs some honing, likely someone here will help you out for postage paid both ways as a kind gesture of wet-shaving brotherhood.

Also, and I'm sure this is going to obviously be a YMMV thing, but what should I expect from a straight shave compared to a DE shave which I've done my whole life? should I expect some nicks/cuts/scary blood loss on my first few shaves? How long should I expect for it to take before should start getting into a good grove with solid technique with my experience with DE shaving?

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don't expect a whole lot until probably the 5th to tenth shave. you;; likely have some burn or small slices, but not really any weepers or big nicks and as you get more comfortable around the 30th - 50th you'll likely be fine.. somewhere after it'll be close to the DE but it depends on maintenance of the edge complemented by technique. around a 100 you won't want the DE anymore.

good luck!

Whipped dog is a good start. Don't start buying expensive stuff until you're sure straight razor shaving appeals to you. You could look among the members for someone in your area that's willing to help you out a bit. When I started they loaned me a shave ready straight to try and that made a world of difference, also seeing someone shave/strop/hone in real life makes it so much easier to learn. Good luck and happy new year!

Thanks Jon! I was on the ipod touch at the time...tiny screen, hard to type. Thanks for filling in the holes for me!

Krodor said:

Thanks Jon! I was on the ipod touch at the time...tiny screen, hard to type. Thanks for filling in the holes for me!

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not a problem...