Get The Perfect Beard Lines! | Barber James Zap 

James, I’m taking that straight razor shaving is/was a lost art. The reason I’m even watching and becoming interested in it was I was walking through a pawn shop in the old west town of Pendleton Oregon. There must’ve been close to a dozen old straight razors for sale. I’ve been using my electric shaver to shave the neck and cheek line on my 2 year old beard and since seeing those straight razors and your videos I may venture into this. Thanks sir!

Excellent video

Great Video James👍

great content James, I love the dapper den!! regards dapper shaves

Very interesting informative and professional.

Excellent

I was wondering do you have to strope a brand new Dovo razor

Would like to Learn how to use a straight razor

Love the well Groomed beard

Hi My first, with cut throat taken an hour I was shaking and my soap kept drying on my face,, razor was sticking and grabbing my skin and ended up with to many cuts lol them were the days 30 years ago, What I have written below is not having a go at you and probably not best written on this site, it is advising the newbie`s on the knowledge needed to keep up the art of cut throat shaving. so please do not take any offence to what is written it is not my intention to bring this video down in any way, I just want to stop people buying a cut throat and it ending up in a draw, I wish that many video should have a link on some one giving a good explanation to having a understanding on what newbie should really know be for going down the straight edge rout, then with the advice they may keep using the blade and buy more products in the long run, I have used the straight razor or here in United Kingdom better known as the cut throat Razor, for 30+ years, and in that time I have learnt a shit load by making hundreds of mistakes with blade buying , strop material use, and honing stones, and facial products, Blade material differs in its hardness depending on the manufacture `size of blade , the grind that`s done to the blade. ` the strop material, i.e. different leathers, What animal it came from and what part of body was the leather from, and the quality of the finish is just as important , and finally the honing stone ` there grit size in man made stones , how the grit functions on the steel. The material that produces the stone, Natural stones are a whole different ball game, can be very costly if you don`t do your home work i,e the stones material the grit or flakes of the stones copositive, how the grit lifts or grinds down with the metal or does it move along and away from the stone , like hard garnets, what shape are they ,or Japanese natural made mainly of flakes compressed over millions of years ,people should understand there stone, Many video`s I see do help on the very basics on teaching but not enough on educating what is actually involved to keep that cut throat going for a life time, How not to over hone as well, If you become good at blade honing and stropping there is nothing more satisfying in a straight razor shave, but people have to put there study into knowing all the first three basic elements that make the blade keep cutting smoothly every time, The blade, the strop, the stone, once you understand why there were so many made for the public to use you will begin to choose what crap is out there and what quality can be bought, but don`t buy because it looks good, buy because you have done your home work, And my advice to every one (DO YOUR HOME WORK FIRST) I am not in any way having a go at your video and the products you may sell, or the way your branding any, I enjoy watching these video`s. many video`s you show have great advice that people can learn from, I have never bought any of the products you might show, that`s only because I make my own from old history books from barbers knowledge and other professionals who have written books , but to any one who do read old methods to making their own products be warned a lot of products are dangerous and toxic for the skin as we know now through educating our selves to day, A couple of points I will say on pulling the skin, If the skin gets pulled to tight this could cause in growing hairs and soreness, so if advice on keeping skin tight there is a limit to tight, i have never use a product on my hair first before applying shaving soap, facial hair is coated in an oil already so just swill hair in cold water to add moisture to the skin be for applying shaving soap, A cut throat should not be pulling any hair out , your blade is not sharp enough if it does that, hence a smooth shave or a pulling sensation` pulling is blunt or a micro chips in the blade. , Same as going over to many times if your blade is good one or two over the same area is plenty enough for baby smooth skin, I have never had to go against my skin, the correct pulling will raise the hair enough to give a smooth touch but if the need to do so be warned pull to tight and cut hair, then ingrowing hair can be caused ,in looser skin around the neck, ,going against the skin only prevents a one days growth, next day you get up that hair is back against on the skin and its not worth the soreness on what some people may get. I never put any product on the face straight after, Fresh water nice and cold leave to sink in and evaporate first shutting the pores with cold water then aftershave once the skin has dried and at least 10 minutes has past , Not always the old ways were best ,time was a consideration in getting another customer in the chair back then so speed was money does not always mean slapping a stringent aftershave and a moisturiser straight away was best, give time for the skin to ease, as we now know about talcum powder, As we know a good sharp cut throat removes the skin protection( oil and cells) so it needs time to be left after a shave be for allowing product ,And as people are getting more artificial food products in the body that irritates the skin cuz its in the oil resting on the skin its harder to not irritate the skin through shaving unless they know how to prevent, also as you know different thickness and strength of facial hair and growth pattern should be a factor on the blade and how hair face is cut, Any ways a book should be written covering all what needs to be known ` but people just want simplicity and speed ,My other advice don`t go down the cutthroat rout if that`s what you want, but once you have a very good knowledge on it all your shave is quick and you get to enjoy all the playing around with honing stropping collecting and of course knowing how to shave with a cut throat. I do own many cut throats and other vintage types of razors and strops and vast amount of stones , it becomes addictive , but enjoyable ,just remember there will be appoint you don't want to wear down the spine of your collectable cut throat, if you are scared it will wear on the spine, don`t just don`t use it, Tape on the spine is not helping the angel of the cutting edge, also if you are going to tape then leave it on when you strop all else the stropping edge will not come out as good, just makes me laugh when i see this being done, Spine on the cut throat is design to get thinner as the depth of the blade creeps closer to the spine, it keeps the perfect angel, only use tape if the blade is warped or some one has over worn the spine to the depth, apologise for my non punctuation never was good at that.

Stropping process 4:16 is completely wrong 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Lol! Fifteen minutes for that. 😂 Bro I would’ve shaved that whole beard in Fifteen minutes and could’ve made a sandwich