Shaving revelation, unexpected purchase

Hello Everyone,
I found this site 2 days ago from reading an article on Yahoo news about the cost of disposable blades. I came to SRP with amazement to discover straight razors for the first time.

I quickly became obsessed with changing my shaving routine away from disposables and, recently, Proglide Power.

Today I went to the ClassicShaving storefront in Palm Springs CA, about an hours drive from my place. I was determined to buy a Dovo straight razor. As the salesman, who was great, explained all my options, he showed me some DE safety razors.
I got a good brush, soap, and oil. In the end, it came down to the ease of safety razors vs. the time stropping and honing required of a straight blade.
I decided, for now, to buy the Merkur Barber Pole Razor (Safety Razor) which came with one Merkur blade. I also got a 10 pack of Feather blades.
I went home with a 2 day stubble and had the best, closest and easiest shave of my life of nearly 50 years.
It was a pleasure to apply the pre shave oil, lather up the brush and let the razor effortlessly glide down my face. Why didn't I find this sooner!!!
I am grateful that I found SRP.
One day, I will try a real straight razor.
Hope you don't all thing I'm a traitor. Maybe I shouldn't post anymore on this forum but thanks again for introducing me to these new (for me) ways to shave.
Any replies are welcome.
Thanks and happy shaving,
July10newbie

Congrats on your purchases and welcome to SRP!!!!! Many of the people here started with a DE and transitioned to straight razors, and frankly i wish i had done that. I use my DE on days thats just cant put the time to do a relaxing slow straight shave. Also another good thing is that now u will have time to get your prep down perfectly so when you do start to use a straight thats one less variable to conquer. Anyway welcome again,and what part of SoCal u from?

hey. .that's great.. i too also shaved with a DE today.. i normally use the feather artist club.. but i hadn't shaved in 4 days and i had just received a new brush and was super excited.. so i have a merkur heavy duty for backup.. i hardly use it.. and originally just purchased it cause i was worried if i ran out of blades for the artist club.. i'd be able to get DE blades anywhere.. i have to say DEs are nice too.. they are classy and if ward cleaver used one.. than it's good enough for me.

some people will say that the feather blades might not be the best to start out with .. but i use them cause my artist club also uses feathers.. so i have consistency.. although.. i will say that my artist club blades are even less forgiving than the feather DEs.. just take is slow and DON'T BEAR DOWN!

please forgive me for rambling on.. but also.. how was the shop? i live in los angeles and have yet to make it out to palm springs cause i work pretty much non-stop. but i'd be in heaven set foot in the place.. did you pickup any soaps, creams, or aftershaves? also.. what brush did you go with? welcome to the club.. you'll be learning the secret handshake soon.

Victor,
I enjoyed the shop. It's pretty small but they have a lot of things. It's worth a trip there. Jason who helped me is a straight blader. I got pre shave oil, a brush, soap, a Merkur DE , a brush stand and extra blades.
I came home and had the best shave of my life. DE shaving is so simple and effortless!
I am a musician and composer. Tell me about your artist club.

well.. i had originally wanted to get into straights cause i'm a bit of a retrophile and liked the idea of an "old school" way of doing things.. after reading about things forever i decided i was too lazy to strop and hone and all that.. plus the artist club seemed way cooler.. so i just bit the bullet and purchased the dx model.. it used an injectable type of blade and is essentially just like a straight razor without the maintenance.. i dove in head first and threw my mach3 away.. i had already been using a soap and brush for a few years.. but once the bug hits.. i had to start trying different soaps and creams and other stuff.. if you don't watch it.. you can end up spending more than you'd think on all this crazy shaving stuff.. i've even gone so far as to buy a ceramic sake shot glass to soak my brush in while i shower.. it matches the rice bowl i got to build my lather in..

anyway.. i dove in head first and started fully shaving with the artist club.. it took me about 3 weeks before i started getting decent shaves.. i also ended up trading in my professional blades for the professional light version.. they are less aggressive on my not so seriously full beard. i love the artist club and don't see myself ever straying from it.. if i ever do buy normal straights.. it would probably be just to collect them and i doubt they would take the place of my artist club..

but.. i say that now.. who knows what the future will bring.. i could end up being one of those crazy wedge guys that shave with 16/8 sized axes or something.

I just googles the artist club razor. Is your razor like a straight but with disposable blades? How many shaves do you get from each of these blades?

It's a great feeling, that first decent shave. Congratulations on getting there.

I started with a DE and have recently started with straight razors. I alternate daily between the two.

I enjoy the preparation as much as the end result.

Enjoy your new found hobby.

yeah.. i use the light blades and they last me about a week and a half.. with a day skipped occasionaly.. so i'd say about 8 shaves.. but my beard is very light on the cheeks.. i mainly have a chin strap with a mustache and a light soul patch.. i started with the professionals and the first couple shaves were always very slow.. i started dulling them a bit by running then across a wine cork.. then i found the lights. they work great.. i purchased it from classic shaving..

here is the page..

The Feather "No-Sharpen" Straight Razor

i can't say enough about them.. as soon as i'm rolling in dough i plan on having it rescaled in something real sexy.. i was thinking translucent horn or maybe some faux tortoise shell or something.. that way i could have a futuristic blade with a nice retro throwback..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by July10newbie

Hello Everyone,
I found this site 2 days ago from reading an article on
...snip...
I decided, for now, to buy the Merkur Barber Pole Razor (Safety Razor) which came with one Merkur blade. I also got a 10 pack of Feather blades.
I went home with a 2 day stubble and had the best, closest and easiest shave of my life of nearly 50 years.....snip...

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Welcome to the modern version of the old world
of wet shaving.

Brushes, soaps....