Thread: New Zealand Honemeister?

Help!! I just bought a brand new straight razor online, from knifecenter.com... Sadly, I did this before I'd read the forums here, and I didn't realise that when it says shave-ready, it doesn't really mean shave ready...
Anyway, the Dovo 5/8 turned up, and I gave it a go today.
Terrible experience! It's just not sharp enough, is grabbing, scraping, pulling, sliding over hairs without cutting... Not fun at all.

I should explain, I'm 32yo, and ever since I started shaving I've used electric shavers. I've never used a blade on my face, so I expect it will take some getting used to.

I want to get into straight razor shaving, but I think I need the right tools...
I need to find someone who can sharpen the razor properly, and perhaps give me a clue about stropping.

Anyone know of any honemeister in New Zealand, preferably Auckland?

Would appreciate any help.
In future I'll buy from classicshaving.com or straightrazordesigns.com and have the razor sent via their sharpening service. Lesson learnt the hard way.

Hi Sam

Welcome to SRP from the capital city. Nice to have another Kiwi here. Hope you stick at it. It gets kind of addictive (as you may have already gathered). After being bearded for about 20 years I am still surprised how much I now look forward to shaving.

Here are two options for you...

1. House of Knives has a guy who sharpens straights. Got my Grandad's Bengall done by him. The Wellington store sent it to Auckland to be done. Cost about $12.
2. Scott Boness is in Auckland and a SRP member. He advertises on Trade Me too - honing and shave ready razors from time to time. About $15 for honing.

I have a razor done by each and to my inexperienced face they both seem to do a comparable job. I get as comfortable a shave with either razor.

If your face is not used to a blade then it will take a little while to settle in. As you've no doubt read, a good lather makes the world of difference.

Good luck as you embark on your journey.
There's lots of great advice here at SRP.

That's awesome, thanks for the advice, I'll follow up on those leads tomorrow...

Originally Posted by nzFuzzy

As you've no doubt read, a good lather makes the world of difference.

Well, I had a good long, hot shower first, and I've got some Omega shave cream, which I did my best to get to a lather, with a new Badger brush.
None of that seemed to make it any easier, so I'm putting it down to:

1. Poor technique - wrong angles and grip etc
2. Blunt razor
3. Skin not used to a blade

I'll keep trying, get the razor professionally sharpened, and get a hanging strop (I tried to go cheap and got a small paddle strop/hone 2 sided combo)

My recent interest in straight razor shaving has shown that there is a real hole in the New Zealand market, Auckland in particular in my case, for this type of thing.
Someone (oh if only I had the capital) needs to start up a tiny little brick and mortar boutique store (Blade and Badger? Straight Steel? SRNZ (Straight Razors of New Zealand)?) that specializes in old school shaving apparatus.
Quality straight razors, strops, water-stones, pastes, badger brushes, soaps, aftershaves, pre-shave oils, all the paraphernalia, plus a quality honing service... That would be heaven!

Someone please open that here in Auckland?

Actually, I'd probably spend all my money (what very little there is) there, so on second thoughts, DON'T open that here...

Originally Posted by samgab

Someone (oh if only I had the capital) needs to start up a tiny little brick and mortar boutique store (Blade and Badger? Straight Steel? SRNZ (Straight Razors of New Zealand)?) that specializes in old school shaving.
Quality straight razors, strops, water-stones, pastes, badger brushes, soaps, aftershaves, pre-shave oils, all the paraphernalia, plus a quality honing service... That would be heaven!

I've discussed this scenario with a barber and it's a lovely dream but sadly not a reality.

A barber shave today is a luxury; after all we can all shave at home. Prior to Gillette manufacturing the DE razor people visited the barber for a shave regularly. It was as basic as buying tobacco and barbers were shaving as a routine and it was a fairly quick process. Now a barber shave is a luxury item because that is what the customer expects (it's worth noting that Gillette's early marketing pushed the new ability to shave yourself at home). This means the barber has to take longer over the shave - hot towels, face massage, slow painstaking shave, hot towels etc. In the time that takes he could do X number of haircuts at $Y each. Therefore for the shave to be cost effective he has to charge at least X x Y, at which point the customer says "next time wear a mask and carry a gun you thieving £$@". I think MensWorks in Lorne Street promote their shaving as part of a wedding day package for the Groom and Best Man, that's where the market probably is.

Regarding all the paraphernalia associated with our hobby. Again a lovely dream but I don't think there is a big enough market. Thank God for the internet!

Originally Posted by RF1963

I've discussed this scenario with a barber and it's a lovely dream but sadly not a reality.

A barber shave today is a luxury; after all we can all shave at home. Prior to Gillette manufacturing the DE razor people visited the barber for a shave regularly. It was as basic as buying tobacco and barbers were shaving as a routine and it was a fairly quick process. Now a barber shave is a luxury item because that is what the customer expects (it's worth noting that Gillette's early marketing pushed the new ability to shave yourself at home). This means the barber has to take longer over the shave - hot towels, face massage, slow painstaking shave, hot towels etc. In the time that takes he could do X number of haircuts at $Y each. Therefore for the shave to be cost effective he has to charge at least X x Y, at which point the customer says "next time wear a mask and carry a gun you thieving £$@". I think MensWorks in Lorne Street promote their shaving as part of a wedding day package for the Groom and Best Man, that's where the market probably is.

Regarding all the paraphernalia associated with our hobby. Again a lovely dream but I don't think there is a big enough market. Thank God for the internet!

Yeah, the market size is the issue. But I didn't mean a place to get shaved, rather a place to get the stuff for shaving. It would be a real niche, and in a place like America there is enough population to sustain a business like that, but I agree, New Zealand probably doesn't. Too specialised, and it's a business niche that by it's very nature excludes all females, all young persons... That's about 75% of the population gone before even starting...
Well, I guess I have to agree again, fortunately there's the internet and places like classicshaving.com and straightrazordesigns.com and theinvisibleedge.co.uk

you could also check out Mens Biz in Australia
Found this guy here at SRP. Haven't ordered anything yet but he offers SRP Discounts for NZ & Oz. I'm sure I'll decide on something soon.

I took my Maxam straight into King of Knives for sharpening this week - it was returned untouched as the sharpening guy had said it was too difficult, but I couldn't get any further details on why

I may well try contacting Scott Boness and see if he can help.

The Maxam was a gift (and my first straight). Reading the reviews, it's probably not the best razor in the world. I'm half tempted to have a go at honing myself and if I stuff it up source a better replacement razor.

Taking my Cadmen Bengal to Shannon at House of Knives in Mt Eden on Monday. Will let you know out come of service.