Thread: An Introduction

Hello. I am not new to using a straight razor as this was the instrument that my father taught me to shave with when I first started shaving some 20+ years ago. He shaved with both a straight and a safety razor.

I am however new to SRP and have been lurking about for about 3 months, reading and learning. This is my first post, and I wanted to say thank you to all the members for their volumes of info and willingness to help out.

About a year ago I picked up the straight razor again. I purchased the Col Cronk starter kit (razor, strop, brush, soap) that was at my local cigar and pipe store (I do those things too). I quickly went home lathered up and put it to my face. Ouch, that was a very bad experience. Shaving with a straight is not like getting back on a bike, and like many have said, the razors aren't shave ready out of the box.

I aquired a couple of my fathers old razors and have been shaving with them since the Cronkster was not sharp.

I also was walking down town Palm Springs (I live close by) one day and saw a bunch of straight razors in the window. I went back only to find out that it is the ClassicShaving.com store they recently opened. I purchased an $89.00 Dovo 6/8 I believe straight from them that was shave ready. I would recommend to anyone just starting out to go that route vice what I did a year ago. Also, David, the guy that works the shop floor during the day is one heck of a nice guy. What else I did was quickly ditch the strop that came in my starter set and bought a 3" one from Tony Miller at thewellshavedgentleman.com. I can not recommend his strop enough. Once I got that strop, I have had nothing but BBS shaves.

Now my challenge is to learn to hone on my Cronkster and the e-bay specials I have been aquiring (I suffer from RAD alredy). I have a Norton 1K, 4K, and 8K. After that progression, I strop the heck out of it on the linen strop followed by the leather. I get a pretty good shave, but all the reading I have been doing, I think I can get it a little better. I am going to get a 12K stone tomorrow at the shave shop, and have some ChroOx coming from a member here. Hopefully I can get the Cronkster to be really sharp.

Well I really felt that I should share this all, since this site has been really helpful to me. Thanks again for all the good advice.

-- Scott