Straight Razor Care and Honing Classes at Portland Razor Co!

From the beginning we set out to make heirloom-quality straight razors and strops here in the US. In addition, we make it our priority to provide our customers with all of the tools and knowledge they need for a great shave. When we first started straight shaving, we read countless posts and watched endless hours of videos on the Internet. We found these resources helpful, but who couldn't use a few moments (or days, weeks, months!) away from a screen? It has always been our intention to bring the online wet shaving community offline, to give it a physical space here in the Pacific Northwest.

With these goals in mind, we have organized a skill-building class at our SW Portland workshop to teach our customers how to maintain their straight razor. We hope to build an inclusive community around wet shaving and an appreciation for the straight razor as the best shaving tool out there.

Each class will be held on a Saturday 10:30-12:30 and be lead by a Portland Razor Co. bladesmith. There are no gear requirements; you don’t even have to be the proud owner of a PR straight razor yet! Students are welcome to bring their own honing stones and razors if they wish. Most importantly, bring yourself, be ready to learn, and prepare to make some friends

As a student, you can expect to leave the 2-hour class with a new Norton 4k/8k stone, a 1.5 oz can of ballistol, and the know-how to care for your straight razor all on your own. Class size is limited, so sign-up while space is available.

2017 Schedule:
1/21/17 10:30am-12:30pm
4/29/17 10:30am-12:30pm
7/8/17 10:30am-12:30pm
11/11/17 10:30am-12:30pm

Thank you for reading and for your continued support of Portland Razor Co. as we gear up for this exciting new offering. We hope to see you here in 2017!

Straight Razor Safety Basics

WARNING: RAZORS ARE EXTREMELY SHARP. MISUSE CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY! SHOULD YOU ATTEMPT ANY OF THE TASKS DESCRIBED IN THIS ARTICLE, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Below are a few simple do's and don'ts for safely handling straight razors. This is by no means an exhaustive list; you are ultimately responsible for learning to safely handle your own blade, so take it upon yourself to become familiar with safe practices, and use them consistently. Above all, use common sense.

DO

• Handle your razor with extreme care and control.
• Keep your razor folded/sheathed when not in use.
• Fold/Sheath your razor before handing it to someone else, or if you must change focus for a while.
• Keep your razor dry, clean, and sharp.
• Shave in a well-lit room free from distractions and other hazards.

DO NOT

• Try to catch a falling blade. 
• Use your razor for anything other than shaving hair.
• Test the edge with your finger! The safest way to test the edge's sharpness is with the "shine test" or the "hanging hair test."
• Let water or lather rest on the blade longer than is absolutely necessary, moisture on the blade will cause it to rust. Not a safety issue, but definitely a buzz-kill.

If you have never held a straight razor before, or are still inexperienced using them, we recommend you practice simply holding it. Open and close it until you feel comfortable you can perform this operation safely 100% of the time. Then, try a few different grips and manipulate the blade in one hand as if to shave. Remember that dropping the razor can damage the edge or scales and should be avoided.