The Best Straight Razor Honing Service On the Internet

What makes an excellent honing service? Our honemeisters offer timely turn arounds and decades of expertise!

Special Skills & Experience

A good razor honing service begins with the basics: can the honemeister (the person honing your razor) produce a shave-ready edge while protecting the razor’s lifespan? Using the appropriate tools--traditional water stones up to 8000-grit or higher--and removing the minimum amount of material to produce an edge that maximizes the razor’s performance is best. Basic competency in straight razor sharpening is necessary, yes, but working on others’ razors adds a layer of unknown variability and complexity. An experienced honemeister will know how to evaluate the blade’s shape, geometry, grind, temper, shoulder, and existing wear; and adjust their technique accordingly.

“Thanks for doing such a good job sharpening the blades. Honestly I have finally enjoyed a straight razor shave due to these.” -Brennan

Straight razors are fundamentally different from other knives. They cannot be sharpened using the same methods as your kitchen knives, for example. Grinders are second only to rust in their unique ability to destroy a straight razor. They are also the most common tool employed by knife sharpeners. For this reason, seek out a specialist and do not trust your usual knife sharpener with your shaving razors. 

As craftsmen, we have over 20 years of honing experience. Scott and I started collecting and honing straight razors in 2009 and began honing professionally under the Portland Razor Co. name in 2014. Additionally, measured by the number of units sold, the honing service was our top seller in 2019!

Cleanliness

Maintaining clean and sanitary practices during honing services is essential. We want to protect the razor from damage, ourselves from infection, and our clients’ health as well as their personal property. 

We believe that razors should always leave our shop in better condition than when they arrived. Every honing service begins with a thorough cleaning and inspection. During sharpening, we use running water to keep the razor and hones clear of any abrasive slurry. We also lap our hones between each service to keep them perfectly flat, clean, and cutting efficiently. Finally, each razor is sanitized with an EPA-approved disinfectant and dried with a clean towel before return shipping.

► Watch our full honing service from unboxing to shave-ready edge!  

Timeliness

For many of our clients, their straight razor is their primary shaving implement, so they might forego shaving while waiting for servicing. We understand shaving to be an important ritual for many and a professional necessity for some. For this reason, we work to minimize turnaround time and ship USPS Priority, tracked and insured.

Additional Services

“Your honing service is of inestimable value to me.” -Kevin

Offering the best honing service on the internet often requires more than honing. Some razors arrive with excessive rust, cracked blades, broken scales, or worse! Our experience making custom straight razors has made us uniquely qualified to offer additional services. Refinishing, modification, repairs, and the manufacture of replacement scales are among the restoration services we provide.

Order now to take advantage of FREE USPS Priority shipping on orders over $25--including honing services--and enjoy the best straight razor honing service on the internet!

Product Update | A Bittersweet Farewell to The Classic Line and The Artisan Line

TL;DR: We are saying goodbye to the Classic and Artisan razors - the Cascade Steel will take it from here so we may decrease lead times ASAP! We’ll release limited edition runs of the models we’re retiring. Sign-up for email updates to be the first to know when these limited edition razors are released!

In order to better serve you all, we must retire our Classic and Artisan line razors on a built-to-order basis. The Cascade Steels will take their place as our flagship razor line. We made this decision based on abundant positive customer feedback of the Cascade Steels and upon reevaluation of our own stated mission: to provide the tools and knowledge you need to get your best shave and to make the last razor you'll ever need.

We are simplifying our product offerings in an effort to increase efficiency and refocus attention toward making razors built to last. As many of you already know (and have probably experienced first-hand!), we’ve carried a backorder since starting Portland Razor Co. 5 years ago. This has always been a point of discomfort for us. We are not willing to compromise on quality but also need to focus on fulfilling orders in a timely manner. In fact, we believe heaps of gratitude are owed to those of you reading this who stuck out the lead time! The decision to simplify was a tough one, and the end of the Classic and Artisan lines is bitter-sweet, as all endings tend to be.

We’ve worked hard over the past 5 years to make straight razors that delight our customers and learned a ton along the way. Incremental improvements in our designs, materials, and processes have culminated in the Cascade Steel Line. The razors are sharper and are more durable and easier to maintain than anything else on the market. They are even easy to sanitize for use in barbershops and salons! For these reasons, we feel the Cascade Steel line straight razors are best suited to meet the needs of professionals and home shavers alike.

Now, we do still have materials on hand to produce a final run of our Classic and Artisan razors, of course. And you all know we would never let good material go to waste, so we will celebrate these departing models with a Farewell Tour! In the coming months, we will create limited edition in-stocks of all the models to be retired as a last hurrah! We will send out notifications to our email subscribers 24-48 hours before we announce these limited edition razors on our social media channels.

Of course there is one very important component to this that we would be remiss not to address here; if you already have a Classic or Artisan razor on order, do not fret! Your order will be fulfilled as planned!

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. As always, we’d love to hear from you.

What is Post-Shave Powder?

We seek to provide our customers with the highest-quality products and the knowledge and skills to use them. To that end, we are proud to introduce our new Executive Post-Shave Powder as part of our new Executive Shave Essentials line.

What is Post-Shave Powder?

Shaving can be a pretty brutal process for your skin. Even a comfortable shave removes some dermis, exposing it to the elements and leaving it vulnerable to minor skin infections that cause razor burn and razor bumps. A quality aftershave goes a long way to soothe and protect the skin, but we can expect more from our shave. For those looking to make the most of their post-shave skincare routine, post-shave powder relieves irritation from shaving and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth.

We made our post-shave powder with high-quality, natural ingredients to provide a few key benefits for sensitive skin.

• Kaolin clay creates that silky-smooth feeling by absorbing excess oils, mattifying the appearance of the skin, and drawing dirt out of the pores.
• Allantoin powder is a natural anti-irritant and helps bolster your skin’s innate healing processes.
• Aloe extract has natural anti-inflammatory properties to reduce irritation and redness from shaving.

The Problem with Talc

Talc or talcum powder is found in a multitude of products that control excess moisture or reduce friction, such as foot powder, barber powder, baby powder, and dry lubricants. In its natural form, talc is a mix of magnesium, silicon, and oxygen and sometimes asbestos due to frequent co-location in natural deposits of talc with asbestos ore, a known carcinogen and respiratory irritant. According to the American Cancer Society, all household products in the U.S. containing talc have been asbestos-free since the 1970s, and studies since then simply don’t have enough information to show a clear increase in the risk of cancer with the use of asbestos-free talc. The International Agency for Research on Cancer states that talc not containing asbestos is either “not classifiable as to carcinogenicity in humans,” or “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” In summary, there is insufficient data to say whether asbestos-free talc is cancer-causing, and anyone with concerns should simply avoid it… so, we did. The frustrating truth is that complete avoidance of toxins in our environment is just not possible. BUT we do believe in minimizing harm around here, so with this concept as a guide, we decided to avoid this potentially harmful mineral and used plant-derived, gentle ingredients instead.

How to Use the Executive Post-Shave Powder

1. Shake a small amount of powder onto a clean towel.
2. Pat or massage gently onto the shaved area.
3. Let it rest for several minutes.
4. Pat off excess with a soft, clean towel.
5. Enjoy how crazy-smooth and cool your skin feels!

POST-SHAVE-POWDER SPECS:

Citrus Scent, Handmade in Portland, OR, 5.5 fl oz., Shatter-proof bottle, Crafted from high quality, natural ingredients, Formulated for smooth and comfortable shaves. Ingredients: Tapioca Starch, Kaolin Clay, Allantoin Powder, Essential Oil Blend, Aloe Extract

The executive post-shave powder relieves irritation and smooths skin without the use of talc, giving you worry-free relief from post shave irritation. 

What is Aftershave?

We seek to provide our customers with the highest-quality products and the knowledge and skills to use them. To that end, we are proud to introduce our new Executive Aftershave Tonic & Aftershave Balm as part of our new Executive Shave Essentials line.

What is Aftershave?

Shaving can be a pretty brutal process for your skin. Even a comfortable shave removes some dermis, exposing it to the elements and leaving it vulnerable to minor skin infections that cause razor burn and razor bumps. A quality aftershave soothes the skin post-shave and protects against infection, resulting in a more comfortable shave.

AFTERSHAVE TONIC VS. AFTERSHAVE BALM

Aftershave tonics come in liquid form and are sprayed or splashed onto the skin. These can go by many names "aftershave tonic", "aftershave splash" or just "aftershave". They are typically made with a high concentration of alcohol to disinfect and create a cooling sensation as they evaporate. However, too much alcohol can be irritating and dry out your skin. For this reason, we recommend choosing an aftershave tonic with a lower concentration of alcohol and following up with an aftershave balm to moisturize.

Now let's examine how an aftershave balm differs from an aftershave tonic. Aftershave balms look and feel more like lotion. They containt ingredients to protect and moisturize the skin post-shave. A balm will have less alcohol content and therefore be gentler and less drying on the skin. Some aftershave balms can be used alone, though we recommend using them in conjunction with a traditional aftershave tonic for best results.

THE EXECUTIVE AFTERSHAVE TONIC

Our warm & invigorating Executive Aftershave Tonic tones and protects skin from razor burn and irritation. Formulated using witch hazel, natural essential oils, a minimum amount of alcohol (as an emulsifier), and aloe extract, this aftershave tonic cleanses without the burn of traditional, alcohol-based aftershaves and is gentler for sensitive skin.

To use, shake well and dispense 3-4 sprays of the tonic onto palm. Rub hands together and apply to shaved area. Allow to evaporate.

THE EXECUTIVE AFTERSHAVE BALM

Our Executive Aftershave Balm tones and protects skin from razor burn and irritation. Formulated with witch hazel, aloe vera, essential oils, and vitamin E, this post-shave balm cleanses and protects without the burn of traditional, alcohol-based aftershaves and is better for sensitive skin.

To use, dispense dime-sized amount of product onto palm. Rub hands together and apply to shaved area. Remove any excess with a moist towel. For best results, we recommend applying the Executive Aftershave Balm after using the Tonic.

EXECUTIVE AFTERSHAVE TONIC SPECS:

Citrus Bay Scent Handmade in Portland, OR 3.3 oz. Crafted from high quality, natural ingredients Formulated to warm & invigorate while soothing and protecting the skin Spray pump nozzle for easy dispensing Shatter-proof bottle Ingredients: Water, Witch Hazel, SD Alcohol, Glycerin, Essential Oil Blend, Aloe Extract

EXECUTIVE AFTERSHAVE BALM SPECS:

Citrus Bay Scent Handmade in Porltand, OR 3.3 oz. Crafted from high quality, natural ingredients Formulated to warm & invigorate while soothing and protecting the skin Easy-pour, shatter-proof bottle Ingredients: Water, Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera Liquid, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Sulfite, Avocado Oil, Rice Bran Oil, BTMS-50, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Oat Extract, DL Penthenol, Essential Oil Blend, Optiphen, Buckthorn Extract, Vitamin E

The Executive Aftershave Tonic & Aftershave Balm work together to soothe, tone, and protect skin post-shave, no matter what blade you’re using!