Any "Neanderthal Shavers" here?

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Good day,

I am posting here instead of off-topic because really this relates to Neanderthal. I finally got a quality straight razor for Christmas. Already owning countless stones and strops (two tool chests full- *gloat*), this was an easy transition for me. I immediately honed it on a 16k shapton and stropped it proper.

I AM HOOKED! I actually look forward to waking up. A chance to use a sharp object every morning, and a new blade to toy with. For me, sharpening is a hobby that started as a boy with competition between my brothers and it just never got old for me.

I am wondering how many Neanders are also into straight razor shaving. The two hobbies really go hand in hand.

Sincerely,

Confessed Sharpaholic

[Chris Griggs]

Dave is, and about a year ago he got me into it. I have two straights, both vintage, a super thin ground 5/8" Wiss (made in NJ) and a 6/8" pretty thin ground Robeson (made in NY). I use my arkansas to restore razors and keep them sharp in .5 micro chromium oxide and .1 micron iron oxide.

There is a great thread in the carvers forum right now showing a restoration and some beautiful hand carved scales: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...-just-not-wood

[Brian Holcombe]

I mostly use a double edge, but have an old straight razor as well. I do use a badger brush to lather and apply shaving cream.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I use the same stropping schedule, but sharpen with waterstones. I saw the thread with the carved handles. Amazing work.

I had had bought what I thought was a good razor but it was really cheap and now I use it to cut leather. Amy bought me a Dovo and now I know what all the fuss is about.

[Chris Griggs]

I have restored them on my waterstones too. If the razor is nice and straight it is quicker. I still finish with a hard ark (although given that I follow with CrOx is probably doesn't matter what I finish with).

The reason I have found that I prefer to do restorations with my arks (and I've only restored 4 razors in my life) is because a) it minimizes the amount of material being removed from the spine, and b) my arks are narrower 2" wide stones which make it easier to hone a razor that isn't dead straight. If you restore an old razor on waterstones, especially one that is less than pin straight and needs a decent amount of work (e.g. needs to start in the 1k range) you need to be conscious not to minimize wear on the spine. Of course it is possible to overdue it with arks too, but with my washita, I can just kinda space out and hone away a little more without as much worry of overdoing it.

Anyway, in the few restorations I did I gravitated towards my arks, but yeah, any good stones will do the job.

[george wilson]

I shave with the 6" Bowie knife I made. For getting around my neck,I use the amputating knife with the curved blade.

[Zach Dillinger]

I probably should, but to be honest it terrifies me. I've seen Sweeney Todd one too many times I guess...

[Chris Griggs]

I probably should, but to be honest it terrifies me. I've seen Sweeney Todd one too many times I guess...

Of all the people on this forum I'm surprised that you don't use one...or at least a double edge razor? (given your love american antiquities).

I wonder what Adam Cherubini shaves with...I think he reads this forum.

[David Weaver]

the kinds of cuts you get, zach, are little nicks. And within a month or so those kinds of cuts are very few.

In, i don't know, 5 years (2 1/2 of those using only a straight razor for the most part), I've only had two notable nips that were bigger than a cat scratch, and they were at the very beginning - both of them, and one just from not muting the tip on the razor, which would be my only suggestion to a new shaver - there is no reason for the very end of the razor to be sharp. Use the finish stone to dull it a tiny bit, just the last half mm or so, and it won't ever snag and nick.

[Chris Griggs]

The first time I shaved with a straight my wife said, and I quote "it looks like one of our cats attacked your face". The little cuts really do look like cat scratches. Yes, about a month or so in you stop cutting yourself (much).

[John Coloccia]

I shave with the 6" Bowie knife I made. For getting around my neck,I use the amputating knife with the curved blade.

I just use a scraper. To lubricate it a bit, I drip some hot wax on my face before starting.

Seriously, I did start shaving with a straight razor for a while. I have very soft skin and a very stiff beard, so shaving is very difficult and the straight razor was a lot more comfortable. Nowadays, I grow a beard the same way I mulch....wherever I don't feel like mowing gets mulch. The hair du jour is a goatee.

[Steve Bates]

I'm a total newbie, but I've been shaving with a straight razor for over a year. When I started, I thought I kinda/sorta had a clue what sharp was. I was WRONG!

A razor is great to teach you about sharpness. I also needed to learn about SMOOTH. Back in July, several folks here, some on this thread, enlightened me about chromium oxide powder and graded rust. Also, using a proper horse butt strop, and checking with palm stropping. What a difference!

I chuckled reading about the cat scratches due to my own experience. IMO, I feel most of that is lack of smooth. A portion of those nicks also is attributed to a lack of skill of knowing where that edge is at all times and learning the feel of that razor on your skin. I've heard it called muscle memory.

I've also had to learn to use both hands on the razor. That's some pucker factor time in front of the mirror!

It's been a roller coaster ride for a while, but when you gain skills, WOW, you know you've accomplished something useful.

My two pennies

[Mike Brady]

I'm not, but from what I read in shaving forums its a perfect marriage because the stones that are universally scorned in the woodworking world are joyously embraced by the wet shavers. There now, you have a solution for the dilemma of what to do with all those no-longer-fashionable stones that have been languishing on the shelf. Serendipity at last.

[David Weaver]

There is an unexplainable love for the norton stones in the world of shaving. I don't personally love what the forums tell newbies to do, but shaving is a lot like woodworking - what the pros do and what a lot of forum experts do are often different. The moderators in the shaving forums love to disagree and then ban people, too (they haven't banned me, but I don't frequent them like i frequent here). Chris does exactly what any of us would want to do - bring the edge up with a stone and then use pigment abrasives to finish it off.

The most difficult thing to find in the world of modern shaving is a decent strop that is good both short run and long run, and that doesn't cost a mint. There are plenty of $150 cowhide strops out there, and in my opinion, if cowhide was optimal, you wouldn't find nearly all professional vintage strops being horsehide.

Otherwise, anyone with a set of premium stones can be shaving pronto, and the slight subtle differences about sharpening (a razor really is sharper and smoother than anything you're likely to use woodworking) can be worked out in a few honings.

[Warren Mickley]

I am curious what stones are "universally scorned in the woodworking world". I have used the same stones for razors and chisels since 1969.