Thread: Beginners' Tips: March 2016

Time for a ‘what if’ column of beginner’s tips.
If I could go back and start all over what would I have done different? Let me count the ways.

1. I would read the entire Library first.

2. Watch a lot of videos before making any decisions.

3. Forget that eBay existed.

4. Haunt the classifieds if my budget was limited.

5. Introduce myself, finally, to the forum and listen with unbiased attention to everything that was written.

6. Make no snap judgments on razors based on looks and prestige of brand name.

7. Find the nearest Mentor, even before buying anything, since most Mentors are willing to sit down with you and let you try a few razors in actuality before you decide where to invest your money.

8. Not fall for the hype over all the different soaps and creams, their fragrance and other people’s recommendations.

9. Face the fact that even if you have sharpened knives you have no understanding of the honing process and all its subtleties. Definitely not attempt any honing for the first one or two years, concentrating on learning how to re-fresh an edge first.

10. In the beginning a brush is a brush is a brush.

11. Post your experiences. Even the hardened shaver is open to learning something new. Reading about the basics every so often helps clarify why you might be having a rough time with a part of your shaving routine.

12. Choose your shaving friends carefully, all you have to go by is the printed word.

13. Know your financial limits. You still have bills and/or a family to look after.