Old Bloke, new at this [posting that is]

Well I finally have worked out how to get a post up - us old blokes are sometimes a little techinically challenged you know.

What led me to this place is that I bought my razor & strop around 1964 and the strop has given up the ghost and I was getting jacked off using my belt to strop my razor so I had the need for a new strop, and getting one that I thought was good led me to go shopping on the internet and I did find somthing that is good.

What I found fascinating is this 'world' of people who use razors, for I sort of thought I was a bit of an eccentric using a razor.

I think the thing that got me in originally was the fact that it was not a throw away object and of being able to 'do it yourself' particularly in being able to create an edge good enough to shave with. Upon reflection I must have been a bit of a greeenie long before it was fashionable.

Over time,certain possessions become a part of your personna, and there is no doubt a razor falls into that category.

The particular razor I bought all those years ago was a Gotta - Soligen made hollow ground in silver steel. The etching on the blade has long since gone and whilst still shiny there are plenty of watermarks, and dark spots on it now. From what I have been able to glean from the internet I do not think Gotta razors are made any more.

Now this particular razor gets a lot of use, for a great passion of mine is cycling - of a more serious nature - and as such have shaved my legs for a lotta years now and this razor gets used for that on a weekly basis. Why do cyclists shave their legs - well that is a whole subject by itself, but it just goes to highlight how much use you can put good eqipment to and it jsut keeps on going

I am starting to warm to the idea of maybe buying a new razor, but I doubt I will get anything like 40 odd years use out of the next one. It is hard to find quality these days [?]

The most encouraging thing is that there is obviously a lot of people out there who still value some of the more traditional things in life. I tend to think that by reading articles shaving with a razor has been raised to an art form whereas to me it is just somthing you do

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Originally Posted by Colin Howkins

I am starting to warm to the idea of maybe buying a new razor, but I doubt I will get anything like 40 odd years use out of the next one. It is hard to find quality these days [?]

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Welcome to SRP, Colin. For me, shaving has been elevated from a daily chore to a daily pleasure. I think that you will find that there are many vintage quality razors for sale and also many new razors being made that are of very high quality.

Good on ya old timer. You bought that razor the year I was born.
Like to know how you kept the razor sharp. I've been using a straight for about 8 months and honing these things seems to be a never ending journey of nearly bit not quite.
Welcome :tu
Brian

Colin,

Hello and Welcome! :)

A pleasure to see yet another Aussie on the forum, and an additional pleasure to see one from Brisbane as well.

Mate, there are quality razors out there to be had, never fear. There are new ones from current manufacturers, or custom made ones from the very talented bladesmiths that frequent this forum. A lot of people also enjoy using refurbished vintage or antique straight razors.

Take a look around the forum. In particular, keep an eye on the Buy/Sell/Trade section. There are generally some very nice pieces for sale there at quite reasonable prices.

I look forward to picking your brains and hearing your experiences in the future. Welcome again!

James.

Welcome to SRP, Colin!
As others have said, there are very good quality new razors and a lot of vintage razors that have been well maintained or have been refurbished. Many users have razors over 100 years old that they use regularly.

The comment in my opening post about quality razors was said somewhat tongue in cheek, for at 62 years of age I don't think I will get to use the next one for 44 years

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Originally Posted by Colin Howkins

The comment in my opening post about quality razors was said somewhat tongue in cheek, for at 62 years of age I don't think I will get to use the next one for 44 years

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I hope you live to eat your words (and that I'm there to laugh at you) because I'm 60.

Welcome Colin!!! Hope to hear you share your experience and knowledge. At 48yo I thought I was one of the elders, now I feel like a young one. Thanks

Welcome to SRP Colin glad to have ya here.....
I bet you have a wealth of experiance to share, good to see another old fart on the boards.....

Welcome aboard young man!;)
You started with a straight the year I was born! 28 years later I started with a straight!

I moved this thread from Rules Site, Comments and Suggestions to a more appropriate venue - The Newbie's Corner.

BTW, Welcome to SRP!

Welcome, Colin and thanks for sharing your great story. Whether or not you'll be able to use the next razor for 44 years remains to be seen, but having joined this forum will make your razor collection grow exponentially during the next few months :D

Welcome, Colin! One great thing about the Internet is realizing that some of the out-of-the-mainstream things you care about are shared by others. I enjoyed reading your story and think you'll find a wealth of resources here--including quality equipment, which is no longer to be found in any old corner store but is certainly still available.

~Rich--58 next month, by the way, and gratified to see another Gentleman in His Prime joining the group. :D

G'day Colin and welcome from another not so young member.

Hey I've got an Uncle who's 105 so we're spring chickens by comparison

I got my first straight razor about 20 years after you and it was also a Gotta. We had an importer here called Barber's Supply and they told me they stopped manufacture some time ago. They sell Dovo razors now but there are plenty of other quality razors available especially on this site.

And btw, nothing eccentric at all about getting the best shave possible... but riding bikes at high speed..... Well I dunno. :D

Welcome! I loved reading your story. It got me thinking: here we have this forum filled with shaving geeks who spend hours and hours researching and experimenting with angles, technique, grit sizes, stroke lengths and what-have-you. The along comes a guy like you, who has just been doing this since before a lot of us were born.

What we have here is a classic example of the calmness and security that comes with age and experience (that would be you ;)), vs. the youhtful zeal an vigor that compensates for the lack of the aforementioned. I for one would love to hear your thoughts on the various stuff that comes along with the actual shaving of the face; not necessarily here, but around the forum. I do hope you stick around and post every now and then. :D