#11 one if the most important things I tell people that I have suggested straight razor shaving to. Don't throw out your old razor the instant you get a straight. Straight razor shaving is a learning process and until you get good at it, you will definately want something to get the areas you don't feel comfortable with yet.
My Grandfather was a barber for 50+ years, he's passed now but he stroped his razor like the cartoon. I always loved watching him do that. I've never seen anyone else do it.
It never would have occurred to me to plink the edge of a razor, until I watched the video where Matt was plinking the edge to demonstrate the difference between soft and hardened steel.
@@RazorEmporium maybe you should’ve stressed that was what you were using so as to not confuse us newbies. I certainly didn’t know it was a bad thing until I saw this video later. Much good info from your videos by the way thanks!
I learned to shave and hone with gold dollars. I still keep 2 in my rotation. Learning with them taught me all about proper geometry lol it’s actually a hard razor to learn on. But a great one to learn on nonetheless. It’s best if you send it to Dr. Matt or Anthony Esposito “the stallion”. Because they have lots of experience working the dremel to fix that heel. It has a pronounced shoulder and It often runs into the edge of your stone making life that more difficult. But Dr. Matt does it in a way that actually makes the razor look better! He actually takes the time to have it sanded real smooth to the touch. So learning with an adjusted gold dollar makes the razor just function properly.
Another think I’ll say is the gold dollar is my favorite razor to hone, it has good weight, a nice think grind, and has tight jibbing to give you that added grip. Because with my Dubl Duck, the tang is squared off so most of the time I have to sit there and stop and re shuts my grip as to not cut my strop lol. It also doesn’t help if your s skew are a little loosy ghoosy
When I was a kid, I went to my Grandpa's barber who was one of the old-timers that had been in the business since the 1950s. He never stropped his straight razors fast. He always went with a slow to moderate speed, which stood out to me because I remembered the cartoons always doing it quickly. Now I know why.
I just got into the hobby, currently using a shavette due to the inexpensive option. I love everything about straight razor shaving, and will be on the hunt for my first actual straight razor soon. First shave was an absolute hack job. Had about 7 different small cuts, looking a bit like Robin Williams in Jumanji. But with continued practice i have gotten much better. Shaving used to just be something I had to do, but now i get excited each andv every time.
Errors Ive made myself as a newbie that i found were ruining my edges: 1) Not laying the blade perfectly flat on the stone or strop while using. This will result in an edge that may shave but it will not feel like butter. No buttery feel.. something is wrong somewhere. 2) Make sure your pressure is even throughout while honing and stropping. Dont raise the heel or toe. 3) too much pressure on the blade while honing increases the chance of you gouging the blade in one or more areas which could lead to a double bevel. 4) dont hold your strop with a death grip. It should be comfortable while holding it, if its not, theres your sign. 5) dont apply so much pressure with your blade hand that you roll your edge while stropping. 6) test shave with your razor after you finish on the 8k stone and after the razor has been stropped. Once again, if the shave is not buttery smooth and effortless on the first stroke than put the razor down and find out where you went wrong. Was it your stropping? Maybe your pressure or not laying the blade flat at all times? Or was it the bevel not being set correctly? Eliminate one variable at a time and test after each time you do something different than what you did prior. Do this and eventually you will weed out all of your problems and BAM!!!! You got it!!!!
I learned all this on the fly after finding my great grandfather's razors. They were rough, but ground, honed, and sharpened them. Then learning to use it, I didn't like the square edge, so I re-shaped the blade, then did all the honing and sharpening again. Then I had a nice soothing shave, only one pass for a clean shave vs the crap from safety razors. The cleaning of the blade, you do those tips automatically because you don't want to furl the edge you just spent 4 hours refining. Also, use metal penetrating oil to protect it from moisture if you don't shave often. Kroil is good. I use it on my guns as well
My apologies for "necroing" a 3 year old vid, but I noticed a few incorrect details, steel does NOT have "natural oils" in it, no kind of steel does, using isopropyl alcohol is fine for cleaning blades as it DISPLACES water and evaporates much more quickly(99% isopropyl) also I doubt your razor would start to rust WHILE you're using it, so using water to clean it while using it shouldn't be a issue
I run under hot water especially at the end. Very hot water, to heat the blade, is one sure way of ensuring it drys properly, then a wipe with tissue..
I live in California near the ocean my straight razors live in a dry box, and before they go back into the dry box they spend the day in a pelican case with silica gel drying beads. On the coast if you air dry it better be stainless steel.
Its just like ANY high carbon steel cutting tool. Keep it CLEAN, DRY and sharp. The oils on your skin, salt from sweat , high humidity...😂 I've had people here on YT, supposed "super steel.experts" chew me out because I said I have seen CHUNKS of the bevels of old high carbon steel knife blades snapped OFF due to CORROSION. If there is one thing I have learned it is that if a person refers to themselves as a "master" of a given craft, there is one thing they have ultimately failed at being a master of. THEMSELVES.
Great tips Matt. I bought a lovely vintage Gillette Slim Adjustable from you guys about a year ago and am always wondering whether I am maintaining it correctly. After every shave, I carefully and gently dry it using a small piece of microfibre cloth, so would be great if you could do a similar vid with tips on how to look after your DE razor. Thanks
Good stuff. I got into straight razors about a year ago. I have a small business, side business if you like, sharpening knives. Most of my clientele have high end knives and I use no power equipment or jigs. All on stones so I have a background in sharpening and stropping. Darn straight razor took me a good 6 months to feel decent about and I went through probably 10 Gold Dollar $20-$30 razors just practicing. I'm nowhere near sharpening anybody else's razor ha but I'm happy to be able to get my own Dovo sharp! Razors are so darn fickle it's wild. You'd think it's easier than putting a 12 degree edge on an SG2 Gyuto but it's definitely not for me!
I use a tormek with angle jig to rough it in, then go to fine Japanese whetstones, and you're right the chance of screwing it up is high....but exp has helped
I just destroyed my first razor striping just after the first leg hair cut. Does not work now! XD I'm trying to sharp, but without good result's. Damn!! 😁
I've been searching infos about straight razors for about month a now. I'm using a shavette for the moment but the more I look into straight razors, the more I'm glad I ordered a Kai Captain instead of a straight, the process is interesting and fun but it's just crazy the amount of care and work to get a good shave...I might still get into it someday though! :D
my theirs came with a leather sleeve for travel which is great. Who wants tohide their razor? have this beautiful silver art deco display for my hoxton brush and razor thats on the counter with my wood container for soap and several bottles of balm, preshave etc
Awesome video. I started with disposable strait razor blads and I'm looking to upgrade and my first mistake was buying one from a knife dealer. No good. Blade won't even cut hair, needs worked.
The knife world now uses steels like Magnacut, which are fully stainless and have the same or better edge retention as carbon steel. Will we ever see these super steels in straight razors?
I confess I did the plink. During your last video you were talking about how to tell if it's a fake razor by the plink and I had just bought one from Amazon. Alas, I had been bamboozled. It did not sing and the handle was floppy.
#3 1:50 With someone with that level of concept of a straight what did their face look like #5 3:40 Or use a round sponge and wipe around the clock as you go # 11 If you're learning to hone do it on a cheap razor before going near one with a properly set bevel.
Hi guys, I recently bought a straight razor, I am saving your vid's and watching them repeatedly just to get a better knowledge of how to maintain and use my blade efficiently. Thanks for caring! P.S. it remains unused a month after purchasing.
As a beginner I would just start with a shavett with some disposable razors from Amazon. The derby disposables are amazing. This way u don’t have to wreck a nice $250 -$2000 straight edge. Plus good way to practice the technique before spending the money on a straight edge
Totally avoiding the sink for me! 2 days ago, I rinsed the blade, and I've been lucky to have slightly hit the spine only. Now I am only using a towel to clean the blade.
All great tips but it’s the sound effects that really sell it 😄 my best advice is just to go slow and enjoy the process. Let it be a relaxing part of your day.
Never tried DE, went from an electric razor and dove head first into straight razor shaving and it's great you do have to sharpen them a lot more than 3 or 4 times a year though as he said previously
When I started that was true, but I think what happens is that you learn how to shave your face more efficiently and how to work with a blade that is not as sharp, proper beard prep. After a few months of practice I started to get 100 shaves out of a razor. If you want the razor to stay very sharp then you will have to rehone it more often. So you are correct depending on what kind of edge you want or can tolerate.
@@Purge_v3 I switched from de to straight razor and the sr is so much better and makes the experience way more enjoyable. That said the de is quicker and easier so if you hate shaving it's better I'd say but for me I'll stick with my sr
When I search "mineral oil" in my country it brings up different products but one that sticks out is magnesium oil. Is that the same stuff? Could I use that?
Excellent Tips. Need to try getting back into straight razor shving. Kind of gave up on it as I usually cut myself even though I took it nice and slow. This will be my new year's resolution.
spot on i would say . if your going to get into it you really need to think about it . it will take up a bit more time and effort not a huge amount because you should really be looking after your nice experience de stuff same sort of rules apply for me personally.
I've got a straight razor that was used and never sharp-enough to shave with so it became a useful cutting blade to have for opening letters. I once made the mistake of trying to use it as a wire stripper and that completely chewed-up the blade (leaving chunks missing from it). I've recently bought a band sander for something else and thought I'd have a try at using it to resharpen the blade and clean-up the edge. Well, I've almost completely cleaned-up the edge with a 120 grit sanding belt but it's definitely not sharp anymore! Is it possible I could make it sharp again if I just keep going with finer grits and then ultimately a compound then a polish?
You've likely done too serious of damage to get it into working order again. Edge and spine need to be worn / worked at same time. And both sides of edge need to be honed equally.
#12 Dry the inside of the scales with tissue, toilet paper, paper towels, handkerchief (or another better option) before returning the blade to the scale. Perhaps it's overkill, if one leaves the straight razor open to dry before closing and storing it. Learn any honing skills on a 'Gold Dollar', instead of a custom 'Max Sprecher'.
I feel like it should be mentioned that the blade should be cleaned before you add another layer of mineral oil, as it will now trap whatever was on there under the oil, just wipe it and then oil it again Also a mineral oil would likely just last 2-3 months before it kinda dries out, at least in my experience
I started with a Dovo shavette. I did my first headshave at shave #16. I knew at that point that I could shave with a traditional straight and ordered one right away. That was just over 2 years ago and never regretted it. Oh, I have 236 straight shaves and 228 shavette shaves for a total of 464 open blade shaves. I started at age 63. Whoever said that you can't teach an old dog new tricks never met me. Lol!
Great video! I just received your Razor Emporium Gold Dollar razor in the mail today, and am anxious to try it, and was reviewing your videos before I get started. There is a lot to learn!
Great video! I’m new to straight razors, I have the Boss 5/8ths blade and I’ve only used it twice, it’s definitely a learning curve. I supplement it with a safety razor for the parts I’m not skilled enough to get. But I’ll keep at it and get better!
Thank you sir!!! You are a beacon of sanity...just by mentioning how foolish it is to seek the closest shave. It does not give you benefits to go against the grain. You gonna have to shave tomorrow anyways, when your skin has adjusted and your beard grows stronger than ever. If its not visible-its feasible.
Haha what a really great presentation, probably just made loads of new converts who only came here by accident, you may have missed your calling, if you ever give this business up consider being a presenter great attitude, back to razors, wish I had seen this first, really good advice, Thanks 👍
Good vid, though a bit off putting, and I don't mean that as a bad thing. I just got i to shaving with a de safety razor, and really like it. So I also have an interest in straight razors. But if that means I have to send it away 2 or 3 times a year to maintain an edge then that's a dealbreaker (I live in the rural outback in a small country, don't even know if this service even exists here). Now I do sharpen my own knives on an acceptable "amateur" level, so I know how to use a waterstone, but I assume getting a good edge on a straight razor is a different ballgame than keeping my pocket knife sharp....
You may be able to get by with some sharpening compounds on a strop. Or maybe a 10 or 20,000 grit whetstone. We're not trying to make an off putting video, but just trying to have people realize all the ins and outs and not get caught up with the romance of it only.
@@RazorEmporium And that's how I took your video; good solid information. The "off putting" may have been too strong a term to use. I will most certainly entertain the idea of trying a straight razor (there is most definitely a big cool factor involved). But being able to maintain it myself is an important condition. I do think most skills can be learned if one is willing to do the research, and put in some effort. Thanks for your answer, and for the tips.
One thing I always take care of is to close it slowly and centered, I don’t want to touch the scales with the edge. It sounds unlikely but it happens because the blade is mounted on a pivot and the materials of the scales can deform.
About "Carbon Steel", Steel is an alloy that have Carbon, so any steel including stainless steel have carbon, if it doesn't have carbon is just plain iron, the major component of any steel alloy, in addition stainless steel doesn't mean it won't rust, for example a cookware pot of 18/10 stainless steel which contains 18% chromium and 10% nickel is technically an steel alloy that resist rust and hold polish under normal cooking temperatures, if you put that pot over heat with water and it burns, that pot most likely will rust.
The more I learn about straight razors, the more I realize the reasons why men stopped using them. It's just more work on top of an already hectic day.
I don't have a straight razor but I'm interested. How is plinking the edge so different from shaving? In both cases the edge rubs on a surface. Yet in one case stropping is enough and in the other you should finish it on a stone first?
@@RazorEmporium I'm not saying you're wrong! I was just surprised that stopping after every shave maintains a perfect edge but does nothing if you plink the blade. TBH I would have probably done it to see if it is sharp enough/doesn't have a bevel. Good thing I watched your video then :)
Thanks Matt, for the entertaining video. I'm still learning the straight but starting to build muscle memory and not afraid to put the blade to my face but still ever mindful while I'm shaving.
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I purchased a gift kit (Naked Armor) with razor, strop, shaving cream and some other stropping paste. It seems like quality but isn’t the sharpest in the world. Jury still out on the quality, still using the safety razor.
I’ve been honing and straight razor shaving for just over a year now and I got really good at going through the progression. I use only Naniwa superstones and my progression is 1k 3K 8k 12k. Then I finish after on my green DIALUX Crome ox crayon 🖍. I also got my refreshing technique down pretty well. I’ll either just use the inside of my strop (CromeOx). Or I’ll do a mix of both stones and CromeOx. Last time I did 20 laps each on the 8k and 12k then only 8 laps on the CromeOx. That being said I still want to try my edge without the CromeOx to see how that feels, and also I have yet to shave off my 8k. So there’s still some experiments I have to do. I also have done a lot of research about natural stones, but that can be a headache especially when you get to the J-NATS, but I’d like to try a Cotty, small Koppa, or a black Arkansas stone in the future. Stuffs fun! Really brought it back to life! ITS ALIVE!!! 🧟♂️ 👨🏼⚕️ 💈😁🤙🏻💈 ~Mike 🌹
I am so grateful that you have put out this video! I regrettably destroyed my razors fine edge 😢 years ago, but I kept it in case someone could fix it for me.
One thing I learned from watching all the ASMR videos and actually now in my infancy of learning straight razor shaving is the proper handling of the razor. When barbers are shaving someone else it is much easier in maneuvering than when you are attempting to shave your own face. You will have a great dominant hand and a weaker hand that takes time to muscle train the proper stroking that your dominant hand tends to not need as much of
#11 one if the most important things I tell people that I have suggested straight razor shaving to. Don't throw out your old razor the instant you get a straight. Straight razor shaving is a learning process and until you get good at it, you will definately want something to get the areas you don't feel comfortable with yet.
Or if you're in a hurry
My Grandfather was a barber for 50+ years, he's passed now but he stroped his razor like the cartoon. I always loved watching him do that. I've never seen anyone else do it.
ALWAYS be dressed from the waist down ......!!!!!!!
Because if you accidently drop the razor it could cut something on the way down !!!!
now this is a top tip indeed 🤪
Possibly how the custom of circumcision began?
@@manfrommeeteetse3880 could be ..... Moses could of had a straight razor .!!!!!!! Things are starting to make sense!
@@manfrommeeteetse3880 lmao! "Uhhh yea.. I uhh.. I meant to do that."
So this proves that Moses was a "old school " wet shaver !!!! I wonder what he used for shave soap ?
It never would have occurred to me to plink the edge of a razor, until I watched the video where Matt was plinking the edge to demonstrate the difference between soft and hardened steel.
Yes LOL I did that with the Gold Dollar razor that sits in the video studio for all the abuse :)
@@RazorEmporium maybe you should’ve stressed that was what you were using so as to not confuse us newbies. I certainly didn’t know it was a bad thing until I saw this video later. Much good info from your videos by the way thanks!
I learned to shave and hone with gold dollars. I still keep 2 in my rotation. Learning with them taught me all about proper geometry lol it’s actually a hard razor to learn on. But a great one to learn on nonetheless. It’s best if you send it to Dr. Matt or Anthony Esposito “the stallion”. Because they have lots of experience working the dremel to fix that heel. It has a pronounced shoulder and It often runs into the edge of your stone making life that more difficult. But Dr. Matt does it in a way that actually makes the razor look better! He actually takes the time to have it sanded real smooth to the touch. So learning with an adjusted gold dollar makes the razor just function properly.
Another think I’ll say is the gold dollar is my favorite razor to hone, it has good weight, a nice think grind, and has tight jibbing to give you that added grip. Because with my Dubl Duck, the tang is squared off so most of the time I have to sit there and stop and re shuts my grip as to not cut my strop lol. It also doesn’t help if your s skew are a little loosy ghoosy
There are no oils, natural or otherwise, in carbon steel.
When I was a kid, I went to my Grandpa's barber who was one of the old-timers that had been in the business since the 1950s. He never stropped his straight razors fast. He always went with a slow to moderate speed, which stood out to me because I remembered the cartoons always doing it quickly.
Now I know why.
lovely story, regards dapper shaves
I just got into the hobby, currently using a shavette due to the inexpensive option. I love everything about straight razor shaving, and will be on the hunt for my first actual straight razor soon. First shave was an absolute hack job. Had about 7 different small cuts, looking a bit like Robin Williams in Jumanji. But with continued practice i have gotten much better. Shaving used to just be something I had to do, but now i get excited each andv every time.
I have my grandfathers razor, Zwilingswerk, he used it for 70 years, still i perfect condition and still shaves every day
Errors Ive made myself as a newbie that i found were ruining my edges: 1) Not laying the blade perfectly flat on the stone or strop while using. This will result in an edge that may shave but it will not feel like butter. No buttery feel.. something is wrong somewhere. 2) Make sure your pressure is even throughout while honing and stropping. Dont raise the heel or toe. 3) too much pressure on the blade while honing increases the chance of you gouging the blade in one or more areas which could lead to a double bevel. 4) dont hold your strop with a death grip. It should be comfortable while holding it, if its not, theres your sign. 5) dont apply so much pressure with your blade hand that you roll your edge while stropping. 6) test shave with your razor after you finish on the 8k stone and after the razor has been stropped. Once again, if the shave is not buttery smooth and effortless on the first stroke than put the razor down and find out where you went wrong. Was it your stropping? Maybe your pressure or not laying the blade flat at all times? Or was it the bevel not being set correctly? Eliminate one variable at a time and test after each time you do something different than what you did prior. Do this and eventually you will weed out all of your problems and BAM!!!! You got it!!!!
I learned all this on the fly after finding my great grandfather's razors. They were rough, but ground, honed, and sharpened them. Then learning to use it, I didn't like the square edge, so I re-shaped the blade, then did all the honing and sharpening again. Then I had a nice soothing shave, only one pass for a clean shave vs the crap from safety razors. The cleaning of the blade, you do those tips automatically because you don't want to furl the edge you just spent 4 hours refining. Also, use metal penetrating oil to protect it from moisture if you don't shave often. Kroil is good. I use it on my guns as well
My apologies for "necroing" a 3 year old vid, but I noticed a few incorrect details, steel does NOT have "natural oils" in it, no kind of steel does, using isopropyl alcohol is fine for cleaning blades as it DISPLACES water and evaporates much more quickly(99% isopropyl) also I doubt your razor would start to rust WHILE you're using it, so using water to clean it while using it shouldn't be a issue
Ya I misspoke about that. I meant to say you take off the oil that is there and promote rusting.
I quit showing people my razors because everyone keeps plinking.
I never run my blades under water, never.
I run under hot water especially at the end. Very hot water, to heat the blade, is one sure way of ensuring it drys properly, then a wipe with tissue..
I live in California near the ocean my straight razors live in a dry box, and before they go back into the dry box they spend the day in a pelican case with silica gel drying beads. On the coast if you air dry it better be stainless steel.
Its just like ANY high carbon steel cutting tool. Keep it CLEAN, DRY and sharp. The oils on your skin, salt from sweat , high humidity...😂 I've had people here on YT, supposed "super steel.experts" chew me out because I said I have seen CHUNKS of the bevels of old high carbon steel knife blades snapped OFF due to CORROSION. If there is one thing I have learned it is that if a person refers to themselves as a "master" of a given craft, there is one thing they have ultimately failed at being a master of. THEMSELVES.
Great tips Matt. I bought a lovely vintage Gillette Slim Adjustable from you guys about a year ago and am always wondering whether I am maintaining it correctly. After every shave, I carefully and gently dry it using a small piece of microfibre cloth, so would be great if you could do a similar vid with tips on how to look after your DE razor. Thanks
Great idea!
"Its a process, not an event." Well said Sir.
Good stuff. I got into straight razors about a year ago. I have a small business, side business if you like, sharpening knives. Most of my clientele have high end knives and I use no power equipment or jigs. All on stones so I have a background in sharpening and stropping. Darn straight razor took me a good 6 months to feel decent about and I went through probably 10 Gold Dollar $20-$30 razors just practicing. I'm nowhere near sharpening anybody else's razor ha but I'm happy to be able to get my own Dovo sharp! Razors are so darn fickle it's wild. You'd think it's easier than putting a 12 degree edge on an SG2 Gyuto but it's definitely not for me!
I use a tormek with angle jig to rough it in, then go to fine Japanese whetstones, and you're right the chance of screwing it up is high....but exp has helped
"you're not that guy pal, trust me you're not that guy" lol
Actually #1 is if you shave in the shower make durn sure the tool is 100% dry before you close it up and put it away. See #5.
I just destroyed my first razor striping just after the first leg hair cut. Does not work now! XD
I'm trying to sharp, but without good result's. Damn!! 😁
If you have compound really caked on your strop, 3 in 1 oil works well for removing it, not sure what this does to leather, but it works.
I've been searching infos about straight razors for about month a now. I'm using a shavette for the moment but the more I look into straight razors, the more I'm glad I ordered a Kai Captain instead of a straight, the process is interesting and fun but it's just crazy the amount of care and work to get a good shave...I might still get into it someday though! :D
my theirs came with a leather sleeve for travel which is great. Who wants tohide their razor? have this beautiful silver art deco display for my hoxton brush and razor thats on the counter with my wood container for soap and several bottles of balm, preshave etc
After the shave, do you wash the blade. I’m sure you don’t want to store it away with some chemicals (soap/lather) left on it.
Awesome video. I started with disposable strait razor blads and I'm looking to upgrade and my first mistake was buying one from a knife dealer. No good. Blade won't even cut hair, needs worked.
Dang it, I just got my razor today and broke rule number 1 lol.
I completely understand , but mine was a POS from the minute I opened it .
The knife world now uses steels like Magnacut, which are fully stainless and have the same or better edge retention as carbon steel. Will we ever see these super steels in straight razors?
I don't do at least 5 of the 10 things you recommend. My razors are all quite sharp and see a stone for a retouch about once a year.
I also run a piece of paper tissue between the scales. Soap sometimes gets in there, especially around the pins and rivtes.
I confess I did the plink. During your last video you were talking about how to tell if it's a fake razor by the plink and I had just bought one from Amazon. Alas, I had been bamboozled. It did not sing and the handle was floppy.
i dry shave, because my razor is just that sharp now :D
#3 1:50 With someone with that level of concept of a straight what did their face look like
#5 3:40 Or use a round sponge and wipe around the clock as you go
# 11 If you're learning to hone do it on a cheap razor before going near one with a properly set bevel.
Hi guys, I recently bought a straight razor, I am saving your vid's and watching them repeatedly just to get a better knowledge of how to maintain and use my blade efficiently. Thanks for caring! P.S. it remains unused a month after purchasing.
I hope you’ve had an opportunity to shave your razor. How is it going? regards dapper shaves
“You’re not that guy”
Never sanitize bakelite scales with really hot water. They will go from nice black scales to puke green in color.
As a beginner I would just start with a shavett with some disposable razors from Amazon. The derby disposables are amazing. This way u don’t have to wreck a nice $250 -$2000 straight edge. Plus good way to practice the technique before spending the money on a straight edge
11. If you think this is too much hassle, just get a shavette.
Agreed
Totally avoiding the sink for me! 2 days ago, I rinsed the blade, and I've been lucky to have slightly hit the spine only. Now I am only using a towel to clean the blade.
sage advise, regards dapper shaves
I usually use carriage razor for travel and leave my double edge at home
All great tips but it’s the sound effects that really sell it 😄 my best advice is just to go slow and enjoy the process. Let it be a relaxing part of your day.
Good tips. Especially using a towel to wipe soap off during the shave. I'll start doing it that way instead. I've been lucky so far.
Tip #11. Stick to DE and sit back watch the others go through all this with frosty beverage and tasty snack....
Never tried DE, went from an electric razor and dove head first into straight razor shaving and it's great you do have to sharpen them a lot more than 3 or 4 times a year though as he said previously
When I started that was true, but I think what happens is that you learn how to shave your face more efficiently and how to work with a blade that is not as sharp, proper beard prep. After a few months of practice I started to get 100 shaves out of a razor. If you want the razor to stay very sharp then you will have to rehone it more often. So you are correct depending on what kind of edge you want or can tolerate.
@@8329kelso figured out that the geometry of the blade was off had it corrected and cant wait to try it out, it's in the mail atm
Number 11. After polishing edge to a mirror finish, do not damage it by tapping it with a jewelers loupe! Ask me how I learned that one. Great video.
@@Purge_v3 I switched from de to straight razor and the sr is so much better and makes the experience way more enjoyable. That said the de is quicker and easier so if you hate shaving it's better I'd say but for me I'll stick with my sr
When I search "mineral oil" in my country it brings up different products but one that sticks out is magnesium oil. Is that the same stuff? Could I use that?
Yes
Nice tips.
Excellent Tips. Need to try getting back into straight razor shving. Kind of gave up on it as I usually cut myself even though I took it nice and slow. This will be my new year's resolution.
spot on i would say . if your going to get into it you really need to think about it . it will take up a bit more time and effort not a huge amount because you should really be looking after your nice experience de stuff same sort of rules apply for me personally.
okay good to know what not to do..... gonna dry off my razor real good now since i dibbed it in water to clean it 🤣😭
I've got a straight razor that was used and never sharp-enough to shave with so it became a useful cutting blade to have for opening letters. I once made the mistake of trying to use it as a wire stripper and that completely chewed-up the blade (leaving chunks missing from it). I've recently bought a band sander for something else and thought I'd have a try at using it to resharpen the blade and clean-up the edge. Well, I've almost completely cleaned-up the edge with a 120 grit sanding belt but it's definitely not sharp anymore! Is it possible I could make it sharp again if I just keep going with finer grits and then ultimately a compound then a polish?
You've likely done too serious of damage to get it into working order again. Edge and spine need to be worn / worked at same time. And both sides of edge need to be honed equally.
#12 Dry the inside of the scales with tissue, toilet paper, paper towels, handkerchief (or another better option) before returning the blade to the scale.
Perhaps it's overkill, if one leaves the straight razor open to dry before closing and storing it.
Learn any honing skills on a 'Gold Dollar', instead of a custom 'Max Sprecher'.
i only have one stone a Naniwa 12k stone
How do you cure the leather ...i bought a londpn brand Nd it came with some vaseline looking i guess thts for the leather conditioner...
Not needed on new leather. Only old dry strops.
what are the advantages to Carbon Steel if Stainless seems to have all the benefits, and why is carbon the popular choice from the makers ?
more comfortable to shave with for most people and easier to hone.
bonus points for tip #10. thank you from a beginner (but i do have all the stones) for an encouraging and informative video.
I actually am an old time barber.
I like you dude.. you're a groovy guy 😄👍✌️
It’s great Matt included a video of his customer messing up his straight razor😂
I don’t even know this dude but seem so nice 👍🏻 just from the way he talks and acts
I feel like it should be mentioned that the blade should be cleaned before you add another layer of mineral oil, as it will now trap whatever was on there under the oil, just wipe it and then oil it again
Also a mineral oil would likely just last 2-3 months before it kinda dries out, at least in my experience
What razor did you use for the video, I like its design. Kinda reminds me of a Dovo Bergischer Lowe without the gold.
Rex sovereign
How do you know when the razor needs to be sharpened on a whetstone if you’re properly stropping on a strop with strop paste
It's tugging and pulling
Would CBD cream or oil be a good idea to put on your razor before and/or after the shave?
Never heard of that. What would be the intention?
Absolutely the best video about straight razors, use and maintenance! Thank you for saving me from some idiot mistakes I might have made
I'll use a carbon steel dovo in my shop.. how should I clean it then? What type of detergent is best? Thanks
Dawn
How about start with a shavette or Feather style interchangeable blade razor to learn technique before fully committing to a straight razor?
Agreed!
I started with a Dovo shavette. I did my first headshave at shave #16. I knew at that point that I could shave with a traditional straight and ordered one right away. That was just over 2 years ago and never regretted it. Oh, I have 236 straight shaves and 228 shavette shaves for a total of 464 open blade shaves. I started at age 63. Whoever said that you can't teach an old dog new tricks never met me. Lol!
Thanks for this very informative video! It sucks that you've had such idiots come to your shop and ruin your equipment.
Light use of a hair dryer helps combat any remaining moisture between the pivot pin and scales.
Great video! I just received your Razor Emporium Gold Dollar razor in the mail today, and am anxious to try it, and was reviewing your videos before I get started. There is a lot to learn!
Can u show the process in honing? Show steps on sharpening to honing or revise versa.
we have a video for that.
Can we use Wahl , Oyster or Andis clipper oil ?
Thanks for the video.
Yes
Nice tips; I use Balistol oil to preverve my razors, is that ok?
Great stuff yes !
Great video! I’m new to straight razors, I have the Boss 5/8ths blade and I’ve only used it twice, it’s definitely a learning curve. I supplement it with a safety razor for the parts I’m not skilled enough to get. But I’ll keep at it and get better!
How’s the shaves going my friend? blessed week ahead, regards dapper shaves
Thank you sir!!! You are a beacon of sanity...just by mentioning how foolish it is to seek the closest shave.
It does not give you benefits to go against the grain. You gonna have to shave tomorrow anyways, when your skin has adjusted and your beard grows stronger than ever.
If its not visible-its feasible.
Thank you for the video. It’s very informative for people like me that are trying to get into shaving with a straight.
Hi Matt,
What are the benefits of a Cordova strop versus leather? Any drawbacks?
Cordovan is preferred by many master straight razor shavers and honemeisters because of its heavy draw but quick action.
Great video! Every time I think I want to dive in I’m reminded about the care involved so I continue to practice with my Feather SS Folding Razor 🙂
Haha what a really great presentation, probably just made loads of new converts who only came here by accident, you may have missed your calling, if you ever give this business up consider being a presenter great attitude, back to razors, wish I had seen this first, really good advice, Thanks 👍
Thanks for some great tips for this newbie. I now will NOT do several things I likely would have done when my razor gets here.
Good vid, though a bit off putting, and I don't mean that as a bad thing. I just got i to shaving with a de safety razor, and really like it. So I also have an interest in straight razors. But if that means I have to send it away 2 or 3 times a year to maintain an edge then that's a dealbreaker (I live in the rural outback in a small country, don't even know if this service even exists here). Now I do sharpen my own knives on an acceptable "amateur" level, so I know how to use a waterstone, but I assume getting a good edge on a straight razor is a different ballgame than keeping my pocket knife sharp....
You may be able to get by with some sharpening compounds on a strop. Or maybe a 10 or 20,000 grit whetstone. We're not trying to make an off putting video, but just trying to have people realize all the ins and outs and not get caught up with the romance of it only.
@@RazorEmporium And that's how I took your video; good solid information. The "off putting" may have been too strong a term to use. I will most certainly entertain the idea of trying a straight razor (there is most definitely a big cool factor involved). But being able to maintain it myself is an important condition. I do think most skills can be learned if one is willing to do the research, and put in some effort.
Thanks for your answer, and for the tips.
The cartoon was an awesome touch
One thing I always take care of is to close it slowly and centered, I don’t want to touch the scales with the edge. It sounds unlikely but it happens because the blade is mounted on a pivot and the materials of the scales can deform.
About "Carbon Steel", Steel is an alloy that have Carbon, so any steel including stainless steel have carbon, if it doesn't have carbon is just plain iron, the major component of any steel alloy, in addition stainless steel doesn't mean it won't rust, for example a cookware pot of 18/10 stainless steel which contains 18% chromium and 10% nickel is technically an steel alloy that resist rust and hold polish under normal cooking temperatures, if you put that pot over heat with water and it burns, that pot most likely will rust.
The more I learn about straight razors, the more I realize the reasons why men stopped using them. It's just more work on top of an already hectic day.
thanks dude
I don't have a straight razor but I'm interested. How is plinking the edge so different from shaving? In both cases the edge rubs on a surface. Yet in one case stropping is enough and in the other you should finish it on a stone first?
Well - if you don't want to take my word for it - try it yourself :)
@@RazorEmporium I'm not saying you're wrong! I was just surprised that stopping after every shave maintains a perfect edge but does nothing if you plink the blade. TBH I would have probably done it to see if it is sharp enough/doesn't have a bevel. Good thing I watched your video then :)
The only thing I don’t do is leave it out to air dry , because I dry it very well then strop on my poly webbing and leather real well.
5:18 I think I’ll use lard instead.That’s what they used to do for swords and knives. Plus to me lard is more accessible than mineral oil
Noway is any straight razor sharper than a surgeons Scalpel. First shave with a straight razor will be a bloodbath
Good video.
Thanks Matt, for the entertaining video. I'm still learning the straight but starting to build muscle memory and not afraid to put the blade to my face but still ever mindful while I'm shaving.
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I purchased a gift kit (Naked Armor) with razor, strop, shaving cream and some other stropping paste. It seems like quality but isn’t the sharpest in the world. Jury still out on the quality, still using the safety razor.
I’ve been honing and straight razor shaving for just over a year now and I got really good at going through the progression. I use only Naniwa superstones and my progression is 1k 3K 8k 12k. Then I finish after on my green DIALUX Crome ox crayon 🖍. I also got my refreshing technique down pretty well. I’ll either just use the inside of my strop (CromeOx). Or I’ll do a mix of both stones and CromeOx. Last time I did 20 laps each on the 8k and 12k then only 8 laps on the CromeOx. That being said I still want to try my edge without the CromeOx to see how that feels, and also I have yet to shave off my 8k. So there’s still some experiments I have to do. I also have done a lot of research about natural stones, but that can be a headache especially when you get to the J-NATS, but I’d like to try a Cotty, small Koppa, or a black Arkansas stone in the future. Stuffs fun!
Really brought it back to life! ITS ALIVE!!!
🧟♂️ 👨🏼⚕️
💈😁🤙🏻💈
~Mike 🌹
These are great tips! Im new to SR shaving so these are all super helpful!
Thanks
I am so grateful that you have put out this video! I regrettably destroyed my razors fine edge 😢 years ago, but I kept it in case someone could fix it for me.
One thing I learned from watching all the ASMR videos and actually now in my infancy of learning straight razor shaving is the proper handling of the razor. When barbers are shaving someone else it is much easier in maneuvering than when you are attempting to shave your own face. You will have a great dominant hand and a weaker hand that takes time to muscle train the proper stroking that your dominant hand tends to not need as much of
I feel like half of all the people that left reviews on your website would have benefited from watching this
I have my grandfather's old razor that I still use I will pass it down to my kids when they get old enough
Should I remove the mineral oil before i shave?
Yes
Hi Matt I got my straight razor for Christmas and wasn't sharp at all,now do I hone it or strop it,which one do I do first mister?
Honing gives it an edge. Stropping maintains the edge you have.
@@RazorEmporium ok thank you
New music? Another very informative video, Matt. But this reminds me of the old “Happy Fun Ball” sketch on SNL.
The focus of the video is annoying lol he is out of focus. I kept checking the resolution thinking it was that lol