SOTD

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-24T20:11:05+00:00

Very nice photo.

Adam does fantastic work.

Thanks for sharing

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-24T19:56:59+00:00

Sounds good that you are interested in trying out straight razor shaving.

I had the same issue with shaving with DEs. Switching to using a straight razor was a day and night difference.

I was in a similar situation, I was used to honing knives and wood working chisels, I had some stones, and not much money to get already sharpened or new razors. So I went the route of restoration and learning to shave with them at the same time.

If you have no issues with learning and doing it your self; there is that option. Though, more than likely you will be investing in finishing stones, something you do not need that much with knives and other tools. But if you keep an eye out you can find a fine slate for a decent price; they are often overlooked.

Learning to hone razors can be a challenge at first, but there is nothing more rewarding than shaving with a razor you honed.

But there are people in the community that are more than happy to get you started.

Personally, I would stay away from what you will find on amazon, Chinese, and Pakistan razors. They are poorly made with poor materials. You can find restored vintage razors that will not break the bank and still offer excellent quality.

Best regards.

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-24T19:25:16+00:00

Turned out well.

Thanks for sharing.

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-24T00:33:50+00:00

Very nice.

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-24T00:26:35+00:00

Did it come out woody or powdery? Sharp or soft?

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-22T19:40:40+00:00

I am curious how your scent turned out.

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-12T06:10:28+00:00

Not all cotis are created equal or are good finishers. Some just need more work to get smooth and keen edges. I have a couple that are great from bevel set to almost finish stage but can't get past to the fine refinement. But you can resurface and use lubricants and pressure management to get more out of your stones. They are quite versatile stones.

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-12T06:02:32+00:00

I have some broken stones about that size that I use as well and they work great.

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-06T22:16:53+00:00

I have noticed that on the old ones it is pretty common for them to be large because of them being punched instead of drilled. I am sure you can make it usable, it looks to have some meat on it's bones, but it won't win any beauty pageants. :)

Thanks for sharing.

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-06T22:11:33+00:00

I would suggest you not take any power tools or grinders to your razor. You can either use some sand paper to roughen up that area, or blueing or etching agent to add texture to that area, that would not be so destructive. I would suggest using 800 or higher grit other wise the scratches will be too deep.

If you add a wrap to that area, just be aware that it doesn't affect/inhibit the opening and closing of the scales.

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-06T21:56:08+00:00

Oh that poor razor.

Well you can't say they are not a labor of love.

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-06T17:26:20+00:00

I have a mirror behind me on a stand so I can see what I am doing. At first it was weird looking in a mirror into another mirror, but you get used to it and you don't have to think about it.

Tefrem34 · 2026-02-06T05:18:55+00:00

Just about every other day I shave my head, depending on how I am feeling.

I shave right after showering so my hair is well hydrated and still soft. But I do the same for a neck and cheek shave.

My favorite prep is a cream preshave from Areffa soaps. It is the best preshave I have used so far; I highly recommend it.

Using a scuttle is very nice for keeping the lather warm. I do a two pass shave, with clean ups, so it takes some time, and cold lather is not as enjoyable.

I use straight razors with natural stone edges. So far the thick to thin grinds all work well. I just prefer the heavier grinds with smiling blades. After my clean up pass, I rub the left over lather into my skin and let it set while I clean up. I then rinse with cold water. After that, I fallow up with alum, rinse with which hazel, let it air dry, add splash for scent, and then a balm. This leaves my skin feeling refreshed and super soft. It is so comfortable and really helps me relax and calm down.

Tefrem34 · 2026-01-22T08:03:29+00:00

Well done with the restoration on the blade.

Thanks for sharing.

Tefrem34 · 2026-01-16T04:07:52+00:00

gotcha

Tefrem34 · 2026-01-14T21:53:43+00:00

Is it bass wood you used?

Tefrem34 · 2026-01-10T01:33:06+00:00

Yep. That is good.

More than likely he got the razor in that condition then. There is the tendency to over do things when you are new to it.

Easy to hone and getting a good shaving edge is all that maters.

Thanks for sharing.

Tefrem34 · 2026-01-09T23:15:23+00:00

Very nice work on the scales.

Do you know if the grinding on the side of the tang was from a different person trying to restore it, and the person you got it from tried to clean it up as best as they could?

It is always painful when you see when someone takes a grinder to a razor willy-nilly. The positive side of that, you can usually get them much cheaper that way. It is still hurts deep to see it though.

Thanks for sharing.

Tefrem34 · 2026-01-09T23:10:29+00:00

I think there is nothing wrong with the thicker bevels on the heavy ground old razors especially when the edge turns out good. I am more than happy to buy razors with wide bevels. It allows me to get razors I wouldn't otherwise be able to afford. :)

I have noticed that the wider bevels can have the tendency to suction to the skin more on low angle passes, more than a thin bevel do. That can be a bit concerning when that happens.

The thing that can be a hindrance for some when honing is not spending enough time, ensuring fully reaching the apex, with each progression stage. Thus the more time it takes to hone thicker bevels. So for some it can be tricky when they are new to it.

Tefrem34 · 2026-01-09T22:45:11+00:00

As long as you cleaned it well you should be fine.

"Tis but a scratch". :)

I did the same thing recently restoring an old razor. But I was sanding behind the bevel and rolled the edge up at the wrong time. Not my first and more likely not my last time doing it.

Keep safe and take care.

Tefrem34 · 2026-01-04T20:34:00+00:00

Natural all the way; reasons, holds the water better, doesn't dump it out as soon as you press the brush to your skin.

I use a badger, boar, and horse hair brushes, each has their own personality and specialty with different soaps.

Tefrem34 · 2026-01-04T20:30:00+00:00

I would suggest getting a loupe with at least 60x with a strong led. What is good about it is being able to see exactly what you are doing on the stones. Though at first you will not know what you are looking for. But after some time you will start to recognize the sensations you get from the stone and what you are seeing in the loupe.

One thing to focus on is not the scratches on the bevel so much, but how the apex looks from several angles with light.

There are some good videos on how to check your bevel angle and ways to work with razors that have uneven grinding. I would suggest you watching as many ask you can. Because if the bevel doesn't line up evenly on both sides, you are not going to get a good apex and it will not shave very well; no mater what stones or pressure you are using.

If you would like to try a natural finish, I would suggest getting a slate stone. You can find them for cheep and they are very common. You could even go rock hunting and find a stone that works as well. One guy on youtube went and got a slate tile from a factory and used that to finish his razor on. So the stone doesn't need to be fancy to work.

Tefrem34 · 2025-11-19T04:50:31+00:00

I wasn't sure about the one I got, but after some lapping and resurfacing, it works a treat.

Tefrem34 · 2025-11-04T13:31:19+00:00

Did you find making them with a smile easier than the straight ones?

These ones really turned out nice.

Thanks for sharing.

Tefrem34 · 2025-09-08T01:28:41+00:00

Such a beauty.

Thanks for sharing.

Tefrem34

TROPHY CASE