Thread: Just wanted to share my shaving "journey."

I just wanted to share what have gone through to get to where I am at with shaving with a straight razor. It all started from when I was a little kid. My Dad would let me borrow his spare DE razor (no blade of course). My Dad used an old adjustable gillette razor, gillette shaving foam, and gillette razor blades. When I got to the age where I was actually shaving, I used a gillette adjustable DE razor I inherited from my great grandpa, gillette blades, and gillette shaving foam. I remember my shaves were not all that spectacular.

I continued using this same setup until college when I switched to a multiple blade disposable razor and tried different shaving creams. I even tried an electric razor and would rather have my face painted with pepper spray again (police academy). I stayed with this routine for quite some time even "upgrading" to even more blades on my razor. I hated shaving! I had razor bumps and a constant five-o-clock shadow. It almost looks like I didn't even shave in my wedding pictures.

Fast forward to September 2013 (finally). I wanted to try a less expensive and better way to shave. I began to read about DE shaving on line, including this site and Badger and Blade. I watched you tube videos and began to take an interest in straight razor shaving. I opted to stick with DE shaving while I did more research on straight razor shaving. I tore through my garage, looking for my great grandpa's razor. I couldn't find it! I seem to remember that I may have threw it away in college. Sorry great grandpa....

So I ended up getting a Mercur HD in November and a sample pack of blades. My wife gets an employee discount at Macy's which happens to carry Art of Shaving products. I ended up with Sandlewood shaving soap, shaving cream, after shave, and a badger hair brush that came in a set. Thanks dear! I was happy to get a new brush to replace the porcupine quill brush I purchased off of amazon.com. To top it off my brother in law got me an Art of shaving straight razor. I endured many rough shaves while trying the various shaves and learning how to lather soap. I learned what worked best for me and I began to enjoy, and look forward to shaving.

I then decided to go to the next level. I sent my straight razor off to be honed by Howard at the Perfect Edge. I also bought an Illinois 827 strop. Once I got my razor back, I attempted my first straight razor shave, only shaving the sides of my face. Everything went okay, however it seemed as if my razor would not cut through my facial hair. It resembles a Scotch Brite pad when I grow a beard! I tried a second shave and wanted to give the razor back to my brother in law and call it quits. I blamed my equipment and not my technique!

Instead of quitting, I sought advice on this forum. It changed everything for me! I got some help from complete strangers! One of the complete strangers, now friend/ mentor loaned me two of his razors. The razors had thicker, wider blades and cut through my beard like butter! I am now to the point to where I can shave without touch ups from my DE after only a couple weeks of straight razor shaving. I also bought a Straight Razor Designs red latigo 3" strop, which is fantastic. So far I haven't cut it (knock on wood).

I have already caught Razor Acquisition Disease and will have 3 more straight razors by the end of this week. Thank you SRP classifieds! Although my wife isn't as thankful!

Throughout this "journey" I attribute my success from:

1. Research/ reading online/ watching YouTube videos to see what equipment is needed, how to use the equipment, how to shave, how to lather, and overall what I was getting myself into.
2. Starting with a DE razor to learn how to lather soaps/ creams.
3. Starting with a DE razor to learn the direction of growth of my facial hair.
4. Asking/ receiving help from an amazing community of people who seek a great shaving experience.
5. PATIENCE!!!!
6. Practice stropping with something other than a freshly honed razor. You will shred your strop and ruin the edge on your razor. I ruined mine quickly!
7. Keep in mind, there is a startup cost! Once this initial investment is made you won't have to buy expensive multiple blade cartridges anymore. I bought a straight razor from the SRP classifieds for the price of a pack of Gillette fusion cartridges from Costco.

I hope this helps some of the new folks like myself. Thank you to everyone that has helped me. Also, thanks to that have helped me.

Swanny

What a journey! Sounds very familiar in a number of ways and it sounds like you are in this for good now. The next step is to get either a finishing stone or CrOx and start to maintain the edges which will lead to learning to hone which will lead to restoring razors which will lead you to having way more razors than you will ever need/use which will lead to selling some which will lead to buying more to restore. Well, so I have heard. Lol. All the while you will be in a shaving bliss every morning. Enjoy!

Now you have found the light finally! There will be some side effects like razor addictions, not enough cabinet space for shaving products etc. because you sound one of those shavers that still say wet shaving is cheap and affordable after buying 40 shaving products and twenty razors in a year

Stick with straight razor shaving! It gets better every shave!

Originally Posted by Swanny

I then decided to go to the next level. I sent my straight razor off to be honed by Howard at the Perfect Edge. I also bought an Illinois 827 strop. Once I got my razor back, I attempted my first straight razor shave, only shaving the sides of my face. Everything went okay, however it seemed as if my razor would not cut through my facial hair. It resembles a Scotch Brite pad when I grow a beard! I tried a second shave and wanted to give the razor back to my brother in law and call it quits. I blamed my equipment and not my technique!

Instead of quitting, I sought advice on this forum. It changed everything for me! I got some help from complete strangers! One of the complete strangers, now friend/ mentor loaned me two of his razors. The razors had thicker, wider blades and cut through my beard like butter! I am now to the point to where I can shave without touch ups from my DE after only a couple weeks of straight razor shaving. I also bought a Straight Razor Designs red latigo 3" strop, which is fantastic. So far I haven't cut it (knock on wood).

I have already caught Razor Acquisition Disease and will have 3 more straight razors by the end of this week. Thank you SRP classifieds! Although my wife isn't as thankful!

Throughout this "journey" I attribute my success from:

1. Research/ reading online/ watching YouTube videos to see what equipment is needed, how to use the equipment, how to shave, how to lather, and overall what I was getting myself into.
2. Starting with a DE razor to learn how to lather soaps/ creams.
3. Starting with a DE razor to learn the direction of growth of my facial hair.
4. Asking/ receiving help from an amazing community of people who seek a great shaving experience.
5. PATIENCE!!!!
6. Practice stropping with something other than a freshly honed razor. You will shred your strop and ruin the edge on your razor. I ruined mine quickly!
7. Keep in mind, there is a startup cost! Once this initial investment is made you won't have to buy expensive multiple blade cartridges anymore. I bought a straight razor from the SRP classifieds for the price of a pack of Gillette fusion cartridges from Costco.

I hope this helps some of the new folks like myself. Thank you to everyone that has helped me. Also, thanks to that have helped me.

Swanny

Great Post!

My apologies for shortening it in my response!

Your attribute of how you came to succeed is very good! I hope every newbie is required to read it!! Even if they don't wish to use a DE to start out on the basics are There!

As far as #4 I'll confess to being the one who loaned you some heavier/larger razors to try to contend with that heavy beard! I'm glad that they showed you which direction you wanted to go as far as buying other razors. If you couldn't have tried different styles, grinds etc you could have spent so much money and still not have been happy shaving with a straight and finally given up for good!!

Helping others is what we do here! It's part of the game! When I was first starting out Eric (HNSB) took time out of his very busy life to help guide me! He gave me small price breaks for razors in the classifieds and he's the one who recommended my basic honing setup which I still use today! I still 'owe' him to this day!

I try to pay that debt by helping others! It really has been my pleasure to help you find the path!

Enjoy the Long Strange Trip! It's well worth the journey!

Sanfte Rasur, mein Klingenbruder!

(Smooth Shaving My Brother In Blades)

ps: I hope to see you at the Spring event at Pomeroy! Hop Skip and a Jump for me but only a Hop for you!