Time to introduce myself...
Hello gentlemen,
I figured it's about time I introduced myself. I've been lurking around here for quite a while (mainly the B/S/T forum). Anyway, I switched DE back in October or so of last year. I shaved with a DE for a while and loved it. Then, as I'm sure you can all relate, the straight bug bit me (and it bit me bad!).
At first, I bought a 5/8 from JoshEarl and then I bought a 7/8 W&B that Josh had also restored. I love both of them, and I'm finally getting good enough with them that I shave exclusively with a straight and I am getting amazing shaves with no cuts or even irritation! These shaves definitely feel better than my DE shaves, but I can't exactly put my finger on what it is about them that I like better.
Interestingly though, I only do "method shaving," as opposed to using all the traditional soaps and creams. I own and have used most of the usual suspects of the traditional soaps and creams, but nothing -- and I mean NOTHING -- is even in the same ballpark as the Hydrolast stuff. I think it made my transition to straight quite a bit easier.
My latest concern is that I now want to try my hand at honing, which I can already see is not going to be a cheap undertaking!
Anyway, thanks for all the great advice on here, and also thanks for reading this long rambling post. I'm going to do my best to contribute as I become more and more knowledgeable about straight shaving.
