Newbie requires some straight talking...

matteob said:
Well I got my Osgar and Horween Paddle Strop from Peter today and the razor and strop are gorgeous. I am going to wait until I have a few days growth before I try it though. Only thing I am worried about with a straight is smoothness. I know super sharp does not always mean smooth and I hope it is not like a Feather DE blade: I hate those things.
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When You are Starting Out..You are Very Unlikely to Get a Smooth Shave from any SR..Just the Way it is..Its Not All that Unusual Not to Get a Shave Out of a Perfectly Good Shave Ready SR Either..o_O

Think of a Perfectly Good Road Ready Car when You 1st Started to Drive as a Learner..It Wont Drive Smooth or Maybe Not at All..More to the Point..You Haven't the Skills to Drive it..SR Shaving is the Same..:D

Billy
 
Well had the first shave with the straight: only a day's growth and probably not prepped enough either. I did not cut myself up just a small nick where I dithered trying to get angle right, left blade stationary for a split second and it bit a tad. Sounds worse than it was, it hardly even bled. Shave was ok but not as close or as comfortable as with my Parker 24C which I had to use on jawline and upper lip as I could not get smooth with the short growth with the straight. I think probably the straight would be better on a few more days growth and a thoroughly wet beard. I do like the scrunching sound of the blade mowing hairs though :) Can't fault Peter (who runs the Peter's eaters blog) for the service, the razor, his honing and the strop and instructions though. Cleaned and stropped the blade,light coating of scissor oil to sides and ready for its next use. Think there is a lot to learn and I think things will improve when i become more relaxed. It is still slightly intimidating at the moment.
 
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Personally I started slowly. First week was right cheek only focusing on prep and technique. Took me four weeks of daily practice shaving right part of face with SR and left with DE before I was able to get consistent good shaves. Fifth week was DE on right side and SR on left. Finally after five weeks time for a complete SR shave.
 
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Yeah that might be a good idea actually. I did manage to do a pretty decent job but the guy who sold me the razor is a bit of a star and sent me about four typed pages on how to shave and strop. I guess it all comes with practice. I need to learn to use my left hand only actually as I am left handed and my right is pretty weak. I used the DE on the jawline as I was taking short strokes. Pete the guy who sold me the razor recommends pulling up the skin and doing one long sweeping stroke down the chin and neck. I tried this but the razor got too foamed up. I am not sure if this is a good way or the little precise strokes a barber does. Either way it is trial and error. I will try your method next time. I hope to goodness I don't get the straight razor bug though as they are pretty pricey for a good one. The guy who sold me this thing says it is as good as modern razors of £200 plus and if I take care of it I will never need another straight: probably famous last words but looking at the price of some of these custom razors (some on Maestro Livi's site are priced at 1800 Euros I won't be able to afford it anyway. Thanks to @Fergiebilly and @Jack Sales for putting me on to this Peter chap :)
 
matteob said:
Yeah that might be a good idea actually. I did manage to do a pretty decent job but the guy who sold me the razor is a bit of a star and sent me about four typed pages on how to shave and strop. I guess it all comes with practice. I need to learn to use my left hand only actually as I am left handed and my right is pretty weak. I used the DE on the jawline as I was taking short strokes. Pete the guy who sold me the razor recommends pulling up the skin and doing one long sweeping stroke down the chin and neck. I tried this but the razor got too foamed up. I am not sure if this is a good way or the little precise strokes a barber does. Either way it is trial and error. I will try your method next time. I hope to goodness I don't get the straight razor bug though as they are pretty pricey for a good one. The guy who sold me this thing says it is as good as modern razors of £200 plus and if I take care of it I will never need another straight: probably famous last words but looking at the price of some of these custom razors (some on Maestro Livi's site are priced at 1800 Euros I won't be able to afford it anyway. Thanks to @Fergiebilly and @Jack Sales for putting me on to this Peter chap :)
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I think that the razor bug might of already bit you pal haha.I'm left handed myself & I rarely use the right hand apart from when I shave my head.You don't have to use both hands unless you want to.There is no one way of using a straight & like us all,you will find your own unique way.Personally I do the short even strokes.This method works for me every time.It's a very precise & even way imo.
 
I'll probably will get around to buying a Billy Gold Dollar in the end. I would have done but looking at all the honing services online, no bugger will touch them so thought buying one would be a false economy if three or four months down the line I needed it honed and nobody would do do it. Who looks after yours?
 
matteob said:
Yeah that might be a good idea actually. I did manage to do a pretty decent job but the guy who sold me the razor is a bit of a star and sent me about four typed pages on how to shave and strop. I guess it all comes with practice. I need to learn to use my left hand only actually as I am left handed and my right is pretty weak. I used the DE on the jawline as I was taking short strokes. Pete the guy who sold me the razor recommends pulling up the skin and doing one long sweeping stroke down the chin and neck. I tried this but the razor got too foamed up. I am not sure if this is a good way or the little precise strokes a barber does. Either way it is trial and error. I will try your method next time. I hope to goodness I don't get the straight razor bug though as they are pretty pricey for a good one. The guy who sold me this thing says it is as good as modern razors of £200 plus and if I take care of it I will never need another straight: probably famous last words but looking at the price of some of these custom razors (some on Maestro Livi's site are priced at 1800 Euros I won't be able to afford it anyway. Thanks to @Fergiebilly and @Jack Sales for putting me on to this Peter chap :)
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I like a good custom razor myself but I try to stay within what I think is a fair price range.My third custom that I will be getting next year will be the most costly but it's coming from America so there is the custom fees & postage that will be expensive.
 
matteob said:
I'll probably will get around to buying a Billy Gold Dollar in the end. I would have done but looking at all the honing services online, no bugger will touch them so thought buying one would be a false economy if three or four months down the line I needed it honed and nobody would do do it. Who looks after yours?
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You could just buy a finishing hone or use a balsa strop with chromium oxide.That way you would be self reliant.Infact I will let you have one of my finishing hones if you stay with the straight.You would just need to pay for the postage.
 
Hmmmm you want to see the damage I did to my pen knife the last time I tried to sharpen it lol? I scratched it to buggery. I am not very practical or finessed with those sorts of things! I would rather an expert did the honing for me. I certainly would not try to hone my current razor myself. I don't need a GD anyway lol.
 
No need to add a Gold Dollar now stick to your SR from Peter. As it is properly honed the only work that may be needed is refreshing the edge in due time. Get a finishing hone - costly. Apply chromium oxide to strop - messy. Order some lapping film - easy peasy. (it is all about finish ie fine polishing so no harm done to blade)
 
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matteob said:
Hmmmm you want to see the damage I did to my pen knife the last time I tried to sharpen it lol? I scratched it to buggery. I am not very practical or finessed with those sorts of things! I would rather an expert did the honing for me. I certainly would not try to hone my current razor myself. I don't need a GD anyway lol.
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It's honestly not difficult.Just requires focused patience.If you don't invest in taking care of it yourself then you will be relying on someone else to do it for the rest of your life.That's your call.
 
Nisse said:
No need to add a Gold Dollar now stick to your SR from Peter. As it is properly honed the only work that may be needed is refreshing the edge in due time. Get a finishing hone - expensive. Apply chromium oxide to strop - messy. Order some lapping film - easy peasy. (it is all about finish ie fine polishing so no harm done to blade)
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I have three finishing hones & a chromium oxide balsa strop.Never tried the lapping film.
 
Hmmmm in time. I bought a two sided strop from Pete: leather for normal stropping and canvas to bring to life a dulling blade before you need to re-hone it.
 
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