All About Pocket Knives

I'm sitting here with a couple dozen Robeson made razors. Most are very excellent, near-mint to mint.

I've seen on straight razor sites that Robeson razors are highly prized.

You guys have got me wondering about taking a stab (poor chose of words, I know) at shaving with one of these things.

I have a razor hone and an unused Robeson strop.

I'm not sure I'd want to compromise either of those by using them. Not sure I'd want to use one of my collection razors either.

I guess I'd buy something off Ebay that was less than perfect, but serviceable.

Do I need a hone and strop, too?

And, how much will those two items set me back?

How should the blade be sharpened, or should I just send it to Willie?

Are there web site instructions on how to go about doing this?

Charlie Noyes

Charlie There are Youtube tutorials ad nauseum on what you need and how to do it. I've had no luck so far. LOL

That's not very encouraging.
Charlie

RobesonsRme.com wrote:I guess I'd buy something off Ebay that was less than perfect, but serviceable.

Charlie, don`t buy one, I am sure I can find something for you in my pile of stuff that will be good for what you are looking for

RobesonsRme.com wrote:How should the blade be sharpened, or should I just send it to Willie?

That`s what I would do

If you just want to try shaving with a straight, I'll send you a good shaving razor to mess with ( won't be a Robeson because I don't own any yet, LOL) and see if you like it and want to get serious about it. If not nothing lost and you've had a bit of fun.

Easiest way to get one of yours "shave ready" is to pick out one of your less than stellar razors, send it to me, and let me hone it for you. That little hone you've got is more than likely a hone made for keeping one sharp rather than making one sharp.

I've got a 4 synthetic water stone progression that I use starting at 1K, then 5K, then 8K, and finish at 12K. At 12K the edge looks very much like a mirror. Then I strop it and shave with it.


If you're going to shave with a straight, all you really need is a sharp razor to start with and decent strop. You can get a piece of vegetable tanned 3" belting from Tandy Leather for about 20 bucks that will work just as good as $200 strop.

Think about it and give me a shout.
W

Willie, that sounds like a good plan.

Would I eventually need one of those heavy canvas strops as well?

Charlie

Only if you wanted to Charlie. A lot of guys use e'm with a paste that will refresh the edge without taking it to a stone. However, you can dull one just as quick like that if you're not up to snuff on using one that way.

I don't have one, never have. My strop is older than dirt and looks like it has had a herd of cats thrown at it. It's a horsehide strop and it works just fine for me.

Illinois Strop Company makes some very nice, traditional, a reasonably priced strops if you decide you want to go that way. For the time being, I'd suggest a piece of leather from Tandy.

I've got several round points that need a bit of TLC on the edges. I'll get one tuned up to my satisfaction this week and get it headed your way. UNLESS you'd rather have a square point. Got a few of those too. Problem with them is that they'll bite a bit quicker than a round point. The square toe on those things can dig a ditch in your face if you aren't paying attention. Once you get the basics down, then they are nice to shave with.

W

Willie, I make skin incisions at work. I have no desire to make any here at home.

Charlie

LOL, ROUND point it is.

I'll send a couple of different blade styles for you to fool with. Most of my round points are full hollows, I do have a cute little 4/8 from Scotland that is about a half hollow. It's a sweet shaver.

Some folks find a half hollow or quarter hollow a bit easier to learn with. They're a tad bit more forgiving.

Hang in there for a few more days and I'll get ya rigged up.

You can buy puck soap at Wal-Mart. Some of the stores carry a starter kit that has a cup, a brush, and puck of soap for around 8 bucks. The brand name is Van Der Hagen. Not a lot perfume in it and I like it. Their brush will shed for a bit but it will quit after 4 or 5 shaves. OR, you can find a brush and use an old coffee cup. Walgrens and Target carry it too. CVS carries WILLIAMS soap. I prefer the VDH.

I have had a badger shaving brush for years. I use it daily with a gel shaving cream. Makes a great lather.

But, when I want a really close shave I prep with oil of witch-hazel or lemon oil and lather with a fine English shaving cream from Trufitt & Hill.

The only thing I'm missing is the straight razor.

Charlie

Heck, you're half way there already!

Just got done shaving. Tonight was one of 'those' nights. Went through 5 razors before I got one I was happy with......

Oh well. Just wee tiny bit of pink lather every now and then ain't too bad.

Didn't need the styptic pen so I guess it wasn't all that bad.

You're scaring me, Willie.
CN

pbbbbbbbbbt. I have yet to need stitches. :p

Charlie.. always DECLINE
the optional "Lilac Water" like Clint did.
LOLOLOL

http://www.anyclip.com/movies/high-plai ... rber-shop/

That "barber/actor" didn't know jack schitt about stropping a razor either.

Well I been usin' straights for about a week now and I haven't cut myself yet! (Well not so's you'd notice much!) Easy does it!

Well Charlie?

I touched up the edges on three razors tonight and honed two. Gonna whack a few whiskers and decide which ones I'm gonna send your way.

Ain't stropped any of 'em yet but all of em will pop hair above the skin line.

Gimme a few more days to get this lined out and you'll have two REALLY sharp ones to play with.

I will tell ya this, shaving with a REALLY sharp razor is easier and safer than trying it with one that ain't quite right.

Edit: tonight's contest was between a 6/8 full hollow ground JOHN CLARK, SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND vs a 6/8 full hollow ground by TAYLOR'S "EYE WITNESS" SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND.

BOTH razors passed the so called HHT, ( hanging hair test ). However, the TAYLOR'S was by far the smoothest shaver.

End of round one.

Tomorrow's match up will be a 5/8 "PRESIDENT" Solingen, Germany full hollow vs a 4/8 J DOBIE, Glasgow half hollow

Here's my first "shave ready" project; a Bowdin's Wedge circa 1950? or therabouts. Here's what it looked like when I first bought it: After I first buffed off some of the discoloration using a Dremel tool with a felt wheel charged with compound, I polished it with some Mothers Mag & Alum. polish, then took it to the hones. There were a couple small pits that wouldn't buff out, but they don't affect the function at all. They could be hand sanded out with Wet or Dry paper, but it is a lot of effort. Shaved with it and it was fair, but it still needed some more work on the edge. That done, I'll test it out again tomorrow. I don't think it had ever seen a hone before.

Looks great!

Tried out the Bowdin wedge tonite, and it shaved very well. It may still need a hundred licks on the strop, but quite acceptable. One more for the rotation! That makes two! Now where'd I put that old Puma....

Kind of neat when you take an old beat up razor and make it run again.

I have had a Dovo with replaceable blades for 25+ years. I use it every month or two to trim around my beard.
I have several old razors, one that belonged to my grandfather and one that belonged to his father. I also have my grandfather's hone.

Reading all this stuff about shaving with straight razors is kind of getting me interested in using a straight edge again. I expect I will need to hone a razor before using it. I have a nice hunk of horsehide for a strop, but not sure what to treat it with. Anybody know what I should used to treat the strop?

Also, if you have any pointers on honing razors I would love to hear them all so.
I have a good mug and brush; a boar and badger mix because I like it a little stiffer than the badger alone, I think it lifts the whiskers better.

Any advice you can give me on getting started with honing and stropping?

Dale,

There are tons of youtube vids on honing.

OR, send it to me and I'll hone it for you. Take a good pic of grand dad's hone and post it so I can see what you've got to work with.

Biggest problem I've found honing is when you are trying to hone an old razor that has been honed on a skinny stone and then you try to hone it on what is now a normal width stone. The spine gets worn funny and then you have to try work around that and still get a good bevel set. It can get maddening at times. LOL I've got several that I've started and gotten PO'd at. They're waiting patiently for me to make razors out of them again.

A little bit of olive oil will probably do the trick on the horse hide.

Thanks Willie, I will get some pics as soon as the USB cord for my camera gets here.
It should be here in the next day or two.

I have a several old razors, I have even uses a couple to shave with, but the edges are lacking.
I will have to find them them and take some pics.

Thanks for the olive oil tip. I will give it a try.

orvet wrote:Thanks Willie, I will get some pics as soon as the USB cord for my camera gets here.
It should be here in the next day or two.

I have a several old razors, I have even uses a couple to shave with, but the edges are lacking.
I will have to find them them and take some pics.

Thanks for the olive oil tip. I will give it a try.

Box 'em up and I'll see if I can convert them from razor shaped objects to razors.