1000 Posts later...

11 month and 1000 posts later, I've racked my brain to think of something witty and clever to post. But since I can't think about anything, I thought I would just ramble on for a bit and since I usually post here the most, I thought this would be the place to put it :)

1) Your razor is sharp: To piggyback off a post a few days ago, lots of folks come here to complain that their razor 'isn't sharp'....well....it likely IS sharp enough but your technique is poor. Poor technique feel almost exactly like a dull razor.

2) Your razor isn't the greatest ever made: To encourage your RAD, once in a while a truly awesome razor comes along that shatters what you thought was a great razor. When I was starting out, I thought my Dovo Bismarck was the greatest and sharpest razor ever made...then I found Wostenholm and I thought it was the greatest razor ever made, then I bought a Boker and I thought it was the greatest razor ever made. No matter how much cache your razor has, there's always another maker out there with a better product...I dare you to find it. :)

3) Wait to buy your first good strop: During the first six months of straight shaving, I managed to absolutely destroy my first strop...don't expect to be any different. If you want to buy a premium strop right off the bat, go with the SRD 3" since they're modular and you can replace the leather part with another leather of your choice after that first six month.

4) VDH brushes are great: My granddad got by with a boar brush for fifty years until his retirement in the mid '80's...after that he went to an electric and I adopted his Fatboy. If it worked for granddad, why not me? I've used mine for nearly a year and it's gotten better and better as the months go by. If you have kids, wait on that expensive brush unless you're independently wealthy. I've considered one of those $200 brushes, but I can feed my kids for a week with that kind of scratch and as much as I enjoy shaving...I like my kids fed too.

5) BBS is a milestone, not a goal: I can enjoy a BBS anytime I want and when I started, it was my goal. Once I learned how to get there on a consistent basis, I realized that it was just a milemarker on my shaving road, not the end of journey. Now that I know I can get there, I've settled on an enjoyable shave, honing, and other destinations.

6) Start as a minimalist: I started with a $20 razor, a $5 VDH brush, $4 Conk soap, and a homemade strop and they all worked fine for me. There's no reason to spend $300+ on a shaving setup if you just want to try this stuff out. If you like your setup, don't kill yourself working overtime just to get the latest and greatest gear. IMHO, killing your budget just to get the pricey luxury gear takes some of the fun out of the adventure.

7) Scuttles? Really?: Scuttles were popularized in a time when folks didn't have running water in the house. The master of the house would draw water from the well and heat it over the stove and then fill his scuttle to keep his lather warm during his shave. So, other than luxury, why do we need these things? Don't you have running water in your house? This follows along the same lines as being a minimalist. Drop your puck into a coffee mug and go for it. If you absolutely MUST have warm lather, toss the mug into your half-filled sink....you DO have warm indoor water, right?:)

So there ya go...have fun and enjoy the ride. It's about fun...not about stuff

Congrats on the milestone..!

Talkative fella arent you..? :)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and heres to the next 1000! :beer1:

Hello, red96ta:

Well said. Thanks for your post.

Regards,
Obie

red96ta,

Thanks for your sensible observations. You're correct. A wet shaver doesn't have to mortgage the farm or starve one's family to participate in the world of straight razor shaving.

Nice milestone - but even nicer post. That is some very sound advice.

Sounds like you are here to stay:)

Awesome advice! I have slaughtered two strops in my first 3 months. Fortunately, I had less than $60 invested in them cumulatively. Now I have a SRD Premium I and I'm so glad I'm not whacking it to pieces!

Comment on BBS very apt. I'm learning also some AMs just to do one pass WTG, do some touch-up, and move on. The Straight gives a better "quick" shave than the disposables ever did, and it's still fun.

Best wishes for your next 1000 posts. May they all be as helpful and on-target as this one.

lol great read. The only thing I can't agree with is the bit about the first strop. My first strop is still going (4 months) without so much as nick.... just lucky?

Congrats on the milestone!

Congrats on the 1000 Red

I personally liked the Flush Cutters thread, you helped a ton of new guys with that one post ....


http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...al-method.html


Keep them coming my friend

Thanks for some great comments.

Before you know it post 10,000 will come and go too.

Way to go on 1000 posts, Red! I`m creeping up on the quadruple digits myself....