Straight Razors

There's a reason people still go to the barber for a Straight Razor shave. Disposable razors are convenient, but the results can't compare to a Straight Razor.

A Straight Razor will virtually melt the hair off your face, yet despite its keen edge is just as safe as a disposable razor when used with correct technique. Make the last razor you will ever use - a razor that if properly cared for will be handed down across generations.

This course is conducted by Dean Jard, Australia's largest custom razor maker and an expert at restoring heirloom razors. Dean has been teaching razor making and sharpening courses since 2012, and makes his own range of razors and strops that are sold to customers around the world.

This is a busy two day course that will see you design and make your own straight razor, strop, and more. You'll walk away from the course with the knowledge and equipment to ensure a lifetime of superlative shaving.

When you arrive, Dean will welcome you to the Forge and explain the theory behind straight razors over a cup of tea or coffee. You'll then be given a choice of materials and patterns to design your razor. Choose from a range of classic and contemporary designs and express yourself with your choice of natural and synthetic materials, including a range of Australian Hardwoods and high-tech composite materials.

Then its into the workshop to grind profile your blades. Razor making is a mindful and precise art, and Dean is there to ensure your success. You will make this razor with your own hands; Dean is there guide you and help you recover from mistakes, but this will be a creation of your own.

After giving the blades a precise asymmetrical hollow grind on the linisher, the blades are ready heat treatment. The blades will heated till they lose magnetism, then quenched in oil to harden the steel. To ensure the right mix of toughness, sharpness, and edge retentions, the blades are then tempered in an oven.

We'll then get to work on the handle scales, as well as making a strop to keep your blade razor sharp. Once the blades have cooled down, it's time to clean them up and bring it all together. It's always a pleasure for the instructors to see the students' reactions at this point, as the results you will achieve are incredible.

No experience required - even if you have never used a tool in your life, we have a track record of ensuring absolutely everyone who attends our courses achieves excellent results.

This course is popular amongst people irrespective of their ability to grow facial hair: we see many people attending these courses to make gifts for the hirsute person in their life.

Price includes:

• Use of workshop, machinery, and materials
• Expert instruction
• Light refreshments
• Creation of a straight razor of your own design
• Creation of a strop, and time permitting, creation of other shaving accouterments