Yowza. That sucked.

I watched the vids. Straights and Shavettes.  Figured the later would be okay without the maintenance work.  

Wrong.

Terrible shave.  There was bleeding.  That hasn't happened in years.

Sticking with my modern and vintage DEs.

What's $35 among friends?

Unless I could stick a GEM blade in a shavette, I don't want to try one. I've always heard straights are more forgiving than a shavette.....but then there is the maintenance thing.

As it so happens, I have 4 GEMs. Great shaves...

Tex, Your experience with Straights and Shavettes seems typical to me.

The double edge razor and the single edge are easier.

I watched the vids. Straights and Shavettes.  Figured the later would be okay without the maintenance work.  

Wrong.

Terrible shave.  There was bleeding.  That hasn't happened in years.

Sticking with my modern and vintage DEs.

What's $35 among friends?

I had 7 shaves with shavettes before I switched to straights. I've had 70 or so shaves with straight razors. I cut myself WAY more in 7 shaves with shavettes than I have in 70 with straights. The numbers aren't even close to comparable. Straights are absolutely easier to use. Those little shavettes are picky and they bite HARD when you don't give them exactly what they want.

As for the straights...the maintenance needn't really be that intimidating. You could probably get away with a balsa strop with one side coated in chromium oxide and the other coated in iron oxide, and a leather strop. The balsa strop will do a decent job of bringing back a blade that has started to tug, though it won't sharpen a blade that has been rounded or dulled. Send your straights off to a good honer every 6 months or so, and you'll be fine.

You can get into honing for a much more reasonable cost than I anticipated when I started. With the balsa and leather strops already in my possession, along with the powder abrasives, I only spent $225 for a set of Naniwa stones that give me a very decent, shave-ready edge. I could spend a lot more and probably get a slightly better edge, but for starters, the Naniwa specialty Super Stones 4 stone set from SharpeningSupplies.com is really fantastic.

The Naniwa stone set I bought for $225 is currently on sale for $179, as we speak. If you have an interest...get it. https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/4-Sto...1C162.aspx

Lastly...DONT BELIEVE THE HYPE!!!

ANYBODY can hone a razor. It is NOT rocket science, there are NO special tricks, and you do not need to sacrifice a lamb by the light of a full moon while dancing naked under a circle of pines to get a shave-ready edge on a blade. It is literally the simple task of removing metal by dragging it across stones. Yes, it takes practice to get decent at it, and yes you will absoltuely improve with every successful honing session. But even the most highly respected honer started at the beginning with putting their first blade to the stones, and giving it a try.

I will recommend having a "professionally honed" razor on hand for comparison. It is really tough to know what sharp truly is without feeling it from one that you know is legitimately shave-ready. It will improve your learning curve to have that comparison.

Go to an antique store and buy some beat up razors and practice. It is not some super-secret magic. Its dragging steel across stone to make an edge.

I am very much a beginner and I do not claim to have any secret knowledge, but if I can be of any assistance at all in helping get you into straights, it would be my pleasure and privilege. These things are truly the cat's meow...the bees knees...the big dog...I love my straights!

TexasEdb

I'm going to take this one step further...

If you want to try shaving with a straight, PM me your address. I will send you a shave-ready straight. It will be stropped and ready to shave to my standards. It will not cost you a dime.

If you like using it, it is yours to keep, free of charge.

If you do not like using it, let me know, and you can send it back to me and I will try to pass it on to someone else.

Shoot me a PM if you like this idea.

I should add that this offer is only valid assuming you live in the continental US. I presumed from your name you are in Texas, but I suppose that could be wrong. If you are not in the US, than I will regrettably have to rescind my offer.

One last addendum--

This Poor Man's Strop Kit from Larry at WhippedDog.com is enough to keep a blade in shaving condition fro a decent length of time. I have this kit, and he sends it with instructions...

http://whippeddog.com/products/view/poor-man-strop-kit

I plan on getting me a set of those stones to practice honing with my GD-300. However I think I need to work on my stropping as I think I rolled my edge as it just tugs when using it. I thought about getting a Feather AC to use for clean up and travel but I think I may just stick with my Wolfman.

Very generous. That's a PIF if I ever saw one!

Very generous offer, as well as some great advice, BadDad!