It's the edge

Speaking as one only about 6 months into this, I offer this without the credibility of the veterans, but with the freshness of the early learning curve just behind me - IMO, if there is a "most important" thing to getting the hang of this as a newbie, it's having an edge that's sharp enough.

Everything else is important and without some adequate level of prep and shaving technique you won't get a good shave. There are soooo many variables in one's shave and as a newbie, it's easy to get lost in one or another or ten on any given day. Just keep in mind that without a truely "shave ready" edge, you'll never get to that really great shave. There are many paths to getting that edge, but ya gotta get it!

This morning's shave reminded me of this again. I have a new/old junk store razor I'm enjoying bringing back to life with an edge that's not quite there yet. It's good enough to give a pretty good shave, but not great. After I'd nearly finished with it this morning, I grabbed an old faithful that I knew was very sharp to clean up. What a difference! What a reminder...it's the edge.

- Dale

You know you can go to the junk yard and buy a maserati and carefully restore it with all original components ,put the finest leather appointments in it, the best radio in the world, the best performance tires, repaint with the best materials and skill and use that $600 polish to wax it and you'll have an awsome machine but if you decided to take an engine from a 1972 Ford Pinto and put it in what do you really have? Its the same with shaving. You can have the best prep, the best english soaps and aftershaves and the best crafted ivory scales on your razor and it can be a custom crafted razor and you can have a Plisson High Mtn brush but if its not sharp your shaving with a 1972 Pinto engine in your razor.

Two great posts -- thanks for the reminder and funny (but true) analogy.