Why DON'T You Shave With a Straight Razor?

rbscebu said:
Time wise, I can SR shave (three passes) in about 15 minutes. That includes 3 to 4 minutes total spent on blade maintenance (stropping and refreshing the edge on pasted balsa).

I spend about 2 minutes on the pasted balsa after each shave. That's about an hour per month. I could dispense with the pasted balsa and just refresh the edge on a whetstone about once every 3 to 6 months, taking about 15 to 20 minutes.

Over the years, I have worked out a SR shaving routine that extends to over 30 minutes for each shave. Why? Because I enjoy SR shaving and the me time. Nothing interrupts my SR shaving time. The world can just wait.

As for the "skill" required to hone a SR, that should never be required. If you start off with a truly shave-ready edge and maintain it on diamond pasted balsa after each shave (about 1 or 2 minutes), that edge should never need honing again.
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that assumes that nothing adverse ever happens to the blade which is a pretty big ask, a lot of clumsy people out there will clip a sink or faucet. Take a big ol chunk out of their strop etc.
Stuff happens but that’s okay, neither of these methods provide a definitively universal superior result but one is objectively more convenient.
It’s just horses for courses.
 
rbscebu said:
Time wise, I can SR shave (three passes) in about 15 minutes. That includes 3 to 4 minutes total spent on blade maintenance (stropping and refreshing the edge on pasted balsa).

I spend about 2 minutes on the pasted balsa after each shave. That's about an hour per month. I could dispense with the pasted balsa and just refresh the edge on a whetstone about once every 3 to 6 months, taking about 15 to 20 minutes.

Over the years, I have worked out a SR shaving routine that extends to over 30 minutes for each shave. Why? Because I enjoy SR shaving and the me time. Nothing interrupts my SR shaving time. The world can just wait.

As for the "skill" required to hone a SR, that should never be required. If you start off with a truly shave-ready edge and maintain it on diamond pasted balsa after each shave (about 1 or 2 minutes), that edge should never need honing again.
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I respectfully disagree.

This assumes people are proficient at stropping. Poor strop technique has led to more destroyed edges than domestic accidents, ie dropping your blade or clunking it against the faucet accidentally.

I feel this is an aspect of shaving where you either go all in, or you shouldn't really bother because, you know what? After all, we are not doing anything special, or fancy or holy, we are just removing hair from our faces. If people don't feel like using a razor, God knows there's so many alternatives that offer an equally satisfying experience.

The argument that for hundreds of years, millions of people have used SR's for shaving doesn't stand, I am sorry. For centuries people have thrown buckets of piss and faeces out the windows because there was no other way to dispense of it. Nowadays, thankfully, we don't have to do it although, should you live in the middle of nowhere, on your own terrain, you could absolutely do it.

Would you, though?
 
Mastropiero said:
That's why you need to have MOAR razors!

I have recently done the count, I even took pics, should you want to see them. I've got 31 of them that aren't leaving my home.... Eight of them aren't even honed yet. I haven't retouched the edge on my razors for ages. All the honing I do is for razors I sell.
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Go on, show us what you got!
 
CarbonEdge said:
Go on, show us what you got!
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Since you ask....

NqB1oR7.jpg


amJJiKP.jpg


Ujnu5B7.jpg


G7VD5Qy.jpg


AG0pNxi.jpg


e94arfE.jpg


hF9p45i.jpg


e94arfE.jpg


hF9p45i.jpg


There's one that is missing because I forgot to include it, two more that are still in the repair shop and two more that I have to make scales for.

Now, let me introduce you:

There is 10 razors on the left column, which is the England column:

John Heiffor MasonicWade and Butcher FBUWeathley Brothers "Weat Sheaf"Joseph Rodgers & SonsTwin sister of number 4John HeifforTwin sister of number 6Thomas Turner MasonicJoseph Wostenholm "Ebro"C. Friederich Katz & Co. "FRAM"

I mistakenly placed #10 on the England column, it belongs in the German one. Also, you'd cry if you saw the Turner right now. It is one of the worst made razors ever to come my way. Bevel angle slightly above 20º, without a single layer of tape. Tried honing it with tape, to preserve the glorious Masonic design, but it just wouldn't shave. For me, a razor is a tool, so I decided to hone it sans tape.... and now I have a bevel about 8 mm wide, and a spine honing mark about 3 mm wide, perhaps more. The design is reduced to half, it looks like shit and makes me want to cry, but I have decided to take this one as a personal challenge. If I can hone this one, I can hone anything.

Right, second column is the German one:

Karl Becker, SolingenCould be a Julius Kratz & Co. Tückmar Welt-RufTückmar Welt-RufTwin sister of #4Twin sister of #4 and 5VitcoERN "Crown & Sord"BartmannWilhelm Noelle


#2 is slightly in doubt, Julius Kratz's registered brand was Kramerso. "Kram" could be a shortened version of it. Also, #10 looked like absolute crap when it got to my hands, and it turned out to have glorious, bone scales, and is one of my very best razors.

The Vitco was one of the most challenging ones to restore, again, it looked like shit. Turned out rather ok. I was convinced I'd sell it, the looks really don't agree with my sense of aesthetics, but once I test-shaved with it.... Jeeeesus, I cannot sell this razor. Funny thing is that it's looks are growing on me, to the point that I am hunting for more Vitcos.
Third column is a mixed one:

Palmera 14Blitz 14 (Spanish razor, quite rare)Drew Dick custom made DrewmisoriDrew DickGold Rex (Japanese razor)A.D. Arbens "Mandarin"



Unfortunately, the Palmera stamp disappeared when polishing, but I know what I have. The Blitz one is an amazing thing.

Both DD's are canister Damascus steel, the Drewmisori (Japanese design) is my one and only custom made razor, made to my specs, with Drew's help. Slight smile, 8/8, beveled French point, bearing ball canister Damascus. The second one is also canister Damascus, but made with chainsaw chain.

I have a Puma and an ERN that are awaiting to be clad, and two Caplan razors, twins, one of which needs a scale repair that I haven't quite figured out how to do it. Worst case scenario, I won't fix it, I'll unpeen the second one and make different sets of scales for each one. Or matching ones, duck if I know.
 
Pardon me, but I want to address the issue of not having time to hone a razor. I send mine out to a honemeister. It costs me $13 AUS. Spread over several months, that cost is negligible.
 
Mastropiero said:
Also, you'd cry if you saw the Turner right now. It is one of the worst made razors ever to come my way. Bevel angle slightly above 20º, without a single layer of tape. Tried honing it with tape, to preserve the glorious Masonic design, but it just wouldn't shave.
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Maybe it's like the Masonic pretend trowels, compasses and whatnot. They're not made to do actual work, it's just playing dressups... :unsure:

Edit: I wonder what your daughter makes of these weapons all over her bedspread :ROFLMAO:
 
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Doc Dan said:
Pardon me, but I want to address the issue of not having time to hone a razor. I send mine out to a honemeister. It costs me $13 AUS. Spread over several months, that cost is negligible.
Click to expand...
Back when I was a boy, I remember men taking their razors (usually by the pair) to the local barbers for honing when they got too bad to strop to a usable edge. Not my Dad though, he never used one, and was quick to adopt the Trac double-blade cartridges when they came in. To his credit though, someone once gave him one of those new-fangled electric thingies, which he used once and threw in the bin.
 
When I want to do so, I can shave in the same amount of time it takes me with a DE safety razor. However, I usually drag it out, some. This is my "me" time. It only takes a couple of minutes to strop and oil the razor.

I got addicted to this and nothing else is as enjoyable. I think it might be more practical to use a DE safety razor, but the straight is just more enjoyable, more relaxing, and more satisfying for me. I have a custom kamisori on the way, if I can get him to mail it! I also have another Thiers Issard in layaway waiting for me to pay off some doctor's bills.

I have to say that I really like Thiers Issard straight razors, so far. I do have a SK Colling and a Japanese H. Diamond (beautiful! I just got it back from being sharpened, today. It will be my shave tomorrow.).
 
Gargravarr said:
Back when I was a boy, I remember men taking their razors (usually by the pair) to the local barbers for honing when they got too bad to strop to a usable edge. Not my Dad though, he never used one, and was quick to adopt the Trac double-blade cartridges when they came in. To his credit though, someone once gave him one of those new-fangled electric thingies, which he used once and threw in the bin.
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Yeah, I remember some men doing that, as well. My barber sharpened them. I wanted him to give me a flattop, but he wouldn't do it. Said my hair wouldn't hold it, so I never got one. Anyway, the guy who sharpened my H. Diamond is a professional barber.
 
Gargravarr said:
Maybe it's like the Masonic pretend trowels, compasses and whatnot. They're not made to do actual work, it's just playing dressups... :unsure:

Edit: I wonder what your daughter makes of these weapons all over her bedspread :ROFLMAO:
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I beg your pardon James!!!!!! 😡

That's our mantelpiece, not her bedspread. I'll have you know this mantelpiece has caused quite the furore on our Spanish wet shaving comunity.

🤣🤣.

The masonic will shave beautifully, but, aesthetically pleasing as it was (I could care less about masonry, their supposed "truth" or their symbols, but I do appreciate the design), it was made with ten thumbs.
 
Gargravarr said:
Maybe it's like the Masonic pretend trowels, compasses and whatnot. They're not made to do actual work, it's just playing dressups... :unsure:

Edit: I wonder what your daughter makes of these weapons all over her bedspread :ROFLMAO:
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Rude
 
Gargravarr said:
Sorry, couldn't resist :p
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I had a razor just like that a while back, it’s actually a great little bit of history as a lot of the symbols are no longer in common use so it takes a little bit of digging to pull the symbolism out
 
Speaking of professional honing who on here knows the best place / person to send it to in Australia?
 
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Mastropiero said:
Since you ask....

NqB1oR7.jpg


amJJiKP.jpg


Ujnu5B7.jpg


G7VD5Qy.jpg


AG0pNxi.jpg


e94arfE.jpg


hF9p45i.jpg


e94arfE.jpg


hF9p45i.jpg


There's one that is missing because I forgot to include it, two more that are still in the repair shop and two more that I have to make scales for.

Now, let me introduce you:

There is 10 razors on the left column, which is the England column:

John Heiffor MasonicWade and Butcher FBUWeathley Brothers "Weat Sheaf"Joseph Rodgers & SonsTwin sister of number 4John HeifforTwin sister of number 6Thomas Turner MasonicJoseph Wostenholm "Ebro"C. Friederich Katz & Co. "FRAM"

I mistakenly placed #10 on the England column, it belongs in the German one. Also, you'd cry if you saw the Turner right now. It is one of the worst made razors ever to come my way. Bevel angle slightly above 20º, without a single layer of tape. Tried honing it with tape, to preserve the glorious Masonic design, but it just wouldn't shave. For me, a razor is a tool, so I decided to hone it sans tape.... and now I have a bevel about 8 mm wide, and a spine honing mark about 3 mm wide, perhaps more. The design is reduced to half, it looks like shit and makes me want to cry, but I have decided to take this one as a personal challenge. If I can hone this one, I can hone anything.

Right, second column is the German one:

Karl Becker, SolingenCould be a Julius Kratz & Co.Tückmar Welt-RufTückmar Welt-RufTwin sister of #4Twin sister of #4 and 5VitcoERN "Crown & Sord"BartmannWilhelm Noelle


#2 is slightly in doubt, Julius Kratz's registered brand was Kramerso. "Kram" could be a shortened version of it. Also, #10 looked like absolute crap when it got to my hands, and it turned out to have glorious, bone scales, and is one of my very best razors.

The Vitco was one of the most challenging ones to restore, again, it looked like shit. Turned out rather ok. I was convinced I'd sell it, the looks really don't agree with my sense of aesthetics, but once I test-shaved with it.... Jeeeesus, I cannot sell this razor. Funny thing is that it's looks are growing on me, to the point that I am hunting for more Vitcos.
Third column is a mixed one:

Palmera 14Blitz 14 (Spanish razor, quite rare)Drew Dick custom made DrewmisoriDrew DickGold Rex (Japanese razor)A.D. Arbens "Mandarin"



Unfortunately, the Palmera stamp disappeared when polishing, but I know what I have. The Blitz one is an amazing thing.

Both DD's are canister Damascus steel, the Drewmisori (Japanese design) is my one and only custom made razor, made to my specs, with Drew's help. Slight smile, 8/8, beveled French point, bearing ball canister Damascus. The second one is also canister Damascus, but made with chainsaw chain.

I have a Puma and an ERN that are awaiting to be clad, and two Caplan razors, twins, one of which needs a scale repair that I haven't quite figured out how to do it. Worst case scenario, I won't fix it, I'll unpeen the second one and make different sets of scales for each one. Or matching ones, duck if I know.
Click to expand...
Yep definitely need a few dozen more. Ah well let’s splurge and say several … dozen.
 
There is a guy that is a professional honer. I don't know if he is a member on this forum or not. I'll see if I can get some contact information. I know nothing about his work.

I do know two guys in Malaysia who hone professionally. I realize it is a long swim, but not as bad as to America or Europe.
 
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