Straights in Spring, anyone?

Wil said:
Have been trying the straights I had collected. The Ninja Solingen works, the Gold Dollar 208 and the Barbers razor Titanium do not work after 100 stroppings. Which is a shame as the barbers razor is sold "shave ready". There is nothing stated on the 208. Going to try the Gold Dollar 66.
Click to expand...

The 66 does not work either. Seems the Gold Dollars are sold unhoned? Is there anybody that could use them after stropping?
 
Wil said:
Wil said:
Have been trying the straights I had collected. The Ninja Solingen works, the Gold Dollar 208 and the Barbers razor Titanium do not work after 100 stroppings. Which is a shame as the barbers razor is sold "shave ready". There is nothing stated on the 208. Going to try the Gold Dollar 66.
Click to expand...

The 66 does not work either. Seems the Gold Dollars are sold unhoned? Is there anybody that could use them after stropping?
Click to expand...

Will - even razors that are sold as 'shave ready' by the manufacturer aren't always so. The ones that are and are made by modern mass manufacturers are rare in my estimation. In fact of all the companies I have dealt with only one has provided a truly shave-ready razor - Revisor. But then again it is the owners elderly father who does the sharpening, and he has been doing it for many decades, being part of the original Revisor workforce before the brand was relaunched some time ago.

TIs aren't bad. Most Dovos need tweaking. An indecently large amount of CRS and EJ razors (yes - they are re-badged bargain-basement Dovos in disquise) need radical tweaking, the best tweak being not buying them in the first place or consigning them to the rubbish bin.

Stropping on leather, unfortunately, is never going to put a shave-ready edge on a blunt razor, no matter how many laps you do.

Regards,
Neil
 
Neil Miller said:
Will - even razors that are sold as 'shave ready' by the manufacturer aren't always so. The ones that are and are made by modern mass manufacturers are rare in my estimation. In fact of all the companies I have dealt with only one has provided a truly shave-ready razor - Revisor.
Click to expand...

And perhaps then Ninja Solingen. Do not know if it is mass production and where it comes from.
 
Thur morning. Straight shave. Used Vito Extra Super for 1st time. Very almond and for a softer soap needed a lot of water and time. Interesting.
 
Afternoon shave for myself, was hoping my new Nanny's order would have arrived but nae joy, hopefully tomorrow.

So let me say that at just over 1 week in I am feeling this. Feel like I've got the set up now, found a super cheap finishing stone to add to the arsenal and managed to bring an antique shop find back to life with it.

I am loving the ritual of all this, stropping while the brush soaks, pop some music on and just spend 20 minutes being focused on one thing only.

Noticing a lot of similarity between good straight technique and good penmanship technique, wrist still, all the motor-function from the shoulder. Not suprising the two crowds overlap...and all the sweet gear as well...
 
Wil said:
Wil said:
Have been trying the straights I had collected. The Ninja Solingen works, the Gold Dollar 208 and the Barbers razor Titanium do not work after 100 stroppings. Which is a shame as the barbers razor is sold "shave ready". There is nothing stated on the 208. Going to try the Gold Dollar 66.
Click to expand...

The 66 does not work either. Seems the Gold Dollars are sold unhoned? Is there anybody that could use them after stropping?
Click to expand...
No Gold Dollars are not shave ready out of the factory. Most can be honed but others have such poor quality control issues that they either need to have things corrected or are just junk. Its a bit of a lottery really.

Provided you have a half decent one it will hold a shaving edge reasonably well, as the steel seems reasonably good quality. Of the 3 I've honed one needed some work before it could be honed and the other 2 were fine. The grind isn't 100% even but is good enough and the bevel needed resetting before a decent edge could be achieved.
 
Friday morning. Another open razor day. Enjoyable shave. Ready for tomorrow.
(penmanship... Can't write with my left hand either:)-) )
 
Incredibly satisfying shave just now (although my tea supplier have changed their Earl Grey which I only discovered in opening the caddy this morning...I am not at all pleased with this development) zero irritation even with liberal application of Alum.

So anyone tempted but daunted by straights, give it a go. After 10 days (and 12 shaves :D ) I am completely sold, and so far only one tiny nick...so far.
 
Well done guys!!

Stropping: I do roughly 75-100 laps (linen, two leather strops and an oil strop lastly - the last only because I've got to many razors, it "seals" the edge and keeps it sharp longer, but you don't need this if you got a normal amount of straights in your rotation). Please note re stropping - DO NOT PUSH THE EDGE ON/TO THE STROP - let the back lead the way and the edge will follow. + No more pressure than the weight of the razor (or roughly so). Please also read Neils guides in the straight razor section, they're brilliant :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom