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Any straight razor shavers here?

If this is the wrong place for this subject please move it. Or tell me where it should be. Thanks.

About 10 days ago I decided to get rid of the beard I've had for several years. I realized I didn't have any shaving tools. Not even the Dollar store disposable ones. While thinking of elec. razors or safety razors I thought "Hey, how about a straight razor?". That immediately became my choice. So I got on the knife forum I've been on for a while and told them of my idiotic idea. Come to find out there are quite a few idiots out there. lol So I figured there may be a few here too. lol One of the guys on the forum game me an old Boker razor with no handle. He knows I like to make knife handles. So my first razor will be a Boker (pretty good razor I understand) with a handle I made. That's way cool. :) Another guy is sending me some soap. So now what I need is a brush and maybe what I call a "belt strop". I put a really sharp edge on the razor and shaved my cheeks last night. It went well but I don't think I put a "shave ready" edge on the razor. I'm going to send it to a professional honer. I'm asking him to finish the edge for me and tell me what I need to keep it sharp and hone others in the future. Not positive but I may be officially hooked. lol

Anyone else out there dumb enough to scrape razor sharp pieces of steel across your face? lol

Jack

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Noot on September 12, 2013 at 14:02

Yup, since around 2005 now. Love it! My blade is a Silver Steel Solingen Worldmaster with custom cocobolo scales.

Made my own silvertip brush with a stone handle.

Trumpers soaps all the way!

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Permalink Reply by peter force on September 12, 2013 at 14:12

yes sir! i also have a braber after hours that will still give me a full wet shave!... its awesome!

i have lots of stuff but the one thing i still really would love is a real nice old ww2 or pre ww2 shave mug!

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KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by Larry and Tina Pridgen on September 13, 2013 at 13:49

Larry used to always use a straight razor and apparently there are still folks who do that because he gets orders for them!

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Permalink Reply by Chuck Parham on September 14, 2013 at 5:32

Jack, I used a straight blade to shave one time. I did it for research so I made sure it was sharp enough to do the job. It was an interesting experince but it's is also one of the things like brain surgery and auto mechanics. It's better left to those more qualified than me. I do enjoy adding them to my collection and seeing unique pieces. They definitely have a place even in todays world.

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Permalink Reply by Jack Haskins, Jr. on September 14, 2013 at 7:45

Chuck, I find myself in the group of "unqualified" right now. I got my razor VERY VERY sharp. I don't know if it would be considered all that sharp in the straight razor world. I shaved my cheeks with it and it seemed real good. I didn't have any of the soap you are supposed to used so I used regular shaving cream. Now it feels like I rubbed some very fine grit sandpaper on my skin. I'm still determined to give this shaving method a sincere try. It should get better. :) It does seem to be a lot of trouble compared to everything else I've tried.

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Permalink Reply by Chuck Parham on September 15, 2013 at 7:46

I forgot to mention that I also had a professional barber shave me as part of the research. I will stick with the commercially made disposable razors with soap applied by a boar's bristle brush for shaving. My hat is off to those who go the straight blade route. I may try it again one day when I feel the itch to try something nostalgic. But I can tell you that shaving sharp is a whole different kind of sharp than most people use on a EDC blade. Good luck, Jack!

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Permalink Reply by Jack Haskins, Jr. on September 15, 2013 at 11:15

Chuck, mentioning "shaving sharp" is the reason I decided to go the wet shaving or straight razor route. All my life I've respected sharp knives and those who can get them sharp. Until a few years ago however, I had no idea what a truely sharp knife was like. When I could shave my arm with 2 or 3 passes I thought my pocket knife was sharp. And it was sharp enough to do what I needed it to do. But now after 2 or 3 years of trying to get my knives sharper and sharper I now consider the arm shaving sharpness the point where a knife needs to be touched up to get sharp again instead of the finished sharpness after sharpening. Many times after I just whittled a hair I have thought the edge is about as sharp as a pocket knife can be. So my knowledge of how sharp is sharp enough has changed from just barely shaving my arm to whittling a single strand of hair. So when I decided it was time to get rid of the beard I chose using a straight razor only because of the thought of taking my sharpening hobby and obsession to a higher level. I don't know how many times I've heard the phrase "razor sharp" used when describing a pocket knife. I've said it I don't know how mant times and I might have even believed it was "razor sharp". After getting some info on straight razor sharpening and working on the edge of a Boker straight razor for a few days I realize there is a world of difference. I shaved my cheeks using my new hobby and freshly sharpened razor and going by the feeling of my skin the next day I believe my razor IS NOT "shave ready". :) Skin feels a bit tender. lol Other things can cause this as I understand it. Poor soap quality for one thing. Anyway, I'm gonig to continue with my raor honing skill as well as getting more knowledge on the shaving process. Even though I'm still intrigued by this way of shaving it sure seems like a lot of trouble just to shave. Given the other options I mean. lol

Chuck Parham said:

I forgot to mention that I also had a professional barber shave me as part of the research. I will stick with the commercially made disposable razors with soap applied by a boar's bristle brush for shaving. My hat is off to those who go the straight blade route. I may try it again one day when I feel the itch to try something nostalgic. But I can tell you that shaving sharp is a whole different kind of sharp than most people use on a EDC blade. Good luck, Jack!