Long time listener, first time caller...
Let me first thank everyone on this forum for starting a community that is not only extremely helpful, but is also courteous and friendly. Your behavior as a group reflects highly upon you all.
I've been looking into straight razor shaving for about 2 months now and (remembering my grandfather) became highly interested in it as an alternative to the cartridge razor that mangled my skin and the electric razor which never, ever cut close enough for me. So after quite a while of researching the ins and outs of SR shaving (which, as I said before, this community was been critical in my information gathering) I decided to take the plunge and buy a starter set from Vintage Blades. I've now been shaving for over a week and a half and I would like to share some of my ruminations for all those out there who may be lurking, deciding, or starting down this road that is more than morning grooming.
Let me state flatly that I know that some of the information can be intimidating for those who are just starting out. There are lists of what you can and can't do, what you should and shouldn't do, and that some of the stipulations and procedures necessary to achieve a successful shave are nigh insurmountable. However, draw faith in this statement; learning comes swiftly at the edge of a blade. I am a US Army Soldier stationed in the Horn of Africa. This puts restrictions on the things that "are mandatory", by all accounts, for a proper shave (hot shower, hot water, and anything else that needs to be hot besides the weather). I shave inside my room with a bottle of "warm" water from the tap in the latrine into a basin (read, Ziploc container) with a mirror that is this (O) big. You don't need a lot to get a lot and (as I said earlier) the blade teaches you what is right and wrong very quickly.
After little more than a week I've gone from electric shave "close" to "WOW! that’s close" with very little effort and I know anyone else can to. The only requirement is that you don't look at this a morning grooming ritual and you look at it as a hobby. I'm not saying that you need to invest into the massive collections of razors that some have (no offense Lynn, but if you are looking to unload one or two of the shave ready ones :tu), but if you look at this as a skill/hobby that you can learn to invest in yourself with, then you will draw a lot more pleasure out of this whole process. Also, as any hobby, it’s easier if you have a guiding hand through the process, this is open to everyone on three levels. One, if you can get one of the pre-sharpened razors by Lynn Abrams then you will truly be able to see what shaving should be, mine is a Dovo Ebony (and since I doubt I'll ever get to thank you in person Mr. Abrams, thank you very much for this service). Second, if you get The DVD by the same Mr. Abrams, you will be given more information in 3 hours than a month of reading, I promise. That DVD is a great blessing for all newbies and can't be given high enough praise. The last, is the very website you are reading this on and the community that inhabits it...but then, you already knew about that one...I hope.
Most fears that anyone who hasn't started shaving are the same...cutting your face off (or some other such nonsense). Let me fist say that if you don't think you can deal with the sight of your own blood, this might not be the best route for you. However, if you are shaving to begin with, then I would expect that you've dealt with seeing your face bleeding already and are not overly perturbed by it; I can assure you that the majority of the "cuts" you will give yourself are not any larger than the ones you gave yourself when you first started shaving. The other fear is the pain of cutting yourself or using the razor. Both are unfounded because, if you cut yourself, these blades are so sharp that (I assure you) you won't feel it. You will feel a funny sensation as the razor crosses your skin incorrectly, but it will not be a feeling of pain. As for pain in using the razor, if you feel pain, STOP! That is your skin telling you that you are doing something wrong (more than likely, in my findings, an error of angle). These fears for me are ironic, because they are the very foundations of developing shave technique quickly. Your fear in hurting yourself is an incredibly effective tool for teaching oneself how not to do things. So, you make a mistake, it hurts or bleeds, and you learn and move on. I promise you that is why such a thing that should be difficult isn't. Because everyone learns pretty quickly when they feel their skin is on the line.
So how has my past week and a half gone? Well, the first day was good not a single nick. The second day was a horror show and I mangled my face pretty well. The next few days was a process of learning to navigate my newfound "problem areas" (cheek bone, far corner of my jaw line, and upper lip). Then on Friday, a breakthrough shave, BBS on my cheeks/sideburns and noticeably closer shave on my chin and neck. That was my first "great" shave. Then the weekend has been a learning process or trying to refine my chin shaving technique. I can get super close everywhere else except for my chin and I will continue to refine the craft. The bottom line is that you can go a long way in a short while.
Closing thoughts: Don't get discouraged. Find your own way (think of the minimal resources that gentlemen had 100 years ago and they managed). A styptic pencil is your best friend (I had no idea that they made miracle in stick form). Lastly, Lynn Abrams for president!
Ex Africa Semper Aliquid Novi
Ecclesiastes 5:10
