Are you new to the world of classic wet-shaving? Have a warm welcome!
To make you feel at home right away, we have a few tips for the right care and treatment of your straight razor, razor brush, and strop. You have carefully selected your shaving utensils and decided on a high-quality product – but only with the proper care will your tools accompany you for many years to come.
Straight razor care
It is not difficult to learn how to care for a straight razor, but there are a few essential tips you should follow.
Before shaving
Before you start shaving, you begin by stropping your straight razor. To do this, you first rub your hand over the belt to clean it of dust and dirt. Now place your straight razor with back and blade gently on the tightly tensioned belt and pull the straight razor in the direction of the back of the blade without applying much pressure. Don’t forget always to keep the strop tight; otherwise, you could damage the cutting edge. When you have reached the end of the strop, turn the straight razor over its back and start the procedure with the other side. After 10-15 turns, your straight razor is ready for a gentle shave.
If it is the first time you are using a straight razor, we recommend reading our blog article with the instructions for a perfect wet shave!
After shaving
To remove leather residue and cut hair from your straight razor, rinse it with warm water. Now carefully dab the straight razor dry with a soft cloth. Please be careful not to touch the cutting edge. Otherwise, you could damage the microscopic burr at the cutting edge. We recommend that you store the straight razor in a well-ventilated place, as this is the best way to protect the metal from tarnishing or oxidation. Since the burr of the straight razor bends slightly during shaving, leave the straight razor to rest for 48 hours. During this time, the burr can realign itself. Rub the blade with an acid-free oil such as a camellia or paraffin oil if you’re not going to shave in near future.
Sharpening the straight razor
If you have the feeling that stropping doesn’t achieve the desired effect, the cotton or hemp side of a belt can help. Very experienced shavers will rub it with an abrasive and pull the straight razor several times on it to sharpen the blade. Honing should not be done by beginners as a wrong pull can ruin the razor’s edge!
If your straight razor doesn’t feel sharp or the shave slowly becomes a little rough, it can be resharpened again. The best way to do this is to contact us directly, as the cutting edge of a straight razor and the complex blade geometry have to be ground very precisely. That’s the only way to ensure that your shave is as gentle and thorough as ever.
If you ever drop your straight razor, the entire blade may have to be resharpened again. Send us best a photo via the Help Center, so we can assess the damage.
Care of the strop
So that your strop can do its job thoroughly and last for a long time, we have some great tips to help you care for it properly.
Always keep your strop clean and free of foreign objects. Even small dirt particles can deform and damage the cutting edge of your straight razor. You can massage a care product into the leather with the ball of the thumb at regular intervals. This step protects it from drying out and preserves its natural flexibility. Please do not store your strop in damp or harsh environments such as your bathroom or in direct sunlight.
Shaving brush care
Your shaving brush will be exposed to heavy strain every time you shave. For a long service life, you should follow our cleaning steps.
Cleaning after shaving
During shaving, your brush comes into contact with soap and possibly very hard or chlorinated water. Rinse it with lukewarm water after each shave to remove hair and lather. To remove the water from the brush, knock it out several times. Please do not wring it out in a towel or use a hairdryer – both would damage the soft structure of the brush. It does not matter whether you set it on the handle base or hang in a stand to dry.
Intensive Cleaning
Even if you wash your brush thoroughly after each shave, a thin film of soap and lime forms on the brush hair over time. That stiffens the bristles and in the worst case, could cause them to break off the next time you shave. To prevent this, you should also wash your brush at regular intervals with shampoo or detergent. Work with warm water and be careful not to bend the hair when shampooing. With these steps, you protect the hair structure of the bristles, maintain their flexibility, and extend the life of your shaving brush.
Takeaway and Conclusion
Please don’t be overwhelmed with the care procedures of your shaving instruments. After a short time, the steps will become second nature to you, and you will be looking forward to being able to work with your straight razor, shaving brush, and stropping belt. The care becomes a very personal part of your morning ritual, just like your toast, newspaper, or tie. Just think of our tips as a map – you’ll quickly find your way to your destination.
Since you have mastered the care procedure now, we recommend you take a look at our straight razors here!
