New ST8 User and strop ?

Ok Guys, I have my very first razor coming from a B&B Member and it's a shave ready one along with a strop kit, supposed to be a leather/canvas one along with a balsa wood one with a paste on it, I think chromium oxide. I have read and read and watched vids until the cows have come home and still am going to have questions but for now here are a few.

1. I assume that I can use the razor right out of the box since its shave ready ?

2. After I am done doing my first shave or at least doing partial one say the sideburn area and maybe the flats of my cheek area until I get comfortable with it what am I supposed to do after my fist shave besides clean it up, from what I have read some guys will strop after use so the next time it's all ready to go and some will wait until it's time for the shave so does it matter ?

3. From my limited knowledge I am supposed to strop 25 or so strokes with the canvas then 50-60 with the leather and the pasted balsa is used after 8-10 shaves then the cotton and leather ?

4. Honing is something I know will need to be done but the big question is when and how difficult is it to do for a newb ?

Please pardon my stupid questions but I want to learn how to properly care for this razor even though it's a very inexpensive one, I have several DE/SE vintage razors that are in good + to excellent condition that are used everyday and I do baby them and my plan is to do the same with this one even though the cost is low, I figure it will serve as an excellent tool to teach me and if it's something I intend to pursue I can step up my game later and get a vintage razor and better quality hanging strop along with some stones and PIF my starter set.

Thanks

-Will

panther308 said:

1. I assume that I can use the razor right out of the box since its shave ready ?

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Yes. But ask the seller. I know that on at least one occasion, I forgot to strop a razor before shipping and I had given it a test shave to make sure everything was OK. Luckily that one went to someone with experience. I still felt bad. I like it when my razors are received with a killer HHT off the box.

panther308 said:

2. After I am done doing my first shave or at least doing partial one say the sideburn area and maybe the flats of my cheek area until I get comfortable with it what am I supposed to do after my fist shave besides clean it up, from what I have read some guys will strop after use so the next time it's all ready to go and some will wait until it's time for the shave so does it matter ?

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Stropping after is a good thing as it ensure the blade does not have any micro drop of water that would start corroding the edge.
I personally strop before and after.

panther308 said:

3. From my limited knowledge I am supposed to strop 25 or so strokes with the canvas then 50-60 with the leather and the pasted balsa is used after 8-10 shaves then the cotton and leather ?

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That's right. Assuming what you call a stroke is a round trip. Some would call it on the high side, but that is the routine I do.

panther308 said:

4. Honing is something I know will need to be done but the big question is when and how difficult is it to do for a newb ?

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Honing a razor is actually pretty easy. Much easier than a knife as razors are designed for the honing. The hardest and longest part is setting the bevel. So if you are just starting with basic edge maintenance, then no biggie.
There are some synthetic stones that are not very expensive. Some use film (I have never tried so I can not comment) which are very cheap.