My Grandfather was a barber for 50+ years, he's passed now but he stroped his razor like the cartoon. I always loved watching him do that. I've never seen anyone else do it.

#11 one if the most important things I tell people that I have suggested straight razor shaving to. Don't throw out your old razor the instant you get a straight. Straight razor shaving is a learning process and until you get good at it, you will definately want something to get the areas you don't feel comfortable with yet.

When I was a kid, I went to my Grandpa's barber who was one of the old-timers that had been in the business since the 1950s. He never stropped his straight razors fast. He always went with a slow to moderate speed, which stood out to me because I remembered the cartoons always doing it quickly. Now I know why.

It never would have occurred to me to plink the edge of a razor, until I watched the video where Matt was plinking the edge to demonstrate the difference between soft and hardened steel.

I have my grandfathers razor, Zwilingswerk, he used it for 70 years, still i perfect condition and still shaves every day

I learned all this on the fly after finding my great grandfather's razors. They were rough, but ground, honed, and sharpened them. Then learning to use it, I didn't like the square edge, so I re-shaped the blade, then did all the honing and sharpening again. Then I had a nice soothing shave, only one pass for a clean shave vs the crap from safety razors. The cleaning of the blade, you do those tips automatically because you don't want to furl the edge you just spent 4 hours refining. Also, use metal penetrating oil to protect it from moisture if you don't shave often. Kroil is good. I use it on my guns as well

I just got into the hobby, currently using a shavette due to the inexpensive option. I love everything about straight razor shaving, and will be on the hunt for my first actual straight razor soon. First shave was an absolute hack job. Had about 7 different small cuts, looking a bit like Robin Williams in Jumanji. But with continued practice i have gotten much better. Shaving used to just be something I had to do, but now i get excited each andv every time.

"Its a process, not an event." Well said Sir.

Hi guys, I recently bought a straight razor, I am saving your vid's and watching them repeatedly just to get a better knowledge of how to maintain and use my blade efficiently. Thanks for caring! P.S. it remains unused a month after purchasing.

I live in California near the ocean my straight razors live in a dry box, and before they go back into the dry box they spend the day in a pelican case with silica gel drying beads. On the coast if you air dry it better be stainless steel.

Errors Ive made myself as a newbie that i found were ruining my edges: 1) Not laying the blade perfectly flat on the stone or strop while using. This will result in an edge that may shave but it will not feel like butter. No buttery feel.. something is wrong somewhere. 2) Make sure your pressure is even throughout while honing and stropping. Dont raise the heel or toe. 3) too much pressure on the blade while honing increases the chance of you gouging the blade in one or more areas which could lead to a double bevel. 4) dont hold your strop with a death grip. It should be comfortable while holding it, if its not, theres your sign. 5) dont apply so much pressure with your blade hand that you roll your edge while stropping. 6) test shave with your razor after you finish on the 8k stone and after the razor has been stropped. Once again, if the shave is not buttery smooth and effortless on the first stroke than put the razor down and find out where you went wrong. Was it your stropping? Maybe your pressure or not laying the blade flat at all times? Or was it the bevel not being set correctly? Eliminate one variable at a time and test after each time you do something different than what you did prior. Do this and eventually you will weed out all of your problems and BAM!!!! You got it!!!!

Good stuff. I got into straight razors about a year ago. I have a small business, side business if you like, sharpening knives. Most of my clientele have high end knives and I use no power equipment or jigs. All on stones so I have a background in sharpening and stropping. Darn straight razor took me a good 6 months to feel decent about and I went through probably 10 Gold Dollar $20-$30 razors just practicing. I'm nowhere near sharpening anybody else's razor ha but I'm happy to be able to get my own Dovo sharp! Razors are so darn fickle it's wild. You'd think it's easier than putting a 12 degree edge on an SG2 Gyuto but it's definitely not for me!

Absolutely the best video about straight razors, use and maintenance! Thank you for saving me from some idiot mistakes I might have made

I am so grateful that you have put out this video! I regrettably destroyed my razors fine edge 😢 years ago, but I kept it in case someone could fix it for me.

As always great video (class!) Matt! Been a wet shaver since 2014. Last year started in with a straight first time then dropped off. A couple of months ago got back into it with sharpenning and honing and reading stuff til 2am at times (with my wife having something to say about it). Today I received my first brand new Dovo Best straight from RE and I cant wait to use it! Im still practicing a lot using a vintage Bismark. Once better and smoother I will dive in with my Dovo. Lots of helpful info here, thanks! Already have an RE shirt but may buy a couple more soon. Just received 2 polish cloths too. Excellent. I was washing the blade in the faucet water then using a dry wash cloth to wipe the blade clean while shaving but now will forgo the faucett. When done I run a piece of tp thru the scales then blow thru them with a can of air. And now I know to leave the razor open for awhile after shaving. So I take it I should just wipe off the oil with a dry cloth when ready to use. I strop after shaving but didnt know to use the linen side, good advice. This razor is my first new straight so its going to be special forever. Its also my retirement gift to me so is an additional special reason. FINALLY retired! I can easily see me using my Dovo every other day, only using a DE when in a hurry. Thanks for the great service and great videos! My mantra now, Shave Straight!

"you're not that guy pal, trust me you're not that guy" lol

perhaps one of the most comprehensive yet simple education in blade maintenance!! -- thank you

Totally avoiding the sink for me! 2 days ago, I rinsed the blade, and I've been lucky to have slightly hit the spine only. Now I am only using a towel to clean the blade.

Awesome video! I just got my razor sharp enough and was able to get my first shave this morning with my vintage razor. I bought it at an antique store and tried a few times to shave, but it was not sharp enough. This video gave me lots of confidence and information for caring for my new strop, gifted from my son, and how to maintain it and the razor. Thanks a million!

I've been searching infos about straight razors for about month a now. I'm using a shavette for the moment but the more I look into straight razors, the more I'm glad I ordered a Kai Captain instead of a straight, the process is interesting and fun but it's just crazy the amount of care and work to get a good shave...I might still get into it someday though! :D

One thing I learned from watching all the ASMR videos and actually now in my infancy of learning straight razor shaving is the proper handling of the razor. When barbers are shaving someone else it is much easier in maneuvering than when you are attempting to shave your own face. You will have a great dominant hand and a weaker hand that takes time to muscle train the proper stroking that your dominant hand tends to not need as much of

I also run a piece of paper tissue between the scales. Soap sometimes gets in there, especially around the pins and rivtes.

Awesome video. I started with disposable strait razor blads and I'm looking to upgrade and my first mistake was buying one from a knife dealer. No good. Blade won't even cut hair, needs worked.

As a beginner I would just start with a shavett with some disposable razors from Amazon. The derby disposables are amazing. This way u don’t have to wreck a nice $250 -$2000 straight edge. Plus good way to practice the technique before spending the money on a straight edge

Just getting started. I haven’t even shaven either my straight razor yet. I’m watching and saving various videos on various aspects of shaving with a straight razor. Thanks for the insight!!! I’ll be back!!😂

I confess I did the plink. During your last video you were talking about how to tell if it's a fake razor by the plink and I had just bought one from Amazon. Alas, I had been bamboozled. It did not sing and the handle was floppy.

bonus points for tip #10. thank you from a beginner (but i do have all the stones) for an encouraging and informative video.

I just stopped by your store today and got set up with my first safety razor. Thank you guys so much! Will definitely be back

All great tips but it’s the sound effects that really sell it 😄 my best advice is just to go slow and enjoy the process. Let it be a relaxing part of your day.

Excellent Tips. Need to try getting back into straight razor shving. Kind of gave up on it as I usually cut myself even though I took it nice and slow. This will be my new year's resolution.

Very nice presentation. I shared it on Facebook. A lot of blades are being destroyed all over the world and that can be so easily avoided by following this precious tips!

Good tips. Especially using a towel to wipe soap off during the shave. I'll start doing it that way instead. I've been lucky so far.

If you have compound really caked on your strop, 3 in 1 oil works well for removing it, not sure what this does to leather, but it works.

I have my grandfather's old razor that I still use I will pass it down to my kids when they get old enough

I don’t even know this dude but seem so nice 👍🏻 just from the way he talks and acts

my theirs came with a leather sleeve for travel which is great. Who wants tohide their razor? have this beautiful silver art deco display for my hoxton brush and razor thats on the counter with my wood container for soap and several bottles of balm, preshave etc

Well my friends. I confess I got duped by one of those fake razors that claims to be carbon steel but was never hardened. Yes I'll admit it. I did order some stuff from y'all the other day but thank you for your channel and Matt's help. I am learning how to hone and strop and going to give this a legitimate shot!

Started straight razor shaving recently. Really enjoying it.

Thank you for the video. It’s very informative for people like me that are trying to get into shaving with a straight.

"Have fun!" The best advice! Thanks

spot on i would say . if your going to get into it you really need to think about it . it will take up a bit more time and effort not a huge amount because you should really be looking after your nice experience de stuff same sort of rules apply for me personally.

Great tips Matt. I bought a lovely vintage Gillette Slim Adjustable from you guys about a year ago and am always wondering whether I am maintaining it correctly. After every shave, I carefully and gently dry it using a small piece of microfibre cloth, so would be great if you could do a similar vid with tips on how to look after your DE razor. Thanks

It’s great Matt included a video of his customer messing up his straight razor😂

Great video! I just received your Razor Emporium Gold Dollar razor in the mail today, and am anxious to try it, and was reviewing your videos before I get started. There is a lot to learn!

This is one of the best all-time funny shaving videos I have seen. Super nice one 🙂🙂

Thanks Matt, for the entertaining video. I'm still learning the straight but starting to build muscle memory and not afraid to put the blade to my face but still ever mindful while I'm shaving.

Definitely saving this for later when I switch from detachable blade to straight blade. Always wanted to use the kind our ancestors also used.

Haha what a really great presentation, probably just made loads of new converts who only came here by accident, you may have missed your calling, if you ever give this business up consider being a presenter great attitude, back to razors, wish I had seen this first, really good advice, Thanks 👍

Matt👍👍 As always great tips and video explanation. Account maintenance and continued cost to have honed or restored by a professional, I gave up straights years ago. I just ain't no good at it. It's time consuming, delicate and expensive work to sharpen, hone or restore a straight. Most folks won't learn the process because there's a steep learning curve and the tools to do so are expensive. The mystique of having and using a straight is alluring, after all, it looks cool. Just saying.

Nice tips.

My apologies for "necroing" a 3 year old vid, but I noticed a few incorrect details, steel does NOT have "natural oils" in it, no kind of steel does, using isopropyl alcohol is fine for cleaning blades as it DISPLACES water and evaporates much more quickly(99% isopropyl) also I doubt your razor would start to rust WHILE you're using it, so using water to clean it while using it shouldn't be a issue

Great video! I’m new to straight razors, I have the Boss 5/8ths blade and I’ve only used it twice, it’s definitely a learning curve. I supplement it with a safety razor for the parts I’m not skilled enough to get. But I’ll keep at it and get better!

One thing I always take care of is to close it slowly and centered, I don’t want to touch the scales with the edge. It sounds unlikely but it happens because the blade is mounted on a pivot and the materials of the scales can deform.

I just brought a cheapish straight razor for my first one and im looking forward to Learning how to use and look after it thanks for your video it was worth the watch

Light use of a hair dryer helps combat any remaining moisture between the pivot pin and scales.

Great video! Every time I think I want to dive in I’m reminded about the care involved so I continue to practice with my Feather SS Folding Razor 🙂

Excellent. Very informative video

Hi Matt- Great straight razor tips; thank you! I hope you have a great weekend. Take good care and be safe and be well. All the best, Matt.

Just ordered a kit from RE this afternoon and can't wait for my order to arrive. Got the Ralf Aust 5/8, 3" strop, angel hair brush and RE shave soap. Staff service was awesome and they returned my call quickly and were a joy to deal with

Dang it, I just got my razor today and broke rule number 1 lol.

Thanks

ALWAYS be dressed from the waist down ......!!!!!!! Because if you accidently drop the razor it could cut something on the way down !!!!

Definitely some tips I had not considered. Thank you.

I quit showing people my razors because everyone keeps plinking. I never run my blades under water, never.

this video makes me glad i got the shavette. lol. i love my DE blades, wanted to try straight razor but the honing and maintenance is a bit much lol. opted for a gravity shavette

Thanks for some great tips for this newbie. I now will NOT do several things I likely would have done when my razor gets here.

I’ve been honing and straight razor shaving for just over a year now and I got really good at going through the progression. I use only Naniwa superstones and my progression is 1k 3K 8k 12k. Then I finish after on my green DIALUX Crome ox crayon 🖍. I also got my refreshing technique down pretty well. I’ll either just use the inside of my strop (CromeOx). Or I’ll do a mix of both stones and CromeOx. Last time I did 20 laps each on the 8k and 12k then only 8 laps on the CromeOx. That being said I still want to try my edge without the CromeOx to see how that feels, and also I have yet to shave off my 8k. So there’s still some experiments I have to do. I also have done a lot of research about natural stones, but that can be a headache especially when you get to the J-NATS, but I’d like to try a Cotty, small Koppa, or a black Arkansas stone in the future. Stuffs fun! Really brought it back to life! ITS ALIVE!!! 🧟‍♂️ 👨🏼‍⚕️ 💈😁🤙🏻💈 ~Mike 🌹

I usually use carriage razor for travel and leave my double edge at home

The cartoon was an awesome touch

#3 1:50 With someone with that level of concept of a straight what did their face look like #5 3:40 Or use a round sponge and wipe around the clock as you go # 11 If you're learning to hone do it on a cheap razor before going near one with a properly set bevel.

thanks dude

Excelente! Você fala com conhecimento e propriedade. Eu uso navalha há mais de 30 anos. Tenho dois exemplares da marca Philarmónica, uma #12 e uma #13. Elas estão em minha família há três gerações e são muito eficientes. A propósito: eu já consigo afiar minhas navalhas como os barbeiros dos desenhos animados. LOL

Ohh.. I got into shaving with a straight razor... y’all got me into DE shaving.. my straight razor might be coming back out!! Definitely need to send it in though.

Hey Matt do a video tutorial on how to clean the Rex properly please or maybe how to disassembly and reassembly the Rex for clean up porpuses. That would be great!

These are great tips! Im new to SR shaving so these are all super helpful!

Good video.

Fantastic video, Matt. Funny and informative, well done!

As A newcomer straight razor shaver I’m surprised I haven’t destroyed my blade yet and I’ve had it for a month

I just destroyed my first razor striping just after the first leg hair cut. Does not work now! XD I'm trying to sharp, but without good result's. Damn!! 😁

The knife world now uses steels like Magnacut, which are fully stainless and have the same or better edge retention as carbon steel. Will we ever see these super steels in straight razors?

Great tips Matt! Some things to add to my routine, relatively new to straights.

Can u show the process in honing? Show steps on sharpening to honing or revise versa.

I hope you have a good shave, congratulations my master

2:28 That was great. 😂

I really like your videos - so many good vibes!

Actually #1 is if you shave in the shower make durn sure the tool is 100% dry before you close it up and put it away. See #5.

New music? Another very informative video, Matt. But this reminds me of the old “Happy Fun Ball” sketch on SNL.

I now understand why safty razors and cartridges become popular and left the cut throat in the dust all those years ago.

Thanks for the video. Good information from start to finish.

Thank you sir!!! You are a beacon of sanity...just by mentioning how foolish it is to seek the closest shave. It does not give you benefits to go against the grain. You gonna have to shave tomorrow anyways, when your skin has adjusted and your beard grows stronger than ever. If its not visible-its feasible.

I feel like it should be mentioned that the blade should be cleaned before you add another layer of mineral oil, as it will now trap whatever was on there under the oil, just wipe it and then oil it again Also a mineral oil would likely just last 2-3 months before it kinda dries out, at least in my experience

Great video.

great channel! very informative.

Excellent advice.

Good vid, though a bit off putting, and I don't mean that as a bad thing. I just got i to shaving with a de safety razor, and really like it. So I also have an interest in straight razors. But if that means I have to send it away 2 or 3 times a year to maintain an edge then that's a dealbreaker (I live in the rural outback in a small country, don't even know if this service even exists here). Now I do sharpen my own knives on an acceptable "amateur" level, so I know how to use a waterstone, but I assume getting a good edge on a straight razor is a different ballgame than keeping my pocket knife sharp....

I feel like half of all the people that left reviews on your website would have benefited from watching this

Excellent video!!

And the cartoon plinked it too 😂😂😂😂

How about start with a shavette or Feather style interchangeable blade razor to learn technique before fully committing to a straight razor?

5:18 I think I’ll use lard instead.That’s what they used to do for swords and knives. Plus to me lard is more accessible than mineral oil