Thread: Complete Newbie is lost

Originally Posted by GuybrushThreewood

Thanks for all the help.

I think I may try and find someone to hone it for me.
If I can't I'll try and get a hone.
I'm been looking at some videos around the place on how to hone, although I'm still lost on the kind on the kind of hone I'd need. I don't mind spending a bit of money if that helps for anyone who can offer advice on what hone(s) I should get. I'm thinking I might try and send it off to get honed, and then get another razor to try myself, so I have a comparison.
To be a bit more clear about the blade, I try a little patch on my hand, and it cuts the hairs, but not very proficiently.
Still confused about what hones to get? Other than that you guys have really helped me out.

I think you are going down the right path to have someone hone your razor.
Again, welcome to SRP!

Enjoy the journey!!!

Even though I'm going to try and find someone to hone it for me, can someone please still tell me what is a good hone to get, one to sharpen a blade that isn't in bad condition, such as a new straight razor.

The best newbie hone is a Norton 4000/8000 combination grit. One side is 4000 grit and the other is 8000.

VintageBladesLLC::...

You'll also need a flattening stone before you use the hone.

VintageBladesLLC::...

This is absolutely essential. The first time I honed my razor, I didn't realize the hone needed to be flattened, and I nearly shaved my face off afterwards.

I know this does not help you, but... Guybrush Threewood!!! I am 23 but I recognize that name... I loved that game!

Be berlin covered it.
you can get a norton 4000/8000 hone from lie nielsen in S.A., it's $129 plus $9 postage, i found that cheaper than anywhere else once you get it shipped and convert the dollar.
Have fun.

G'day G.T. & welcome mate.
I think it's been mostly covered answer wise but I'l tell you what I was told 26 years ago when I bought my Black Beauty strop.
Any leather conditioner you use goes on the rough side of the leather not the stropping side. The supplier also recommend that lard was the best conditioner. I've done that over the years and the strop is still in use and as supple as can be.
Stiff as a board and hard as glass when it was new btw... And don't put any abrasive paste on the "Finish" side of your strop.
Cheers

Great post, guybrush - I have often wondered exactly what you asked

Originally Posted by onimaru55

G'day G.T. & welcome mate.
I think it's been mostly covered answer wise but I'l tell you what I was told 26 years ago when I bought my Black Beauty strop.
Any leather conditioner you use goes on the rough side of the leather not the stropping side. The supplier also recommend that lard was the best conditioner. I've done that over the years and the strop is still in use and as supple as can be.
Stiff as a board and hard as glass when it was new btw... And don't put any abrasive paste on the "Finish" side of your strop.
Cheers

Originally Posted by KingHarvest

The best newbie hone is a Norton 4000/8000 combination grit. One side is 4000 grit and the other is 8000.

Vintage Blades LLC ::...

You'll also need a flattening stone before you use the hone.

Vintage Blades LLC ::...

This is absolutely essential. The first time I honed my razor, I didn't realize the hone needed to be flattened, and I nearly shaved my face off afterwards.

Thanks for all the help guys. I don't feel so lost anymore.

Originally Posted by mziter

I know this does not help you, but... Guybrush Threewood!!! I am 23 but I recognize that name... I loved that game!

Oh it's the best game ever.

Originally Posted by GhostRida

Be berlin covered it.
you can get a norton 4000/8000 hone from lie nielsen in S.A., it's $129 plus $9 postage, i found that cheaper than anywhere else once you get it shipped and convert the dollar.
Have fun.

Thanks heaps for this, their near where I live so that works out perfectly.

At the risk of offending some on the forum, I am going to have to jump in here and try and bring some sanity. Over the past several months, I have become increasingly concerned with tendency to make the use and care of straight razors some type of esoteric art. This is simply not the case and is my opinion counter productive to the stated goal of this forum, which is to encourage growth of straight razor shaving.

In truth, straight razor shaving, honing, stroping etc. are nothing more than skills that can be learned by anyone with average, or even below average manual dexterity. Really, consider the fact that back in my father's day, almost everyone who did not want to go about with a full beard used a straight razor, including honing and stropping. For the most part they were average men, and they managed quite well without the needing to learn at the foot of a master. If they had any training at all it was from their father, but for most, they were simply given a razor with some brief instruction and sent on their way.

I fail to see why anything more is necessary today. Certainly we are not less capable than these earlier generations, and the information available here and on other sites greatly exceeds the information usually passed on from father to son in the past.

With respect to your new razor: Yes, it will probably need some additional honing. Any one of a number of stones will work fine in this regard, but the Norton 4000/8000 waterstone probably gives the best combination of quality, consistency and price. As far as honing itself, there are a number of sites on the internet explaining how this is done. The worked for me and they should work for you as well.

If you want to know what a truely sharp blade feels like, use a new DE blade as a reference. It is unlikely that any straight razor, no matter how expertly honed, will be sharper than this. But, in truth the only real test is to shave with the blade. If it is sharp enough, there will be no pulling.

Stropping is the same, the main issue is to not put pressure on the edge of the blade as this will tend to roll the edge. Other than that, the real skill, which will come with practice, learning how not to nick the strop.

If you have ever used a DE razor, you already know the importance of blade angle and stretching, if not, then once again there are plenty of materials on the internet on these issues.

My advise would be:

Buy a 4000/8000 Norton waterstone and use this to hone your razor until it feels about as sharp as a new DE blade.

After honing, strop using your leather strop 50 passes should be more than enough

Try a shave, start with your cheeks, pay attention to blade angle and stretching. If the blade pulls, it is not sharp enough, back to honing. If the blade feels smooth but does not cut, you are over honed (I have never had this happen, but I suppose it is possible). Go back to the hone. back hone a few strokes (back honing means to pass the blade across the hone in reverse - spine leading), then hone a few strokes to sharpen.

That's all there is to it as far as I am concerned. I honed my own razors from the start and managed a perfectly good shave (with a few small nicks) the first time. I'm not a genius, I'm just not intimidated by those who want to make this something more than it is.