Thread: Buying my first straight, need advice.

Sounds like you're good to go. However, I'm not sure if those hones are yet necessary since you're already getting crox and diamond spray with your paddle. Those should keep you going for while. But your call. Instead, consider grabbing alum and stypic.

Paddle can replace hanging strop - it has the smooth leather side.

The razor will be fine as long as it is truly 'shave ready'. I'd go for an inexpensive hanging starter strop. Most that are new to stropping will inflict some minor damage on the leather. I wouldn't think about hones yet. It will be months before you need to think about honing. I would concentrate on shaving and learning to use the strop.

Kull,

+1 on the previous posts...

You don't need to purchase the Naniwa or DMT 8 stones at this point. If you str8 razor is coming from SRD it is already shave ready. Your razor shouldn't need re-honing until at least 6 months to a year after you purchase it, epecially if your paddle strop already comes with some diamond spray to help maintain its sharpness.

As for the modular paddle strop...Consider ordering an additional leather pad--in case you nick the one that is part of the package when you are stropping.

Hi Kull,

Thats a great razor you have picked and as you are getting it from SRD you can be sure it will come shave ready! I've got a Boker from SRD and you could cleave atoms with that thing..!

I've heard the modular paddle is a great strop, and it should serve you well. Theres no reason I can think of why you cant use a paddle as a daily strop. There are a some other guys here who use them daily as well..!

The modular paddle comes with 0.5 micron diamond spray so I dont think you'll need to CrOx as well, unless you particularly want it. Put the diamond spray on one of the pieces of the felt, I hear it works very well on that.

I dont know how the felt works as a linen replacement, but hopefully other members will chip in and let us know. I'd be interested to hear myself!

What you could do is use the scrub leather on one side and the Premium 1 leather on the other as your daily strop?

You can then put the pasted felt on the strop when the razor starts to pull and needs a touch up. 10 strokes, strop as normal and shave!

The paddle also has the benefit of being able to replace the leather if you nick it whilst learning. Dont worry if you do, we've all done it and, in my case, a fair few times..!

The Naniwa 12k is a good touch up stone, and a lot of people here use them. I dont have one myself, but there are lots of members who use them with great results.

I have the DMT 325 as a lapping stone. It works very well on my Shaptons, and doubles as an edge repairer if I need it.

All I will say about the hones though, is the recommended wisdom is to learn to shave first, and only then start learning to hone. A well honed razor will last several months before it needs to be honed again, and SRD also give a honing certificate with their razors so you wont need to put razor to stone yourself for a while. From other posts I have read, and comments I have seen other more experienced members make, trying to learn both at the same time can be a recipe for disaster!

Good luck and keep us posted!

I'm in the same boat, having ordered a 6/8 Dovo Tortoise Special and DVD from SRD, and a Filly Strop with CrO on the back from RupRazor.com for $20. I suspect I may do some serious nicking and maybe even cutting, so I'm keeping the investment low at first. I also bought some CrO packets from Chris here in case the strop outlasts the CrO on it.

As those with experience say, I don't think you (or I) need stones for awhile. I'm going to take the time to learn to straight shave first (per GSSixGun's advice) and to decide which route I want to go with the stones. Perhaps coticule, perhaps not.

As others have recommended, I'm going to shave with the razor as it comes from SRD and learn what a good edge should feel like, before I potentially mess it up learning to strop it.

I agree with the previous posts as well. Hold off on the hones, you'll plently of time for that later. Although, they are excellent choices, I see you even bought the D8C to lapp the Naniwa. This is great, but let me tell you what will happen, Learning to shave with a straight is much like learning to walk for the first time, or ride a bike, your gonna fall, and when you do, your gonna grab that Naniwa 12k and go to town on your razor.
It's very common begginer mistake, Many folks take poor angle or improper technique as the razor's fault. So, I'd hold off on the hone, until you get the shaving down pat. When you buy a razor from SRD, it's good to go, so theres no second quessing.
Do as the previous posts said, and get an Alum bar, Styptic Pencil or extra shave cream, Witch Hazel, etc....

Also, I'd reconsider the modular paddle strop, and go with a hanging strop for everyday. The modular has it's benefits, but I don't like paddles for everyday. I have many strops, but currently, my favorites are SRD's Premium 1 and Premium 4, I have multiple seconds, including the Hanging Wool Felt with SRD Diamond Spray .50 as finisher, or sometimes for a quick touch up, but usually only once...After that if the razor tugs again, I go to the hones....
Check out SRD's Premium 1, it's sweet. Some of the nicest leather I've come across, either that or the Bridle leather IV, it has a bit more drag.....

Both are good, Don't get me wrong, but I don't know anyone that uses a paddle for everyday...Now, watch the posts come........
I do have SRD's Paddle strop with rough leather, The rough side is just like your linen, or wool felt or canvas, it's pre strop medium.
You use it before the leather to prepare the edge, that's all. You do maybe 25 lapps, but again, Get a hanging strop. Trust me on this...Even a practice strop first, If you've never stropped before, there's a good chance your going to cut it, and there expensive. Check RupRazor. Ken has practice strops cheap...learn on that, and then use SRD's....

If your gonna mess around with pastes, I'd look for something cheap to paste up, not one of the SRD strops, that's for sure...

If your lucky, ChrisL had some NOS Linen strops on the classifieds for 10.00, that would have been great, but they're probably gone, but look around.....Check the classifieds....

P.S. That razor should last you 1 month minimum before you need to do anything no matter how rough your beard is...Don't paste it, Don't hone it, Don't do anything, Don't even strop it the first time, Just follow the advice here, and shave a small spot on your face until you get the feel for it....

Hope this helps...

Considering that you can ruin the edge on a razor by stropping incorrectly, how much more damage can be done by incorrect honing ?

Been there done it (many years ago)

Seems like a great plan to me. I would suggest that you resist the urge to use the Naniwa until the razor gets to the point where it doesn't get back to shave ready condition with the diamond spray and/or CrOx alone.

Also, I would ask Don or Lynn which stone they recommend to freshen up an edge. The Naniwa will work great, but they may have additional alternatives for you, like a Shapton 16K.

Good luck and have fun.

+1 on everything that's been said. The Dovo Special is an awesome razor. You won't have any problem using that paddle each and every time you shave and, quite frankly, you may be less likely to slice it up while you're learning that you would with a hanging strop. As for the hone, I have to agree with what other folks have said, hold off on it. The reason for this is several-fold. First, when you take your first shave, you're likely to swear that the razor isn't sharp when in reality it's your technique that needs improvement. Secondly, you edge should last about 3-4 months before it needs to go back to the hone. SRD gives a certificate for a free honing, so in reality, you won't need to think about hones for 6-8 months. During that amount of time, you'll gain a better idea of what you need.

Welcome to SRP!!