Hello all,

I don't typically post "introduction" threads on forums but thought I might break my own rule here after browsing around. So, hello! I first got the notion of getting into straight razor shaving a few weeks ago... Shaving has always been, well, a real pain in the ass for me, and a very uncomfortable experience, such that I try to shave as little as possible without drawing undue attention at work. I had a straight razor shave a year or so ago at one of the Art of Shaving places and it was the best I'd ever had. As I was pondering spending $40 on another package of Gilette blades, I decided to look into alternatives.

There is a ton of information out there and sorting though it is somewhat daunting, but after some research I plunked down some cash for a TI razor, Dovo strop, some Taylor cream and aftershave, and a relatively inexpensive Vulfix brush. The razor was shipped off to Lynn for sharpening last week and so right now I am in the "anticipatory" stage.

I have been working on wetshaving technique in the meantime with the brush and the cream. Already I enjoy it more than using the "Edge" gel that I've used all my life (I began shaving relatively early). Yesterday I thought I managed to get a decent lather up, but after viewing a YouTube video demonstration, I think I used far too little water. I only bought a small tube of cream and so I need to get a tub or two, I think.

Here are some questions or things that have crossed my mind...

1) I purchased a small tube of Taylor's cream and I like it, although I'd like to try some others. Reading through these forums, some people seem to prefer soap, others cream, and some use soap regularly and then cream for special occasions. Some say the razor "glides" better with the soap, but another article I read referred to cream being the lubricant of choice. Should I get some soap for comparison and if so, are there any soaps in particular to consider? Does soap really last that much longer than a tub of cream?

2) Regarding soaps, I've seen some listed as "triple-milled", some "glycerin-based"... Are those different?

3) Is it necessary to store the razor somewhere other than the bathroom, due to concerns about humidity and rust?

4) Regarding stropping, some say to use the linen/canvas, some say they don't bother... Some say linen first and then the leather side, others the reverse... Some say 15 passes, some 30, some 60... Help! Lots of conflicting info.

5) Same for honing or "touching up" the blade - how quickly should I expect to need to somehow touch up (via strop and some sort of paste, I guess) or re-hone the blade? I know that a dull blade is a bad thing (heck, I've known that since Boy Scouts!) but I don't know what to expect in terms of the amount of shaving that can occur before needing to somehow touch up the blade.

A lot of the material I have read touches upon many of the questions above, but often the information is somewhat conflicting, so I figured it was worth a try to ask here. I've already had a lot of responses to a question I posted earlier about hanging the strop, so thanks - I may be heading over to the hardware store for a hook.

Anyway, thanks to Lynn and friends for providing a place to learn about this art, and thanks to the members for being a friendly and helpful lot. It's a shame that this sort of knowledge isn't passed down anymore, but luckily with the advent of the Internet, it's easier to share it.