Newbie here! hello y'all!

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10-07-2016, 03:01 PM
gabrielcr78

Newbie here! hello y'all!

Hello folks, my name is Gabriel, and first thing i should say is that I've never ever shaved with a straight razor. always felt like i should get myself one but it was not until recently that I really started to feel the call of the razor pulling me in.. so started reading and found this forum. been reading for a few days but only till yesterday registered.

I'm an electronics engineer but I'm also a theater actor, so I've used long beard, mustache, total shave and many combinations or variations of these others. If you are wondering, other than when one of my characters has to shave, normally i keep my beard short like just get a clipper every two or three weeks and short it down with No.2 or No.3.

main reason i don't shave too often is that my wife likes it to either be completely shaved or long beard, but she just can't my scratching face of 2-3 days old beard.
the other important reason is that it's difficult for me to actually find the normal razors that don't irritate my face. normally shaving provokes some alergies, and i'm almost sure that this is because i don't even prepare my beard well, or the thigs they put in the razors to smooth cause me those reactions. so every time i've been with lon beard fr a while and then i have, the next few days are just a pain in the 4$$...
one of my main reasons to start shaving every day is that i have a boy, my firstborn, 3.5 months old now :D and it seems when I'm carrying him, my beard sees to cause him some allergies too... and God knows i would not only shave my face but also my head if that's a requirement for having him close to me :)
also, the legend of having the best shave of my life.. cannot lie, it's quite appealing!!

Anyway, I don't currently have a straight razor, and i was thinking on buying one of those "titan" razors on aliexpress. then i started looking for fededback on this forum and found out that maybe that's by no means a good idea to start with. i mean they look nice and they deserve a try (my humble opinion) but like I said I'm an engineer, so I have understood that for a complex process (like learning to hone and shave with a straight razor) you need to rule out as many possible failures, and if I start with one of those and I fail, I won't know if it's because of the quality of the blade or because of my my technique is not improving.

On the other hand, 60 $ for a blade seems fair enough to me (i know that's cheap, but i have no clue on how much is fair or how much is just investing money as a "collector"). I would like a good blade, that looks good but most important, something i can use for sure of top quality, old, vintage or new, don't care.. but want a "good quality" and that i can keep for long years (maybe give to my son), and if I'm to buy a second one later we'll see, but this might get to be my only razor ever so i want something good. maybe i should just wait till i can pay 100$ or more for it?..

anyway, this forum has run too long already, but wanted to give you guys an overview :)

i know that there are many forums where conversations like "what razor should I buy to start with my budget", and " "should i buy used ones?" or "which brands and models?"... i have not found those, did read the sticky threads with the first steps, but now in the process of defining the first step. what and where to buy? how much to spend for a very good quality blade that might be my only one that i want to give later on to my son? and which videos in you tube are most instructive to start with this?

if you have specific threads on this forum that i can go read to make sure i learn this answers that would be really appreciated.

thanks a lot for reading this post and I'm very happy to be here! :)

also thanks in advance for taking the time to answer!

Gabe
10-07-2016, 03:07 PM
gabrielcr78

Oh i found this link that quicksilver recommended to new user owl1260 on the techniques topic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

see the thread here

awesome!
10-07-2016, 03:27 PM
Porl

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your first born. You won't go far wrong watching Lynn's videos for sure.

When it comes to a razor there are lots out there with varying prices. If you are looking at new ones look at the brands on Straight Razor Designs and see what you can get along those lines locally if shipping is an issue. Vintage ones are more problematic as it helps to know what you are looking at or you might get ripped off.

The most important thing is make sure it is shave ready, lots of razors aren't so it's well worth checking. If not they will be sharp enough to do some damage but not sharp enough to shave.

Spend some time in the beginners section and check out the library. There is also a list of razor manufacturers to avoid in there somewhere. That will be time well invested.

Good luck, take your time and you will be hooked before you know it. You will have to only take on roles of clean shaven characters from now on :)
10-07-2016, 05:48 PM
gabrielcr78

thanks a lot for your promt answer Porl!
in fact I'm used to pay shipping. I failed to say in my post. I'm from Costa Rica and 38 yrs old! so I use a service in Florida that forwards me any blade if the seller does not ship outside the US.

Ii'm in that page you suggested.. there are beautiful razors indeed!, should i buy it in combo with a strop? or should i buy separate and what other accessories should i get? remember I'm just one of those guys that till now only had a can of shaving foam and a disposable gillete razor :D

indeed I'll have to take only roles of clean saved characters from now on!!

again, thanks for your time!!
10-07-2016, 06:55 PM
Porl

A strop would be a good idea for sure. Maybe go for a 5/8th razor with a round point for your first one. It is more forgiving and you don't have to pay as much attention to where the point is.

Ditch the can of gunk and look for a nice shaving brush and some shaving soap, you will find it all on the site mentioned earlier. If you have never used a brush and soap before watch some videos on YouTube, you might find shaving cream easier to lather to begin with, but soap is more economical in my opinion.

That should be enough to get you started, razor, strop, brush and soap/cream. Take your time with those watch videos on stropping too. There are lots of new skills to pick up, but for me that's part of the fun.

Don't get discouraged at first it will take time, but worth percivering.

BTW the chap in the video you posted is the founder of this forum and an owner of Straight Razor Designs. Somewhat of a guru, you could do a lot worse than checking out his YouTube channel.
10-07-2016, 10:47 PM
gabrielcr78

thanks again man! I figured from the video he's the owner of that site.. abnd already subscribed :D
didn't know he was the founder too.. hehe
indeed a Guru!!
10-08-2016, 11:15 AM
eddy79

Hi and welcome. Might also pay to watch the videos by Gssixgun on YouTube. Between him and Lynn I think that a lot of what you need will be covered. There are a lot of places to buy razors etc. Most don't have truly shave ready razors or razors of poor quality passed off a a good razor. Do read in the beginners forum and use the search engine and you will find all the information you need. Don't be afraid to ask we are always happy to help those new to wet shaving and want to see you succeed. Good luck
10-08-2016, 01:10 PM
Wayne1963

Welcome to SRP. You likely can't do any better than to buy a razor here, in the classifieds. The $60 budget you mentioned is easily obtainable, and buying here assures that you are getting a sharp blade. You can also shop from Straight Razor Designs and The Classic Edge. You will see their ad banners all over SRP. They hand sharpen every blade they sell. The answer to most of your questions is probably located here in the library section. Have fun.
10-10-2016, 04:06 PM
gabrielcr78

thanks Wayne and Eddy, i'll check the classifieds!.. so rounded tip instead of square?...
oh and 5/8 instead of 6/8? is 6/8 more difficult to learn?

regards!

Gabe
10-10-2016, 04:15 PM
Magpie

The difference between a 5/8 and 6/8 is negligible in terms of ease of use. Both are nice easy shavers. I think whats just as important is blade length as well as width. When I first started, a longer blade always seemed to be more likely to end where my blood vessels began!
10-10-2016, 04:55 PM
Steel

Welcome Gabe. It is refreshing to see someone who is doing the research beforehand. Watch as many videos as you can and you will soon figure out your own style. I mean, your are placing one of the sharpest instruments in the world to your face/neck so it would make sense to learn everything you can ahead of time. Straight razor shaving takes a longer learning curve than most people think although some are indeed naturals. Good luck and hang in there and you will experience the "best shave of your life".
10-10-2016, 06:06 PM
MisterClean

Hello and welcome to the Forum. Round tip would be a good blade style to start with.
10-12-2016, 04:53 PM
gabrielcr78

thanks a lot to all of you for taking the time to respond, you have given me a good deal of orientation and that's really appreciated!. i'm also looking on the classifieds for a good rounded tip razor, hopefully 6/8 won't be too much (i've been thinking of 5/8 but i think eventually i will want to change and since i'm not sure i0'll buy too many, i think maybe i should just start with 6/8 and get use to it from the very begining)
i would like to have a wood handle, but otherwise i guess i can just buy plastic ones and then replace them myself with some exotic wood from here in costa rica, (maybe mahogany? i know I have some pieces lying around) I don't think it would be too much of an issue to do that.
ont he other hand, i'm checking Lynn and gssixgun videos on sharpening and honing, cause that's my main fear. being in CR it will be difficult to have them professionally honed...

but i guess it's like with any other thing.. just patience to learn, careful actions and love for what you do...
10-12-2016, 05:02 PM
TreeBrand

Hi Gabriel,

I don't know you, but I sure as heck like you. My next and what might be last passport stamp will be at San Jose, CR. I could live the rest of my life in a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals with a tuna rig in my hand.

What's the best way of dialing in a job in Costa Rice? I'll work for food and tuna trips.

Take care,

TB
10-12-2016, 06:43 PM
gabrielcr78

Oh man, indeed it's nice here for living on retirment, or at any time, if you don't mind a bit more of traffic than in (where do you live?)....
well let me tell you, sopeaking english it's very very wasy to find a job in customer sevice, or a callcenter, or a sportsbook or that kind of things... there are many international complanies like HP (Where I work), IBM, Dell, Amazon, etc.. mostly technology, so if you know any technology or don't mind to work on the phone, you are all set, getting a job here will be reaaaaally easy! :)

otherwise, if you like the beach, you can go to the coast and get a job in tourism (hotels, stores, etc) but in that case you will need to learn at least a bit pf spanish too....

anyway, send me a PM if you need more details, will be glad to help! :)
10-12-2016, 09:29 PM
Magpie

Here you go Gabe.

And if you dont find a decent blade in the classifieds, I'll hone one up and put it in for you to look at. Oh, and if you have a pair of straights, and a good strop, you can get a lot of shaves in before you need to send them out for a fresh honing again!

Purchasing straight razors - Straight Razor Place Library
10-13-2016, 03:27 AM
TreeBrand

Hi Gabriel,

Thanks for the info. I did retire young, too young. I love to fish, probably more than hunt. Hunting is hard work. You can screw up a perfectly good hunt by shooting a huge deer high in the Rocky Mountains, 3 miles from the nearest road. Talk about hard work.

Try this outfit for excellent deals on Solingen Boker straight razors: Dvor.com | Daily Deals and Offers on the Gear You Want You'll have to sign up. There wasn't a membership fee when I joined. I don't think there is. It's a subsidiary of OpticsPlanet.com | Hunting, Shooting & Tactical Gear. I picked up a Solingen Boker Arbilito from Dvor at just a hair over 50% of its MSRP.

I love your choice of straight razors. I've just gotten in to straight razor shaving about a month ago when I ordered my Arbolito. I know very little about straight razors. However, I do know about Solingen steel. It's widely considered to be the best steel in the world. I own three Solingen Boker hunting knives, and they're excellent. Keeping in mind that I have yet to reach neophyte status, I'd be surprised if there is a better brand than Boker. But I'm sure there are brands that are just as good. And we can't factor out personal preference. Some blade guys love Japanese steel. Some guys love American. Puma and Dovo have lines of Solingen straight razors. They're great brands.
10-13-2016, 07:34 PM
gabrielcr78

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreeBrand

Thanks for the info. I did retire young, too young. I love to fish, probably more than hunt. Hunting is hard work. You can screw up a perfectly good hunt by shooting a huge deer high in the Rocky Mountains, 3 miles from the nearest road. Talk about hard work.

Oh man! i really love fishing! have been in Colorado Springs a few times and that's when i first tried Ice Fishing.. gotta love it! i mean it's really really nice!
also love fishing here in CR but it's way ore expensive...
also was going to go with my boss for hunting, but turns out i cannot hunt because foreigners are not permitted to do in Colorado (need residence at least, and i was just on a short business trip), he had a license for deer.. imagine that! very difficult to gain one.

oh anyway, I'm planning on going back for more Ice fishing the next year... for now, with a baby 4 months old, i'm just staying home as much as I can enjoying being a dad hehe.
10-13-2016, 07:38 PM
gabrielcr78

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magpie

Here you go Gabe.

And if you dont find a decent blade in the classifieds, I'll hone one up and put it in for you to look at.

wow, thanks a lot Magpie! I've seen a couple on ebay that might be the ones (don't want to force you to get rid of any good blade if you don't want to), but i will need some advice to make sure I'm not buying garbage... will read the ink you sent me and try to choose a good one, if i get to find one I'll send you a PM for advice, otherwise I'll send you a PM to ask what you can sell me :) ... would that be alright?

thanks again!
Gabe
10-14-2016, 01:56 AM
Magpie

That would be just fine. And dont ever worry about me selling a blade i dont want to. That simply doesnt happen. There are some I'm not "keen" on selling (hardee har har) but my personal favorites will likely need to be pried from my fingers when I die. At this point I have probably close to 500 razors, and never more than 10 shave ready at any time! (I should be ashamed I know, not to mention In Therapy)
10-14-2016, 03:45 AM
gabrielcr78

Oh dear Lord!!!! 500!!! And I'm thinking it is a very important decision to buy one! LOL!!!

Well i guess if that's the case i'll be glad to accepy a very very good (charity) price on one of those! Hehehe 😄😄😄

Any 6/8 with rounded tip you want to near-donate to a very entusiastic and eager to learn razor noobie? Shall I PM you?
10-17-2016, 10:41 PM
whoever

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magpie

That would be just fine. And dont ever worry about me selling a blade i dont want to. That simply doesnt happen. There are some I'm not "keen" on selling (hardee har har) but my personal favorites will likely need to be pried from my fingers when I die. At this point I have probably close to 500 razors, and never more than 10 shave ready at any time! (I should be ashamed I know, not to mention In Therapy)

Here, let me help , I can offer all 500 a loving face and den. Send them all to me. You csn pay me for my service later :popcorn:
10-17-2016, 10:43 PM
whoever

Quote:

Originally Posted by gabrielcr78

Oh dear Lord!!!! 500!!! And I'm thinking it is a very important decision to buy one! LOL!!!

Well i guess if that's the case i'll be glad to accepy a very very good (charity) price on one of those! Hehehe ��

Any 6/8 with rounded tip you want to near-donate to a very entusiastic and eager to learn razor noobie? Shall I PM you?

Ahhh, he's in therapy :nono:
10-17-2016, 11:04 PM
gabrielcr78

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoever

Ahhh, he's in therapy :nono:

LOL

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10-18-2016, 12:34 AM
MajesticShaver

Welcome! One of my best friends and his family just spent 3 months in CR. They returned (rather reluctantly) a few weeks ago and are already planning their next trip back.
10-23-2016, 02:31 AM
gabrielcr78

Quote:

Originally Posted by MajesticShaver

Welcome! One of my best friends and his family just spent 3 months in CR. They returned (rather reluctantly) a few weeks ago and are already planning their next trip back.

You can tell men i'll invite them for a coffe... and they can bring a few straight razors! Hehehe

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10-23-2016, 02:37 AM
whoever

Quote:

Originally Posted by gabrielcr78

You can tell men i'll invite them for a coffe... and they can bring a few straight razors! Hehehe

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Trade coffee for str8s :rofl2:
10-23-2016, 03:10 AM
gabrielcr78

Hahaha naaaah not like that... lol

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