straight razor shaving

[Kansas Jake]

I'm not a doctor or a scientist, but is HIV transmission a possibility with an old razor that has been exposed to sunlight and air for a long period of time. I don't discount that other things can be there such as hepatitis and other bad stuff.

Also, beauty supply stores sell a product, Barbicide, that is made to help sterilize personal care items.

I have been collecting old safety razors for several years and usually run them through the dishwasher with a heated drying cycle and then using a soak in Barbicide before using them. Some folks also use alcohol to help destroy any pathogens.

 

[Trench]

I'm not a doctor either, but I remember for school that HIV cannot survive outside of the body in a dry environment. Letting your razor soak in alcohol will kill everything. Having said that, I retired that razor in my pictures for the weekend after I used it on my friend, there. I did that shave for demonstrative purposes, took the razor home and sterilized it. Err on the side of safety and public health.

 

[JOHN F]

hiv is a super weak virus outside in a dry environment. bleach mixture will kill anything wussy HIV virus. just keep it wet for several minutes then dry it. MRSA and Staph are some mean mofo's but if properly disinfected and dryed should not be an issue. I did get some hones up to 8000 grit to hone the razor a touch..

 

[JOHN F]

I am working on shave #7 with no major blood loss. I think I need to learn better stropping an honing skills..feel a lot of non cutting making my passes..

 

[Rick Boylan]

Just as you'd expect, YouTube has a number of good videos on how to hone your razor and how to properly strop it. I'd suggest checking them out. They sure saved me a lot of guess work.

 

[Zonie]

I suppose a weak bleach mixture might be safe to use on a steel razor but I think I would stick to full strength rubbing alcohol.

This is what full strength bleach did to my cap & ball pistol after being on the metal for only about 10 minutes.



(Yes, it was intentional.
I wanted the gun to look like it had been left out in a field for months and it does, pits and all.

Room temperature bleach will age steel 150 years in 10 minutes.
No telling what it would do to a razor sharp edge but I sure wouldn't want to be shaved by it.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Great pictures Trench..... :thumbsup:

 

[BillinOregon]

Trench, yes, thanks for those photos and so great to see you posting!

:hatsoff:

 

[m-g willy]

Been buying and playing with straight razors for over 15 years now,,,
Things I have learned
Used razors are """""""hard""""" to sharpen .
I use stones that go to 8000 grit to get a good edge,,,then I start with the strop and paste.
Sharpening knives to where they can shave the hair on your arm is no where near the sharpness of where a straight razor edge should be.
To test a straight razor edge you use the hanging hair test,,,Take a human hair,,,about 6" long , ,hold it by the end ,,let other end hang free ,Take razor and tap the hair about an inch from the bottom,,,about as hard as you would tap a pencil on a desk,,,You should be able to cut the hair multiple times,, Don't see how many times and how close you can get to your thumb cutting the hair,,,Because the answer is TO CLOSE!!!,,,
If you can't get your razor to pass the hanging hair test,,then you will not get the clean shave you hear straight razor users brag about,,,
My advise to any new user to straight razors is to buy a new ready to shave razor,because it is a lot easier to KEEP a razor sharp then it is to get a razor sharp.
To keep a razor sharp you do not need stones,, but you do need a good strop and know how to use it,,there are a lot of good you-tube vids on how to strop a razor without ruining the edge,,,hint=never lift the blade from the strop while stropping...

 

[Rifleman1776]

Notice the razors cost $80-$90. You can buy $15 razors but they are impossible to hone and pretty much junk.

Antique shops are loaded with straight razors at reasonable prices.
Personally, I wouldn't shave with a straight razor.
They do make handy patch knives, however.

 

[Rick Boylan]

And most of those old razors are dull and would take an expert honer to get the proper edge on them. I've tried that route when I first started with straight razor shaving. I found it much better to buy a new razor and use that. I bought my razor for close to $90 from a place online called Straight Razor design. They not only sell you a shave ready razor, but they hone it so it's as sharp as it needs to be. I've been shaving with a straight razor for 3 - 4 years now and I'll never go back to any other type of razor. I'm hooked.

 

[TJK]

Flies Only:

My advice is to remember this is your time and it should be fun and relaxing. So the first thing to do when you go into the bathroom is to lock the door. That way it will keep the wife, dog, kid and neighbor out. And make sure to take a nice hot shower first just to loosen everything up.

 

[1sgtscot]

I do civil war reenactments and grabbed a straight razor to fit in to that time period. First one was $50 shave ready online and it worked great. Had to learn how to shave. Then picked up a dozen over time from antique stores and sharpened them myself. Great fun. I do have one with a bone handle from the 1850s so I guess it fits into the correct time period. Good Luck!

 

[Wes/Tex]

The secret, if such it is, for straight razor is good wet lather,and keep skin tight. It's the loose skin rolling up ahead of the edge that causes cuts. Those two plus go slow til you get the hang of it.

 

[Heelerau]

I have been using straights for years, have saved a fortune in disposable blades. All my razors have come from antique shops, I have at least one wedge. I use Dr Conk shaving soap, and shave after showering. Strop ever time I shave and hone as needed on a ceramic swatty. Every year or so I may hone on a ver fine stone with oil and kerosene. I also shave with both hands as it makes things a lot easier, and ver rarely cut myself. Two passes are as good as any of these flash you beaut multiple blade things . The Straight Razor Place is a really good website with all the information you would ever need.

 

[Grumpa]

I had a barber in his 80s. He'd hold the razor in his shaking hand, smile and say: "Are you sure you want me to do this?" Then he would proceed to give me the best shaves I ever had. (I've worn moustache and beard all of my adult life, so he was cleaning up my neck and cheeks.)

I have a couple of Sheffield made straight razors that belonged to my Dad ( a Wostenholm IXL and a Joseph Rogers) but he bought them long after he had quit using straight razors.

I have been told that the Solingen steel is greatly preferred.

I currently wear a goatee and moustache, but I don't anticipate starting in to shaving with a straight razor.

Richard/Grumpa

 

[jrmflintlock]

So I have read this thread many times. As I too would like to start shaving with a strait razor and would like to use a traditional razor.

Is the one you got form Jas. Townsend?

I found another one from Turkeyfoot trading that is said to be an 18th century design which looks very different than the one from Townsend.

It is supposed to be from the Encyclopedia of the American Revolution.

Anyways... is the one from Townsend good?

I plan to buy one like my barber uses with disposable blades to learn with as all have said super sharp is best. Then I can Save my pennies for a HC one. I looked at the Dovo's but if I'm going to pay that much I may as well save up and get a HC one.

Thanks!

 

[Rick Boylan]

My suggestion is to buy a good quality razor, strop, and brush (badger hair is the best).

I bought my razor from an online place called Straight Razor Design. I bought a Dovo brand razor for around $80. Some might think this is expensive but you'll have this razor for the rest of your life. All you'll need to do is keep it honed and stropped.

I bought my strop off of them at the same time I bought my razor and both are going strong. I've been shaving with a straight razor for a number of years and it's the best shave I've ever had. Just take it slow when you start. Trying to go fast will get you cut. Just keep the blade horizontal and don't move it vertical and you'll avoid cutting yourself.

The thing I like about Straight Razor Design is that they don't just sell you a shave ready razor, they professionally hone it for you before delivery. And man is it sharp. Sometimes a "shave ready" blade is not that sharp. It's best to have it as sharp as you can get it.

I've tried some of the cheap blades you can get at gun shows and such and they are terrible. They won't hold an edge or give you a good shave. They are good for pulling your hair and maybe cutting it.

One other thing you should know is that when you shave don't press the blade against your skin very hard. A nice light touch is best. The razor should glide over your skin. And a good shaving cream helps make it do exactly that.

Good luck with your new adventure. Check out videos on YouTube for good hints and instructions on shaving with a straight razor.

 

[Wes/Tex]

The secret is really good steel well honed and stropped, wet lather and pulling the skin tight. You're absolutely right about pressing the blade against the skin. Cut come from allowing the skin to loosed enough to roll up in front of the blade edge. Pulling it tight when using a straight razor helps lessen the chance greatly. I learned from old pal Charley who was a practicing barber of much skill. Smiled every time he told me of the final exam in the shaving course...shaving a lather covered balloon! The man was a true artist with quite a following...he felt he owed the customer more than just a haircut and always tossed in a scalp and shoulder massage! :wink:

 

[Rick Boylan]

:hatsoff: