My first straight razor yesterday was a gimmee.

My second shave, this morning, was a more, shall we say, educational experiience. I hadn't yet received my strop, but assumed that there surely could not be that much difference in the razor from one shave to the next. First mistake. Second, after nicking myself once, repeated the stroke expecting a different result. Einstein was correct when he defined insanity as doing something the same way and expecting a different result. Finally, I failed to pay attention to the end of the razor, not realizing that I had cut my left ear until I saw the blood flowing forth.

Fortunately, styptic remedied all things and I lived to laugh about it. What a challenge this is! I can't wait until my strop arrives...but of course I now know I must.