Thread: Hello from MN!

I'm posting my first thread just to thank everyone on here so much for all the help I've already gotten just reading the forum posts before I joined tonight. I never join forums, but I got so much information that seems so crucial... I at least had to say thank you!

Besides, after searching around online, it seems the classifieds here are indeed a grade A place to check for quality razors.

After all the help I found on here, to begin setting up for my first straight razor shave, I already got some TGQ Leatherneck soap, as that seemed to be highly recommended. I also purchased a badger hair brush with a stand, a soap bowl, and am currently awaiting a reply from RayG as to whether or not he may be willing to part with his Robeson razors he posted on SRP's classifieds.

For my first strop, I'm currently looking on eBay,, even though I know everyone on here says that's not always a good idea. I'm just looking to get something cheap that I can ruin here in the beginning. I have a pretty limited budget, and if I pick up a blade from RayG, then I will already be over. Is a good strop that important? or will a simple one get me by until I can afford the upgrade?

Thanks again everyone!

Tucker

Hi Tucker, welcome to SRP!!

Check in the Vendor's Corner forum. You'll find a few vendors who sell good quality beginner strops at very reasonable prices. Tony Miller and Kenrup come to mind. I am sure there are others too. You can also check in the classifieds!

welcome to srp like dward said you should be able to pick up one in the classifieds or check out vintagebladesllc.com i have a herold strop but i nicked it up during my learning process and i am getting ready to buy a tony miller everyone swears by his strops

I got one of my strops from ebay and the key is to ask for lots of pictures. Where in MN are you?

Greetings, Tucker. You'll love it here. I'm also in MN and we've just recently had our first official MN get together in Cannon Falls. We'll be planning another soon and it was just the best. You'll definitely want to come to the next one once it's coordinated.

Chris L

Welcome to SRP. There are some senior members from your neck of the woods up there and maybe one of them might be near enough to you to give you a few pointers face to face. I have gotten a some good vintage strops on ebay. Some of them in the twenty dollar range. The important thing is condition.

I would look for a 24" or thereabouts strop with a good linen. The kind with a sqared off bottom. Those are usually professional quality strops. The short ones with the paddle shape leather for a handle were usually for home users and may not be of the same quality. Email the seller and ask if the leather has any age cracks, nicks, or cuts. Ask if it supple and of course check out the photos. Another thing I do if I end up high bidder is ask them to make sure that they ship it in a box large enough so that it isn't creased when they send it.

First of all Trobeson, congrats on starting with the St8, you'll find no better shave in the world. To answer your questions, a good strop is important as it aligns the metal of the razor, alignment is key, otherwise you have a blade that looks like this ( ----_------____----------) on a microscopic level, and that against the tender areas of your face can be rather disastrous. Ebay strops can be very good, on the other hand, I have one and it turned out very nice, but my suggestion is get with someone who knows what they are talking about, and check the classifieds, even the handmade strops that some of the gents here make themselves are better than the "starter" rigs you can get cheaper with ebay. Plus, it's a product made by someone who shares in the same hobby as you, so they know what they are looking for in a strop. Good Luck!

-Smoke

Thank you all! I am currently residing down in the Winona area, by LaCrosse and Rochester. I am SUPER happy to hear there are plenty of people up here in MN! I'm definitely going to have to make it to the next get together! I will be there for sure! I find there's never a substitute for connecting with someone face to face. All the strop advice has been very helpful. eBay is hit and miss it seems, so I checked out TM's site, and it appears he doesn't get back in until about Jan. 7th, so I will hopefully be able to scratch together some funds by then.

I noticed several of the members on here have their own small businesses dealing with all this razor bad-assedness, so I picked up a starter razor from Vintage Blades. I think that's Lynn's biz, right? I'd rather support a small biz that knows what's going on. Quality is ALWAYS better in my experience.

I've had a few apartments up in the twin cities while I was working up there for a while, around Eden Prairie, and one in Eagan for a while. So I'm pretty familiar with the Cannon Falls area, having driven through it only a half million times. Haha. It there anyone on here close to Winona or Rochester?

This is probably the friendliest crowd I've ever seen on an online forum! Merry Christmas everyone!

Welcome to the SRP!. I am located in St. Paul and your welcome to stop over to my place any time. Bring your razor(s) along and I can do some honing for you.
You really do need a strop, it is a necessity but you do not have to pay top dollar to start with. I have also purchased strops from Ebay and most of them needed work. I do have one new strop from Damon that I can let go. I frequently go to Cannon Falls and I could meet you there if you wish. Send me a PM if your interested.

Yeah, Welcome to SRP. Sorry you just missed the get together, but I know there was talk of another in the spring. If Randy has one of Damon's strops I would recommend picking that one up for the money. I'm sure that by reading here you know there is a learning curve and that strop has no linen so you won't want be tempted to use that. Also, it is nice and wide and you won't kick yourself when you nick it up.