paulkray Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 With as passionate woodworkers are about sharpening. Do any of you use a straight razor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 I know you're talking about shaving, but I actually use something similar in the shop. I always keep a few of the stubby boxcutter blades on hand. I use the blades on their own (with a glove) for working in tight areas. I sometimes use them 'card scraper' style for working tight corners. I'll hone them on an oil stone about a dozen times before throwing them away. As for shaving... nope, I just use disposable Mach 3 razors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulkray Posted May 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 I know you're talking about shaving, but I actually use something similar in the shop. I always keep a few of the stubby boxcutter blades on hand. I use the blades on their own (with a glove) for working in tight areas. I sometimes use them 'card scraper' style for working tight corners. I'll hone them on an oil stone about a dozen times before throwing them away. As for shaving... nope, I just use disposable Mach 3 razors. You probably get the same response I do. "Aren't you afraid you are going to cut yourself with one of those?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben@FineWoodworking Posted May 16, 2011 Report Share Posted May 16, 2011 I use a vintage gillette safety razor most of the time. From the 40s. I have a straight razor and just never got the hang of it. I try it out every now and then to change things up. I've always found shaving to be like woodworking. Nice time to relax and not be bothered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toivul Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 The wife bought me a straight razor for a wedding present and I love it. Now it needs to be sharpened and I haven't had the time to learn how to do that properly so I'm back to using my grandfather safety razor. I get my blades from the art of shaving and they are worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 Most "old tyme" barber shops use a basic leather strop to sharpen straight razors. Strop after every few cuts, to keep that edge. I don't know how to sharpen the blade after it's too dull, however. I'd say any compound would work for stropping, and a segment of leather. From the movies I've seen, the leather strop is roughly three inches wide by 24 to 30 inches long at the longest. From conversations I've had with my local leather supplier (Tandy Leather), I have been told that any 2 inch belt strap will work. Jeweler's rouge works well, from personal experience. I haven't tried other compounds yet. I would guess a 2 inch belt, cut into 18 to 24" strips, will work well. if you want to get something that fits the whole blade, that can be fairly cheap (believe it or not). Leather comes in various sizes, by the ounce. Currently, Tandy has a sale on some "economy sides," for about four bucks a square foot. The down side is that they don't sell just one square foot, usually. Sometimes, however, they will cut off segments for you based off what you ask for. They also have (at least locally, they do) a selection of leather squares. These are square segments of the leather you might have selected in the first segment. This section usually goes for about 10 to twenty bucks, again based on thickness / weight. If all you want is something to strop with, you can use a 2/3 or 3/4 ounce weight. This is usually too thin to carve well, so it's cheaper. Don't think you have to go to just Tandy, either. There are several leather distributors across the country. I prefer Tandy personally, but I have gotten leather from another supplier, as well as Jo Ann Fabrics, Minnesota Fabrics, and WalMart. For strop leather, you want to avoid the suedes. Not just because of the price. You can also check their scrap bin, which is usually sold by actual weight of scraps. These are occasionally segments of kits that did not meet quality standards, and sometimes just rough edges that got cut off because they weren't needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben@FineWoodworking Posted May 18, 2011 Report Share Posted May 18, 2011 There is some amazing videos on YouTube for sharpening a straight razor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulkray Posted May 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Well if you already have stones to sharpen you chisels and plane blades you are on your way to having a sharp straight razor. It is essentially the same as sharpening a hollow ground chisel without more blade. All you do is lay the blade on is side and that is the sharpening angle. Back and forth in a sweeping motion. Flipping the blade to keep direction of travel with the tip. Go up to a 6000 grit stone and then strop pulling the blade backwards. The wife bought me a straight razor for a wedding present and I love it. Now it needs to be sharpened and I haven't had the time to learn how to do that properly so I'm back to using my grandfather safety razor. I get my blades from the art of shaving and they are worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joestyles Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 I been looking for one gonna teach myself to shave with one. Getting it sharp is no trouble even have a strop that will work. Was gonna get one at a garage sale or antique store but I guess you can still get them online. Just waiting for the playoffs to be over so I can shave the playoff beard. Go Canucks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulkray Posted May 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Very cool. Straight razors are the best thing to shave off more than stubble. You can't clog a single blade.straightrazorplace.com is a great forum for learning. I haven't visited in years but I noticed they are still around. Lynn runs the forum and also has an online shop for all your shaving needs. All the info you need to learn and more is there. As for choosing a razor. Thats about as complicated as choosing a new plane or set of chisels. If you are going to buy new. Don't bother with anything under 75$. You might be saving a few bucks up front but it like buying a cheap tool. Need I say more. Good luck. I been looking for one gonna teach myself to shave with one. Getting it sharp is no trouble even have a strop that will work. Was gonna get one at a garage sale or antique store but I guess you can still get them online. Just waiting for the playoffs to be over so I can shave the playoff beard. Go Canucks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmac Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Good lord, people, what are you thinking? Shaving just takes away from shop time. -- Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sycamore Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Very cool. Straight razors are the best thing to shave off more than stubble. You can't clog a single blade.straightrazorplace.com is a great forum for learning. I haven't visited in years but I noticed they are still around. Lynn runs the forum and also has an online shop for all your shaving needs. All the info you need to learn and more is there. As for choosing a razor. Thats about as complicated as choosing a new plane or set of chisels. If you are going to buy new. Don't bother with anything under 75$. You might be saving a few bucks up front but it like buying a cheap tool. Need I say more. Good luck. I've been using a straight razor for the past year and absolutely love it. The detail put into razor honing and care, not to mention the steady hand you'll need at the mirror, absolutely appeal to the same part of my personality that is satisfied in the shop. Paul's totally right in suggesting www.straightrazorplace.com There's enough info there to fill a set of encyclopedias. But I have to disagree with the $75 minimum. He's right if you're buying new, but vintage razors can be found for $10. They will need to be cleaned up, re-honed (up through 8000 grit), and stropped... but it's not beyond what anyone resurrecting an old hand plane would do. Actually, there won't be rust, and "japanning", and blackened tung oil(or whatever that is) to deal with, so it may even be easier. The thing to remember is to never push the blade into the sharpening medium, always pull. You can find all the info you need for sharpening on Straight Razor Place, or their marketplace has mail order sharpening services starting at $15 if you aren't ready to take the plunge. The key to a good razor is primarily country of origin (Germany and Great Britain are top picks) and, secondly, manufacturer (I'm partial to the Two Ducks brand and the Torrey Co). Anything made in China, Pakistan, Egypt, or South America won't be worth the postage. Most of Northern Europe has a good selection. And you'll find some of extreme quality (read expensive) coming out of Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samhell Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 I use a vintage gillette safety razor most of the time. From the 40s. I have a straight razor and just never got the hang of it. I try it out every now and then to change things up. I've always found shaving to be like woodworking. Nice time to relax and not be bothered. Same here. I like the old double edge safety razors. Superior shave to all that multi-bladed voodoo goo nonsense. I've always wanted to try a straight razor but I've heard too many mafia stories about them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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