Hello from the new boy

K

Kevmanson

Messages
16
Good day chaps

Have recently taken up the dark art of the straight shave and I really am gonna need some help and advice.

Having trouble getting to the point where I can carry out an HHT without cheating which has resulted in some cosmetic damage (my face mostly)

I am convinced that it is my stropping technique that is the problem, how long should I strop for with a newly honed blade?

All advice considered

Cheers
 
Hi KeV, glad you took the advice and signed up here. There are some seasoned straight shavers who should be able to point you in the right direction.
One thing I have learned is that an advertised 'Shave Ready' straight isn't always. It may be worth getting a respected honer to have a look if the tips from here don't help out.

What razor was it you ended up getting?

Cheers
 
it's not a particulary fancy or expensive razor but i am sure that it will be sufficient to get started with, i am beginning to think that you might be right in saying that it probably requires rehoned by a trained pro.

do you know of anywhere local in munster that i could go to.

may very well consider investing if i can just satisfy myself that i it is going to be something i am going to be able to be confident with.
 
Welcome Kev

Practice is the key! As to how long you should strop, when I started, our resident expert Neil Miller from whom I got my strop, recommended 30 laps on the cotton side followed by 40 - 50 on the leather side.
 
thanks for that advice as so far i have not heard much on the advantages of using the reverse side of the strop and will be sure to give it a go. Certainly won't leave me in a worse position than i am at the moment.

Cheers
 
Welcome Kev, before you even consider sending it off for honing it would be good to know what model the razor is, don't take this the wrong way but it could be tat and you could be throwing good money after bad (I've done it myself)

Post a link in the straight section, you'll get a frank answer from the experts and our resident honer.
 
Hi Kev and welcome to TSR! :D What Fido said about stropping should be good (if you have a cotton/fabric side and it´s not the backside of the leather - if the later, you should _not_ strop on the backside). Stropping have a learning curve aswell as the actual shaving, you can (in the beginning) lay the strop on a table and move slowly in the beginning, that way you minimize nicks to the strop (what strop do you have?).

And what Antdad said is very important: what blade/razor do you have? Many are pure shit and some are decent enough and so on... Neil Miller (strop-shop.com) should be your go to guy, for getting a perfect edge, once you know what that feels like, you can decide how to move on.
 
ok back to the drawing board it is.

Any recommendations on a forgiving first time straight razor?

Should have come here before taking the leap of faith maybe huh.
 
So back to the drawing board it is.

Any recommendations on a forgiving first timers straight razor.

Wish i had come here before taking the plunge.

Lesson learnt, feel a little silly for not doing my homework thoroughly before jumping in.

Cheers
 
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