I used a Double Arrow, a cheap straight razor widely available on eBay for less than $10. Oddly enough, it's not a bad razor. The scles (the real name for the handle of a straight--which isn't a handle at all) are cheap and largely worthless. The blabe, though, seems to be good steel from what people say.
When I got it, it wasn't quite near shave ready. But I with a few passes (around 30, I think?) on a CrO2 pasted hanging strop, and about 100 on linen and 100+ on leather, it seemed pretty goshdarned sharp. Thumb pad tests and hair tests and such all said it was wicked sharp, so I went to the shave.
The passes on my cheek were smooth and cut with no effort. This was better than I had seen before, so I went on to do my whole face. I was able to cut the stubble beneath my lower lip, which I hadn't been able to do before. I nicked myself a couple of times, nothing tooo terrible, but man...talk about razor burn! My face is red and it HURTS. under my nose, on my cheeks, everywhere...and I didn't even get a smooth shave. Eeep.
I smoothed the shave with my Futur and did my usual post shave--Alum (AAAIIIYYYYEEEE!) and Nivea AS balm. I had to go for a second application of balm and then TSD milk to calm it down enough for comfort.
Luckily, I got my Belgian Coticule and BBW to sharpen that baby up right...we'll see how she goes.
**EDIT** I realized that I never actually talked about my strop...
I have a lovely Kanayama Cordovan strop, made by the Kanayama Razor Strop Company in Tokyo, Japan.
It's beautiful, and smooth, and though I have little experience with strops I think it's the bee's knees.
Here's Pitchas!
The linen side is stiff stiff stiff...I guess that's a good thing? Anyway, I find it fascinating that there's a STROP COMPANY in Tokyo. Who uses them, I wonder?
Well, besides shavegeeks like me, of course...
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