A little exposition first, I have been attempting to shave using straight razors off and on for nearly a month now. Mostly I have found that the razors did not cut the hair and irritated the skin. I figured that the biggest issues were a lack of skill and blades in need of honing, but I also felt as if straight razors may just not be for me. I mean there are enough DE blades out there that I just can not use, so why should straight razors be any different? I actually seriously considered getting rid of all my straight razor gear and buying a Parker SRW so that I wouldn't feel like a total failure. Well, I have a poor man's strop kit, a barber's hone. a few different straights, and some gear that I bought specifically to restore old razors...so I wasn't willing to give up on the process without a fight.
I had recently made an eBay purchase of a Union Cutlery 5/8 square tip (I am unsure of the grind, but after looking at pictures and talking to some folks, I am certain that it is either a full hollow or an extra hollow). I really liked the razor and loved the fact that it was made by the company that would become Ka-Bar (ooh-rah, yut, and various other Marine Corps grunts), so I asked a well known restorer to take a look at some pics of the razor to see if he could give me an idea of how much it might cost to restore. He turned down the job, saying that the razor was not a good candidate for restoration. From a purely economic standpoint he may have been right, I mean who puts $100 worth of work into a $75 razor? I decided that he was wrong and did the basic work myself, sanding and polishing the blade, the scales, and the accents as much as my limited equipment and abilities would allow. It came out looking MUCH better than when I started and without any serious issues, but it was certainly not pristine (I'll work on it more soon). Once I had a razor that I was not embarrassed to be seen using I sent it off to Whipped Dog for honing. It came back yesterday, the blade honed and coated in vaseline and looking super sharp. I couldn't wait to dive in face first with this razor.
Today I took the Union Cutlery out for a spin. I took a nice hot shower, splashed some water on my face, rubbed some preshave oil on, lathered up a healthy dose of AoS unscented cream, and went at it. I was giddy with joy when I saw the results of my first stroke, my left cheek actually lost hair without loosing skin! I completed two passes, one with the grain and one against the grain. I did some minor clean up around sensitive areas with my trusty black handle super speed and a Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow, but the general shave was all the Union Cutlery. I did get bitten by the square point a couple of times (mostly without noticing until I looked in the mirror and said, "Huh, when did I do that?") and I did get some razor burn on my upper lip, but other than that it was a good experience and a nearly BBS shave. I have a hard time getting my right side and around my nostrils, but I figure that will come with time.
I am left with some ideas about straight razors which may or may not be true. First is that I have a really hard time using anything other than a full hollow razor. The other blade that I have shave ready is a James Rodgers & Co. 5/8 barber's notch that claims to be some kind of hollow ground, but sounds and feels more like the wedges that I have seen. It glides smoothly and is certainly sharp, but it does not sound or perform like the Union Cutlery and I still have yet to be able to get a full shave out of it. Second is that I really like barber's notches because they seem easier to manipulate around tight corners without stabbing yourself (as much as I like the Union Cutlery, I have to admit that its square point is deadly). Third is that straight razors are definitely for me. I had a sore back from leaning over the counter to get a better angle in the mirror, a few nicks, and it took four times as long to shave with a straight razor as it does to shave with a DE, but I was still smiling and happy at the end. Even stropping and oiling the blade made me smile. Finally is that I still have a ways to go before I am actually good at using a straight razor. I will continue to work on my skills now that I have a razor that I know will work well for me and I look forward to many great shaves, but I do realize that I am still very much a novice
![[Image: a5uza5y4.jpg]]()
The happy set up of my first successful straight razor shave.
Sent from my Transformer using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2
I had recently made an eBay purchase of a Union Cutlery 5/8 square tip (I am unsure of the grind, but after looking at pictures and talking to some folks, I am certain that it is either a full hollow or an extra hollow). I really liked the razor and loved the fact that it was made by the company that would become Ka-Bar (ooh-rah, yut, and various other Marine Corps grunts), so I asked a well known restorer to take a look at some pics of the razor to see if he could give me an idea of how much it might cost to restore. He turned down the job, saying that the razor was not a good candidate for restoration. From a purely economic standpoint he may have been right, I mean who puts $100 worth of work into a $75 razor? I decided that he was wrong and did the basic work myself, sanding and polishing the blade, the scales, and the accents as much as my limited equipment and abilities would allow. It came out looking MUCH better than when I started and without any serious issues, but it was certainly not pristine (I'll work on it more soon). Once I had a razor that I was not embarrassed to be seen using I sent it off to Whipped Dog for honing. It came back yesterday, the blade honed and coated in vaseline and looking super sharp. I couldn't wait to dive in face first with this razor.
Today I took the Union Cutlery out for a spin. I took a nice hot shower, splashed some water on my face, rubbed some preshave oil on, lathered up a healthy dose of AoS unscented cream, and went at it. I was giddy with joy when I saw the results of my first stroke, my left cheek actually lost hair without loosing skin! I completed two passes, one with the grain and one against the grain. I did some minor clean up around sensitive areas with my trusty black handle super speed and a Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow, but the general shave was all the Union Cutlery. I did get bitten by the square point a couple of times (mostly without noticing until I looked in the mirror and said, "Huh, when did I do that?") and I did get some razor burn on my upper lip, but other than that it was a good experience and a nearly BBS shave. I have a hard time getting my right side and around my nostrils, but I figure that will come with time.
I am left with some ideas about straight razors which may or may not be true. First is that I have a really hard time using anything other than a full hollow razor. The other blade that I have shave ready is a James Rodgers & Co. 5/8 barber's notch that claims to be some kind of hollow ground, but sounds and feels more like the wedges that I have seen. It glides smoothly and is certainly sharp, but it does not sound or perform like the Union Cutlery and I still have yet to be able to get a full shave out of it. Second is that I really like barber's notches because they seem easier to manipulate around tight corners without stabbing yourself (as much as I like the Union Cutlery, I have to admit that its square point is deadly). Third is that straight razors are definitely for me. I had a sore back from leaning over the counter to get a better angle in the mirror, a few nicks, and it took four times as long to shave with a straight razor as it does to shave with a DE, but I was still smiling and happy at the end. Even stropping and oiling the blade made me smile. Finally is that I still have a ways to go before I am actually good at using a straight razor. I will continue to work on my skills now that I have a razor that I know will work well for me and I look forward to many great shaves, but I do realize that I am still very much a novice
![[Image: a5uza5y4.jpg]](http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/04/28/a5uza5y4.jpg)
The happy set up of my first successful straight razor shave.
Sent from my Transformer using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2