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Jeep snobbery - RANT

TaiMc

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Now that you brought up an interesting topic, worthy derailing this worthless thread..... Straight Razor Shaving is a Lost Art, slowly regaining popularity. I have been Straight shaving for approx 4-5 yrs. I tried it in the early 80's but my techiques, and stropping skills weren't there. Also, there wasnt an internet, or anyone around to teach me either.
I now buy, restore, shave with, and sharpen razors as old as mid 1700's. Most are mid 1800-1940's.
The hardest part is learning how to properly hone the razors.
dont you get all nervous with that blade to your throat??
 

TaiMc

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I personally don't give a flying **** what other people think about my Wrangler (Sport S) I love it, love driving it, love looking at it. If someone else doesn't think it's "whatever" enough for them, **** 'em!
Oh! We aint on this topic anymore...we’re on straight razors... got anything to add? :CWL:
 

DaltonGang

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No idea about straight razors. Being that they are so old, is the quality of steel the limiting factory for why one wouldn't use a belt sander to get the edge/debur with a scotch brite, then leather stropping belt?

Just curious. Like I said, no experience with straight razors.
the belt sanders cannot polish the edge well enough. Plus, on a Straight Razor, the edge is very delicate, and requires a light touch while honing. Using a belt sander sander on a straight razor is like a watch maker using a sledge hammer.
 

DaltonGang

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dont you get all nervous with that blade to your throat??
At first you are nervous, but, the better you get, like other things, the more confident you become.
Growing up, shaving with all those modern Cartridge Razors, and Electric Razors, did a number on my skin. I had razor burn, and ingrown hair since the 80's. It was so bad, It kept me awake at night, at times. I found that the Old School ways of shaving were better, about 6-7 yrs ago. I started with Double Edge Razors, and that cured any ingrown hairs, and any razor burns. The Straight Razor shaves took the feel to a level of extreme comfort.
Plus, turning a 150 year old, junkie looking razor, into a nice looking and very usable tool again is satisfying.

.
 

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I have some nasty photos of a razor cut to the face from my days working in Prison. Prisoners would make a cut that we as the staff would call the buck fifty. The buck fifty stands for approx. 150 stiches to sew it back together. The cut goes from the edge of the lip to the ear and usually done with a razor blade melted into toothbrush handle. The assault is carried out from behind. Looks nasty, but not deadly. Even saw a prisoner get his ear cut off over a ten dollar debt. I could go on for weeks about this.

But back to straight razors. I have two of them from my great grandfather. They have to be from the late 1800s. They kind of slipped my mind. I might have to break them out and learn a new skill.
 

DaltonGang

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@wibornz , Before you attempt to shave with them, or sharpen them, have them Honed professionally. Not by someone that is just skilled in sharpening knives. If you need a link to a well respected guy, who Hones razors for a living, at a very reasonable cost, let me know. He has been doing this for 20 or so years, an considered one of the best. He also restores old razors.
I have had a couple Honed by him, to compare my work, and he is top notch.
..
 

DaltonGang

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I have some nasty photos of a razor cut to the face from my days working in Prison. Prisoners would make a cut that we as the staff would call the buck fifty. The buck fifty stands for approx. 150 stiches to sew it back together. The cut goes from the edge of the lip to the ear and usually done with a razor blade melted into toothbrush handle. The assault is carried out from behind. Looks nasty, but not deadly. Even saw a prisoner get his ear cut off over a ten dollar debt. I could go on for weeks about this.

But back to straight razors. I have two of them from my great grandfather. They have to be from the late 1800s. They kind of slipped my mind. I might have to break them out and learn a new skill.
If you can, post a few pics of your family razors, and I should be able to tell you about them.

..
 

Coops4284

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I dont know if it has been posted before but here is the company I got my "cutthroat" from as well as shave soap and brush.

https://wetshavingproducts.com/

Last time I was in AZ I stopped up at the shop too. Great people, and great products. Also, closest shave I have ever had is with my straight razor.

I also have a few vintage ones, that have been rehoned, but they are more for show in the bathroom rather than use.
 
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Funny Irishman
 
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My aim honestly was not deportation...I would have rather he had the gumption to put his name to what he had to say. What a weak person to not have enough conviction to sign their name to their thoughts. :crying:
Roger that, and agreed.

The more active a member is, the easier it is to get a tighter bead on who they really are. Devils in the details. I may need to consult a dictionary here or there, but you haven't lost me yet. ;)

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Headbarcode

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I'm not countering you...I just don't understand. So there are 6K grit belts for some of the machines out there as well as obviously leather stropping belts. Are you saying belt sanders are just too fast for even establishing the base edge?

Thanks.
Heat is the enemy to establishing a cutting edge, whether it's a straight razor, lathe tooling bit, or even an ax head. Even light, momentary touches on a belt sander could overheat the thin razors construction. With plenty of quenching, one would still be walking the thin line.

I have zero experience with straight razors, but plenty when it comes to establishing a keen edge. Done manually and with patience is the best, in my humble opinion. I can see how straight razors are on a whole new level, and have far less room for error than what I've had my hands on.
 

DaltonGang

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I'm not countering you...I just don't understand. So there are 6K grit belts for some of the machines out there as well as obviously leather stropping belts. Are you saying belt sanders are just too fast for even establishing the base edge?

Thanks.
They cannot do as good of a job, as doing it by hand. Modern made Dovo Razors are a prime example. They use Honing Wheels, and Rotary Stropping Belts. They cannot even compare to a well honed razor by hand. With the big companies, it is all about speed. Sure you can shave with them, but the edge is sub-par.
I have experienced it, with many factory edges.
Ideally, I prefer a 20K+ edge. It all depends on the steel. some cannot take that fine of an edge.
 

DaltonGang

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Heat is the enemy to establishing a cutting edge, whether it's a straight razor, lathe tooling bit, or even an ax head. Even light, momentary touches on a belt sander could overheat the thin razors construction. With plenty of quenching, one would still be walking the thin line.

I have zero experience with straight razors, but plenty when it comes to establishing a keen edge. Done manually and with patience is the best, in my humble opinion. I can see how straight razors are on a whole new level, and have far less room for error than what I've had my hands on.
Yes, Yes, and Yes.

..
 

DaltonGang

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Ah....gotcha. They've been doing some research on overheating at the BESS Exchange.

http://bessex.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=391&highlight=templaq

Lots of interesting info if one's inclined to read it...though I don't think it applies to straight razors; more knives.

I took a brand new Bradford USA Guardian 5 CPM-3V and took about 3/16" of belly out of it really slowly to minimize the 'detempering' and give it a slightly more "stabby" profile, like their Guardian 4. Resharpened it to more of a convex honed, smooth edge than the toothy one it had on it, but I'm finding for working knives I prefer a straight bevel and toothier edge. So far, it doesn't seem to have effected its ability to hold an edge in that particular section....but I also plan to resharpen to get a more toothy edge that I prefer. I need to buy an Edge-On-Up and a microscope for the house....we have a shit ton of calibrated nice ones here at work with the ability to capture images, but for what I'm doing, I think a much more basic one will work.

Thanks for the explanation!
A properly honed razor will not be "Toothy" at all, under magnification. Toothy edges translate to irritation of the skin, and hair tugging. I generally look at the edge under a lighted 60x Jewelers Loupe.
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