Razors

[W.Lynn]

I have been seeing some words in this thread that are being used as if they are interchangeable, can we get one of the metals & knives people to weigh in?

As a day-to-day user of sharp things, I tend to think of sharpening as being one thing - the creating or recreating of an edge, and stropping or honing on a rod, as being forms of maintenance of the edge (we use a rod for quick results when the knife has been in use, or about to be used, and it isn't time to sit down with the stones and get in my zen place.)

Pertaining to razors, how do we apply these for long blade life & happy shaving? (I may get a straight razor eventually, but I promise to practice on peaches and kiwi fruit before I get anywhere near the RP's face with it.)

Meanwhile, I read posts here, and wonder if I should give up on disposables, keep a stack of them, or what?

Speaking as a woman who likes beards, or smooth shaves, you guys really do need to spend as much time taking care of your faces as your wives do.

Softened whiskers shave easier, with fewer cuts, bumps, and ingrown whiskers to get infected.
-OR-
Softened whiskers make a softer beard, that I enjoy touching, and causes less irritation to his face.

But if your lady likes (or even just tolerates,) a beard, she might help take care of it.

[Celt]

Straight razors are very thin at the blade and become very fragile, the blade can bend although you won't actually see it. You can feel it when stropping. Honing a blade is done when it no longer takes an edge. It will straighten the edge out and put the edge back onto it. I tend to only have to hone my razors maybe twice a year and generally shave daily with them. Stropping maintains that edge and keeps it sharp. The backside of the strops are generally rough or a ribbed type nylon material that is used to flatten out any small burs in the edge that you can't see with your eye. Flipping it onto the oiled leather is what polishes the edge to a precision cutting tool.

[airdrop]

you can invest in Japanese water stones which can be very fine grit 2000 to 10,000 or finer . I find real leather belts and rub in polishing compound or just use the leather . I think a real strop can be gotten from a Barber or https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...trop+for+razor

[redman2006]

an off side billet or a good leather latigo works wonders for a strop. I like to use the compound on the leather.

the water stones are the cat's meow for plane blades or other really precise work

[gpwelding1]

Razors. Yup, I'm really going there. As always , I have no vested interest in anything that I review. Whether you buy 0, 1 or 5 million, it makes no difference to me . Yes, I know that this isn't something that most will consider "prep" related ,

Kickstand, this is DEFINITELY a "prep" item. If it hits the fan and for any reason you must don a gas mask , as anyone who has been in the military can tell you, for proper seal of the mask you must be clean shaved.

[W.Lynn]

I took chem warfare class at Hill AFB, fun times. They wouldn't let teenagers take the final in the fume-room though (summer camp with, of all things, my search & rescue people. Also the first time I ever fired anything full-auto.)

Long hair, the guys thought I would miss the time needed to seal the mask. No issues! A lot people with mid-length hair didn't manage it though. Yes, definitely a good time for a smooth shave and very short, or very contained, hair.

[reddawnspokane]

I used the Mach 3 almost exclusively when I was in the military. In boot camp we used to be able to get 4 packs of the razors for $1.50. Heck, some razors are up to 5 blades now

[gpwelding1]

I still use the old yellow and white bic disposable razors. Gonna have to give these a try.thanks for posting the review kickstand.

[Infidel]

i just use those blue 2 blades from the grocery store. 43 years old never had an issue with them.

[W.Lynn]

I've got the RP using a safety razor now, with soap & brush to prepare the face properly. No more huge red patches of ravor burn! He doesn't like it as much because he has to make multiple passes, and still isn't getting as close with it. But much like the style of eye-wear he uses when he has to have his contact lenses out, he does understand that I have to look at him more than he does.

I still think it will be worth finding a straight razor for me to learn with, and eventually a very good straight razor.

[Infidel]

just grow a beard, no worry about ravor burn either

[W.Lynn]

He does occasionally, but it won't fill in as much as he wants it to on the sides (and he's still learning about conditioner, so he gets itchy too.)

[Infidel]

i actually just saved my beard a couple months ago cause I got some rash on my face last time i spent the weekend in Ocala NF. So i shaved to get it checked. Was going pretty good too had the duck dynasty going on LOL.