Thread: How old were you the first time?

18 I think. I wanted to do that for a long time but I couldn't find any. This was before the internet became accessible.
Eventually, my mother gave me a shavette for my birthday and I used it for several years. I learned everything myself and I paid my dues in blood.

Then at 24 I switched to a real straight but did not know how to care for it so I got lousy shaves. Half a year later I switched to mach3, but I didn't like that either.

I shaved only sporadic, much to the chagrin of my then-girlfriend-now-wife so she gave me a braun electric which was no improvement.
Last year november I was home alone, waiting for her to get home so that we could go out to celebrate out anniversary.

I found my old straight in the bathroom, stropped it on the red paste, then on the leather. I flayed the epidermis off my face, threw on aftershave, screamed so loud the neighbors must have heard it and that was the start of my renewed interest.

I decided I would succeed this time, I searched the net, found srp and the rest is history.

I was 12 or 13 when I started with a straight. It was the suggestion of my best friend's Dad that got me started. My mom thought I was insane but didn't try to interfere. My Dad thought I was "bad as h*ll" (in a good way). The toughest part was learning to hone with what was available back in those days - Belgians were a legend not to be found until later in life. So I used an Arkansas stone with lather. I'm glad I've stuck with it as it's a lot more satisfying than what's currently available IMHO.

Regards,
EL

because my Father shaved with a cut-throat I was destined to try my first shave of the fuzz with his when he was out. must have been very young, I remember the shave very well and my top lip still advertises this memory to me every day.
19 was when I got my first razor for an Xmas present from my parents, a Timor Special extra hollow ground 6/8". I was allowed to use my fathers strop under his supervision till I could get my own (next birthday as it turned out). I have used a straight only since then and I am now 45 ish I still think one of the best parts of straight shaving is the saturdays spent hunting though the "brika-brak" shops looking for that special razor.

PuFF