Thread: Newbie questions

Greetings,

I came across the straight razor community through an RSS feed on DIY life.

Are straight razors making a comeback? - DIY Life

That article caught my interest so here I am. In the chance that you guys are wondering why there was a sudden surge in new users (if, perhaps there was) that might be why.

I'm a Mach 3 user (yes, the one with a AAA battery - I'm sure that's a bad word around here) looking to be reformed. I'm sick of throwing away money on cartridges, which you have to do or else those blades start to sting.

I read through the linked how-to guide called The-Straight-Razor-Shave.pdf by Christopher Moss and that got me pointed in the right direction, however I have some questions that remain unanswered. Would any of you be kind enough to answer them for me?

1. I'm considering getting the Dovo "Classic Black", 5/8" Carbon Steel Straight Razor from Vintage Blades. It seems like a good bargain starter razor. Any other recommendations?

2. I'm considering getting the pre-honed service along with that razor, via Mr. Abrams who seems to be highly regarded for this service. Considering that, will I need to use a strop before shaving the first time?

3. That how-to guide wasn't clear on how often to use a strop. How often? I'm presuming every time before you shave, since that's the cliche that comes to mind when I think about barber shops, but I'm not certain.

4. I got some shaving brushes from my grandpa when he passed a few years ago. How can I determine their quality and if they're still usable?

5. I'm considering using Col Conk Amber Shave Soap the first time since it's popular. Good choice to start off? I figure that since it's marketed towards sensitive skin, that would make my first shave better.

Thanks in advance and feel free to refer me to other threads.

-mod