About a week ago I got my first straight razor, a dovo, from Straight Razor Designs. It was their cheapest one there; I didn’t want to spend too much on my first razor. I also got a Strop, a SRD red Latigo, D.R. Harris Shaving soap as well as Harris’ aftershave milk. I also got Lynn’s DVD as well. First thing I did was to pop the DVD in and watch, very informative I thought. The next morning I headed into shave. Well, I don’t have that much to shave. I’m sporting some old time mutton chops so my chin and neck are the only area to take a blade to. So I jumped to it. A hot rinse, lather up, hot towel, more lather, then unsheathe the blade as if it was a rapier and then got down to work. The process was nice. The prep and then the shave itself was a bit like meditation, all thought was on the shave, very relaxing. That is too say until I put on the aftershave milk. Now my throat was red, but after the aftershave treatment it turned purple. After the initial shock of the sting wore off I smiled. “Just classify me as a purple throated dandy” I thought to myself. Purple throated dandies might look a fool, but they learn form their mistakes. I took a look at my shaving paraphernalia and said “that strop needs oil”. On went the oil and now the strop is stropping much better. After the shave the next day I didn’t see a dandy with a purple throat lurking about the bathroom.

Now for a question, I’m still having problems with red bumps and it doesn’t feel like the blade is giving as close of a shave as it should even when I go against the grain. It feels like it’s pulling the hair slightly before cutting it when I try to go against the grain. Should I strop more? I do 60 passes on my strop and am wondering if I should do 100 passes, but on the same note can one over work the blade by doing too much stropping? And then what about the linen side, is it unnecessary, or should I be using it as well?

I must say the first shave with a straight razor beats even the best shave with a multi bladed razor. It’s fun, even if it leaves one’s neck a bit on the tender side.