I found SRP during a Google search on straight razors and realized both how complex the subject was, and what a generous amount of expertise is available here. Over a few weeks, I read the forums, watched the videos and decided to try it. I went down to the local Barber supply to see what was available: Not much. I bought a Hess Ezy Shave and Persona injector blades for it. I already had the Surrey soap and an economy brush from DE shaving.

The last five weeks, I've been learning to shave almost inch by inch as one SRP member suggested. I'm now at the point of doing both sideburns, both cheeks and my entire neck. The second stroke on the neck is still a challenge. I suffered many small nicks and cuts at the start, but they come less and less. The alum pencil fixes them. I've learned to recognize that creepy, electric feeling of a sharp blade about to cut skin and to back off the blade. The only really bloody episode came when I carelessly shaved off a mole on my cheek: WOW did that bleed. I could take my pulse by watching it pump. That took twenty minutes of direct pressure to stop. The cutting was surprisingly painless.

My main gift this Christmas will be a Dovo straight, strop and stone. The member who said straight shaving was addicting was right on.