Thread: Newbie with questions please help!

Hello all,

I am pretty young guy, 24 years old, and am thinking about taking the plunge and switching to a straght razor. The gillete fusions and shick quatros just dont give me a close a shave as id like, and i admire the craftmanship of a straight razor. I have got a pretty thick beard, and have had one for some time now, probably been haveing to shave every day since i was 17-18. I get a good shadow in the afternoon from a morning shave. My question is will shaving with a straigh razor cause my beard to get even tougher and grow even faster? I dont know if this is a dumb question but i dont want to be forced to shave mulitiple times a day when im in my 20's. Also if you have any tips on where to get a good first set that doesnt cost a fortune im open to hear it. Thanks in advance!

thickbeard

Hello and welcome to SRP. A straight razor will most definitely not cause your beard to get thicker or grow faster. (I wish it made my beard grow faster, I'd love to be able to shave twice a day) It's been my experience that a three pass straight razor shave shaves me much more closely than any cartridge or DE razor ever has. That being said it does take some time to build up the skills required to do that. If you decide to take the plunge into straight razor shaving I'd recommend starting slowly. Take your time to pick up the skills needed. With thick beards your prep will be very important. Ask questions and expect some razor burn and a nick or two while you are learning. If need be you can always touch up with your fusion during the learning process. After a week or two you'll start to realize why so many of us will never switch back. Some time this month is my 8 year anniversary of straight razor shaving. I've never regretted it, and I doubt you will regret it either.

Welcome thickbeard and don't worry about that stubble getting tougher. I don't think anyone has experienced that.

A good first set ? Check the BST forum or just wait. Someone will probably offer help soon

kenrup sales some pretty good sets, depending on the price you want to pay you could look for a Wapi or if you ahve a few extra pennies laying around you could get a brand new Dovo. I've bought a razor from "www.theinvisibleedge.com" its a vintage razor which came shave ready - definitely worth a look.

i'm 19, really need to shave everyday but a shave from my straight if anything lasts longer than my quatro/mach3/fusion ever did.

i've not been at this long but already getting my technique down, you'll be surprised by how fast you pick it up if you take your time.

Daniel

Welcome to the SRP thickbeard. I'm fairly new to this and thus far I've found that the combination of a straight razor and the shave products that we use (shave soaps, creams, aftershaves, etc.) have yielded a much softer beard and better skin for me. Furthermore, for the first time since I started shaving regularly at 15, the patch of razor burn that I've always had on my neck is gone.

One warning however: don't expect to put your quattro away right away (you'll need it to clean up a few spots), and expect it to take a few months of learning before you will really get a shave that's closer that your quattro all over your face. My mach 3 is still in my cabinet, and while my cheeks are getting their best shaves ever, I'm still working on the area right under my jaw.

Straight shaving is definitely not for those who give up easily.

Take the plunge brother, you'll be glad you did. As for a set up, you may wish to post a note on the buy/sell/trade thread, you'll get the quickest results.

Do it thickbeard, and don't look back.
I started a few months ago and am just now getting consistent results. Its all about the journey.
Do not buy a new cheap setup, buy something already tried and true from one of these guys.
I had to throw down my Mach3 during training and went with a DE to learn from and touch up.
Learn to prep, take your time and learn about the edge.
Make sure you use this forum, these guys are all over it.

Welcome aboard and keep us posted.

Sean

Kenrup is a good source for starter sets that can be just a straight or a combo package that includes a str8 and strop. Check it out.

I would like to thank everyone for the tips, advice, and quick response! I am on the road for business the next few weeks, but will probably switch over to the straight razor when i get home and have a chance to shop around for my first set. Im sure i will be back with more questions, and i will keep you posted on my progress. Thanks again!

thickbeard