So... I've been intrigued by the idea of shaving with a straight since...well... for a while. Always put it off, on account of this, or that. Finally hit that breaking point with... other... methods.

I've been lurking on this forum for a couple weeks. the wiki is an amazing resource (thanks for all those guys that contributed.) but there were a couple things that weren't quite mentioned, or I'm not quite getting just right.

With the strops, especially the hanging strops... where do you guys normally attach them? In the 'shaving 101' video by Lynn, it's attached to hooks under the sink's edge. Is that a normal placement? I was thinking the towel rack, which is more or less sturdy, and stands about chest high on me.

Secondly, I stumbled into a thread started by Obie, some time ago, talking about his most-liked soaps and creams. (he and a few other's about sold me on trying MdC...but I figure I'll wait till I actually know what I'm doing.) He mentions the factors he uses to list which goes where... it's lather, the cushion, glide and fragrance. What the heck is cushion? Is that how well it protects the skin?


Finally, mostly because I have a fairly morbid curiosity (and enough intelligence to let somebody else go first...) ........ horror stories and shaving accidents.

This one is actually more than somewhat prompted by a passage in an amazing fantasy book (pawn of prophecy, by david eddings, the series is called the belgaraid.) the main character is at that point in life where he's learning to shave... and all the men who've happened to surround him are lending advice. One of them points out that he should be rather careful around the nose. because a man looks funny without a nose. For some reason, the comment has always stuck with me... but has anybody lost a nose to shaving mishaps?: