Care + Best Practices
Stropping
Strop your razor before each shave, 50 strokes at least. You razor must “rest” after each use. After the razor has been carefully rinsed dried and oiled, it should not be used again for at least 36 hours because the fine “fin” on the cutting edge straightens up extremely slowly. If the razor is stropped too soon the “fin” which is necessary for a close shave breaks off or deforms. It is best to own at least 3 straight razors for the best possible shave.
Storing Your SR
Storing your straight razor properly is also part of proper maintenance. After each shave thoroughly clean and then dry your SR removing any remaining lather and water. Add a bit of oil to the metal and hinge. Depending on the type of scales you have be careful to the type of oil you use. Shaving oil works great.
Honing Your SR
Eventually all straight razors need re honing or sharpening. Using a whet stone isn’t always necessary as sometimes a good stropping will bring the sharpness back. Remember stropping does not remove material but sharpening does. Thus shortening the life of the razor. If you decide to try this yourself check out a few different videos for yourself and try to determine what works best for you. One thing most videos don’t talk about though is the spine. Be sure the spine is always on the block or strop as this will maintain a consistent edge. This is what the ½ and ¼ hollow grounds are designed for. Also to help protect the razor from scratches etc. put a piece of masking or electrical tape along the spine as well as anywhere else you don’t want to get scratched and dinged up.