Straight Razor from Spyderco

[Fireman]

Can the “Barber” be a slip joint?

[Doc Dan]

I'm not sure I understand the question.

[Doc Dan]

My new razor is stuck in customs until after the holiday. AHHHRRGGG! Now, I have to wonder what they are going to charge me since they likely won't understand what it is.
I can always hope.

[jpm2]

My new razor is stuck in customs until after the holiday. AHHHRRGGG! Now, I have to wonder what they are going to charge me since they likely won't understand what it is.
I can always hope.

What’s the reason for it stuck in customs and additional charge?

[Doc Dan]

Your guess is as good as mine. They probably need money for the current holiday.

[jpm2]

That stinks.
Mine was supposed to ship yesterday, but haven't received any notice yet.

[Airlsee]

What’s the reason for it stuck in customs and additional charge?

I think he's in a SE Asian country, so different customs dealings than TX.

[Doc Dan]

That stinks.
Mine was supposed to ship yesterday, but haven't received any notice yet.

The AUS Post is stingy with tracking information. He sent mine by standard international, so I assume he did yours, as well. Use not only AUS Post tracking, but US Postal Service tracking, too. You can sign up for getting updates in your email, but I found AUS post to not keep up with that.

It'll be there soon. They have a chart that tells approximately how many working days.

That, btw, is a good looking razor! When we get our razors we will be able to say whether this guy is worth Spyderco contracting with.

[jpm2]

Here's a few to keep me busy until it gets here.

[Doc Dan]

Those should keep you busy.

Now, when Spyderco makes a straight razor, then we can look forward to different handle materials. Carbon Fiber, ebony, white G10, Kirinite, translucent FRCP, the sky's the limit.

[soundshaman]

This is so exciting. I will 100% buy a Spyderco straight razor. Sal talked about straight razor shaving when he visited the knife shop i worked at years ago. I tried it and it’s all I use since. It was an honour to meet Sal and I will definitely buy a Spyderco razor

[Doc Dan]

I Hope this happens. In the spirit of hope, I have decided to do a short, multi-part instruction for beginners.


Steps in Learning to Shave With a Straight Razor


The straight razor is the centuries old method of taking hair off of a man’s face and neck, and off of a woman’s legs and underarms. The razor manufacturers, led by Gillette, learned quickly to get people relying on their mass produced safety razors, which needed proprietary blades. At first, they nearly gave away the handles and people had to buy refill blades. Then, they came out with razors with multiple blades that required a special handle. These razors could be expensive and the blade cartridges kept rising in price. Disposable version were released with more and more blades. The razors and cartridges started becoming very expensive and the plastic became a problem in landfills, oceans, and lakes. Added to that, the razors caused irritation, shaving bumps, and painful ingrown hairs that the straight razors and double edged safety razors didn’t generally cause.

Many people around the globe have transitioned back to the double edged safety razor and the straight razor. The initial cost is more, but subsequent costs are far cheaper. Added to this, there is little to no waste and no plastic to lie around for thousands of years, or longer.

Those who transition to the safety razor often go on to buy a straight razor. There is no waste, there are no blades to dispose of, there is no irritation (from a properly honed razor), no bumps, no ingrown hairs. Shaving with a straight razor the way our grandparents and great grandparents did is easy to learn. There is no need to listen to all of the overly dramatic fear mongers about the many times you will cut your face. The truth is, that is it simple and safe. Barring any physical abnormalities, anyone can learn to safely shave with a straight razor by following the simple steps outlined below.

1] The first step is to get a straight razor and the necessary implements to go along with it. It might be possible to borrow a nice, well-honed razor from a friend or relative. If you decide to buy your own it is best not to buy a cheaply priced poor quality razor. Most of these are poor quality, often have bent or warped blades, and the heat treatment isn’t good. It is best to buy a razor, even if inexpensive, from a reputable dealer that will hone your razor properly and make certain there are no warps or bends in the blade.

If the dealer offers a honing service they will so state on their website, or somewhere in the store if it is a brick and mortar shop. It is a good idea to ask whether they offer this service in-house or they send it outside. Sending it outside might cost more. The Invisible Edge (UK) and Maggard’s (USA) offer this service and there are others that do, as well.

These sellers have less expensive razors that are honed properly. However, the heat treatment is not as hard as a better razor.

A properly honed razor is not sharpened like a knife. It is laid flat on the stone and the resulting edge is very thin. Care needs to be taken not to touch the edge on anything, such as the sink, faucet, or other things as the edge is easily damaged.

Here are some current razor makers, though there are many more:

Ralf Aust, Solingen, Germany https://rasiermesser-manufaktur.de
+49 (0)152 297 468 73

Thiers Issard, Thiers France https://www.thiers-issard.fr/en

Steve Colling , Proserpine, Australia s.k.colling@gmail.com or kcoll316@eq.edu.au

Koraat-Knives, Wachau, Austria +43 699 10767887 mail@koraat-knives.at Töpfergasse Kleinpöchlarn, Austria, 3660 http://www.koraat-knives.at/english

Wacker, Solingen, Germany https://wackerrazor.com


Steven Colling makes an excellent razor that is only $87 (USD). Ralf Aust has a model that is around $109. Thiers Issard has very hard steel and has models that are about $110 at the time of this writing. So basically, for the price of a Delica a person can get a razor to be proud of.

[Doc Dan]

Here is the next part:


2] A descent strop needs to be purchased. There is no need to buy an expensive leather strop, but a good one is a must. Stropping does not sharpen the razor. When a person shaves, the hairs are like small copper wires. The damage the edge ever so slightly and this damage is repaired by stropping.

Anchor the strop onto a towel rack, a hook in the wall, door knob, etc. Something as simple as paracord will work. Most strops have a clip on the end for attaching to such a cord or a hook. When using pull the strop out tight, but still with a slight give towards the middle when used.

Before shaving, hold onto the tang and place the razor’s blade flat on the leather side of the strop and with little pressure, move the blade along the length of the strop in the opposite direction of the edge. When the end of the stroke is reached, leaving the spine in contact with strop and roll the edge up and over until it is flat on the strop in the opposite direction. Then, make the return stroke. This is one complete lap. Repeat this for thirty laps. When the shave is finished, before oiling the blade and putting it away, strop it at least twenty laps.

There is often a canvas side to the strop. This is for repairing blades that are slightly worse than normal. When this is used, care must be taken not to further damage the edge. Once the required number of laps are finished, then stropping continues on the leather side as normal.


^{Photo taken from Shaving Made Easy (1905). New York: The 20th Century Correspondence School}

Here is an excellent video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mVjU1f0lye0

If the strop is wide enough for the blade, this is all that needs to be done. If the strop is narrower than the blade, then put the blade on the strop with the toe (front tip) of the razor hanging off and stroke so that during the length of the stroke the heel (back part) of the blade comes off the edge of the strop and the toe is on the strop. Return in the opposite manner. Think of this as making an X. See the picture above.

[Scandi Grind]

Nice tutorial Doc! I have been thinking about changing my shaving implement, I just have not been able to decide between a straight or safety razor. Straight might be my preference, I'd just have to wait till I can afford a good one.

[zhyla]

Straight might be my preference, I'd just have to wait till I can afford a good one.

I’ve been using a $20 Gold Dollar for 10 years. No reason to wait, you can always use a backup razor for when you upgrade later.

[Stuart Ackerman]

There is a forum called " Against the Grain" with a sub forum with images of straight razors from all over the world...

Around 470 pages at this time!
Knock yourselves out!

https://www.atgshaving.com/threads/stra ... -day.4099/

[Doc Dan]

Straight might be my preference, I'd just have to wait till I can afford a good one.

I’ve been using a $20 Gold Dollar for 10 years. No reason to wait, you can always use a backup razor for when you upgrade later.

I thought about a Gold Dollar and should have mentioned it. They can often be purchased for $3 to $5. Chinese razors are pretty good when the blades are straight. Like all razors they would need to be professionally honed. Some dealers sell these already honed and ready to go, if I recall.

[Doc Dan]

The shaving cup or bowl is an essential part of any shaving gear. A lot of money need not be spent on this. A stainless steel, plastic, stoneware, porcelain, or other material wide coffee mug or small cereal bowl or dessert bowl with a handle is just fine. A hand can be used, formed in a cup shape or a convenient rice bowl can be used or other small bowl. A bowl is easier than using a hand and less messy.

The bowl needs to be large enough to hold a puck of soap or in which to make lather with the brush. We will discuss soaps and making lather later.

Of course, there are expensive bowls of horn and some with hot water compartments to keep the lather warm. These are not necessary and when one is just beginning not recommended.

I've been using a stainless bowl just like this for years.


A simple dollar store wide coffee mug or soup mug works great.

[sal]

I always used a plastic cup with a lid as I was usually travelling.

sal

[zhyla]

I thought about a Gold Dollar and should have mentioned it. They can often be purchased for $3 to $5.

The cheap Gold Dollars are serviceable. But the $20 ones are really, really good.

Anyone on this forum should be able to hone a razor. I use a glass slab and wet/dry sand paper up to 5k grit (2k is sufficient). Razors are designed around easy sharpening, it’s no big deal.