Thread: Finally Took the Leap

Well I finally did it. I have been threatening myself for months now, then I just did it. Nearly 50 years old and it took me a long time but I am in with both feet. I have been wet shaving with a DE for about a year and was contemplating going to straight edge, and my wife said "Do it or shut up about it". So I did it. I ordered a Dovo "Bismarck" and a nice strop from Straight Razor Designs. I got the package in the mail on Monday and used it for the first time on Tuesday and what a feeling of manly Zen. I have been using my left hand (non-dominant) with my DE so I felt pretty confident going in with the straight. I probably should have taken Lynn's advice and started small but I couldn't help myself and completed the whole shave. I got through it without so much as a nick. I could not be happier.

I joined this forum just so I could give the comment below.

Thanks to all on this forum that gave such great tips that I probably read more times than I can count but it paid off.

Well done. Good idea using your off hand. Sounds like you are well on the right track.

Welcome to SRP and congratulations on taking the plunge!
Sounds like you did your homework well and are enjoying the fruits of a job well done You should be proud of this.

As good as your first experience with a straight razor has been it gets better with each shave, soon it will be a second nature to you.

Have fun, and don't be a stranger here.

You're hooked now. There's no going back.

Congratulations!

Originally Posted by jonesdw32

Well I finally did it. I have been threatening myself for months now, then I just did it. Nearly 50 years old and it took me a long time but I am in with both feet. I have been wet shaving with a DE for about a year and was contemplating going to straight edge, and my wife said "Do it or shut up about it". So I did it. I ordered a Dovo "Bismarck" and a nice strop from Straight Razor Designs. I got the package in the mail on Monday and used it for the first time on Tuesday and what a feeling of manly Zen. I have been using my left hand (non-dominant) with my DE so I felt pretty confident going in with the straight. I probably should have taken Lynn's advice and started small but I couldn't help myself and completed the whole shave. I got through it without so much as a nick. I could not be happier.

I joined this forum just so I could give the comment below.

Thanks to all on this forum that gave such great tips that I probably read more times than I can count but it paid off.

I remember getting my first straight razor kit at Age 54. The department store fare was killing my face and giving me poor shaves. Finally I got fed up and looked on the internet for an alternative, and I discovered that people were still using DEs and straights. The DE solved my problems but I wanted more, so I got a straight. My first avitar will tell you that I didn't get nearly the results you did the first time I tried:

But I've figured it out now and really enjoy the process. The closeness and comfort are really great.

Welcome to the forum! This is a fun place and the best training ground you can find.

Originally Posted by gugi

Welcome to SRP and congratulations on taking the plunge!
Sounds like you did your homework well and are enjoying the fruits of a job well done You should be proud of this.

As good as your first experience with a straight razor has been it gets better with each shave, soon it will be a second nature to you.

Have fun, and don't be a stranger here.

Thank you sir and I will not be a stranger. I also shave my head but did not have the courage to do with the straight, so if there are any head shavers here that want to share tips, that would be awesome.

Hi, and welcome to the SRP family, and all of it's disorders.... RAD, HAD...etc....

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Welcome to SRP. It sounds like you're coming right up to speed. Continue to enjoy the shaves as they will most assuredly get better as time passes. Good luck!