Thread: My first attempt at SR shaving

I have been DE shaving for 4 months after having used electric razors for the last 30 years or so. After reading all the great information on the forum, I decided to break out my Dad’s King straight and give it a try. I sent it off to a reputable company for restoration, scale replacement, and honing. It came back better than I had expected.


I watched all the videos, tutorials, and Lynn’s DVD (multiple times) so I thought it was about time. So this morning I gave it a try on my cheeks only. This was also my first time using Tabac soap, which turns out to be the slickest product I have used to date. Having read the advice to not strop the first time a razor came back from honing so I could know what a sharp razor is, I did not strop. However, even using the Tabac, the razor seemed to really tug. I got a very close shave (WTG only) with no nicks or cuts, but it tugged on both cheeks. I was very careful to keep the blade within on spine’s with of my skin. I was pretty slow with the blade and used short strokes with almost no pressure. After the shave, I dried the blade and scales; stropped 20 passes on linen and 30 on leather. I will strop 50 passes on leather prior to next use.


My question; have I destroyed the honing job or can I strop prior to the next shave and bring it back; or is it just my technique? Or...is there really a problem and I am just getting a lot of feedback from the razor? I did have two days growth.

i would guess it's just technique, the correct amount of pressure is just enough to wipe off the lather. also might experiment with different angles. if your stropping technique is good than no harm will be done to the razor. you'll have to wait till your next shave to see.

Sometimes starting with an heirloom razor is not the wisest choice. As beginners we tend to beat the gear up a little. You may want to seriously insider getting a second razor sooner rather than later.

Thank you both for the input. I do believe it is probably my technique. I plan to continue with the Tabac for a while as I finished the shave with my Fatboy and got a BBS. Also, that is good advice of not using my Dad's razor very much. I have a new Ralf Aust that I acquired from SRD and of course it was honed prior to shipment. I will give it a try for my next shave. Thanks again for your help.

Originally Posted by Grayelk

Thank you both for the input. I do believe it is probably my technique. I plan to continue with the Tabac for a while as I finished the shave with my Fatboy and got a BBS. Also, that is good advice of not using my Dad's razor very much. I have a new Ralf Aust that I acquired from SRD and of course it was honed prior to shipment. I will give it a try for my next shave. Thanks again for your help.

I have a plain 5/8 RA and it is a great shaver. Getting it from SRD means that it will be shave ready so I would give that one a shot! Make sure you watch the videos on stropping as well so you don't dull your new razors like I did.

Thanks Ernie1980....Question on stropping. I made a practice paddle strop and used an old razor I purchased at an antique shop for a while. I have watched multiple videos and they all seem to strop slower or very fast. I particularly like the video by Anthony Esposito on YouTube and he goes fairly slow. It seems you can be more careful and much more precise going a little slower, especially since I am new. Some posts say speed matters and Anthony doesn't. I realize one shouldn't go extremely slow. So, I guess I am asking whether speed really matters?

I think as you're are starting the better term during your stropping would be deliberate. The stroke does not need to be slow but you really need to take time at the transitions when flipping the razor. Make sure the razor has stopped completely, roll on the spine and then start moving the razor. As you build muscle memory and get to feel comfortable stropping it will go quicker.
I still try to be "deliberate" when I strop, even though it takes me about a quarter as much time as it did when I started.

Don't forget to stretch the skin properly either. It can make a huge difference

It's been said before, but skin stretching really does make a huge difference. It sounds like you're doing everything else right, so I'd try that. Also maybe see if you can borrow someone's razor that has been shaving for a while so you know what a good sharp solid razor feels like. Good luck! Be patient!

You say the Tabac was slick, so I would discount the lather as the problem, although sometimes IME if you don't get enough water in the lather you can get into trouble. Tabac id lovely stuff, though, and if it was slick I'd say you're good there.
Usually when a straight pulls or tugs a lot it's because it isn't sharp enough. I don't know who honed your razor, but give the RA a go and report back. If it is giving you trouble as well, my money's on technique, as mentioned above.
Good luck, and be patient and hang in there. The learning curve on a straight can be steep, but if you persist, you will find one of the finest things in life.