Thread: Excited

hey guys,

I've been lurking the forum for just over a month now investigating getting into straight shaving. It's always interested me, and I love the idea of not having to buy replacement cartridges(they always seem like a rip off). I also don't shave very often, but like to take my time when I do. I can't stand shaving and then having rough spots left over after, so I usually spend like 30 minutes shaving with a cartridge. Sometimes I'll use my electric for a "first draft" and then follow with my cartridge.

So after almost a month of shopping and going back and forth on if I'm going to do this or not, I finally ordered my kit a couple days ago, should be arriving by the end of the week.

Anyways, everyone I know told me not to do it, cause it's dangerous or whatever reason (I'm 24, and look younger). Even the guy @ the Personal Edge brushed me off when I asked about buying one ("You ever watch silence of the lambs?" was the speech I got when I asked about it). But I got the go ahead from the wife to spend the money, if I wanted to, so I ordered a TI set online (Thiers Issard Complete Straight Razor Set Black, Save $35 | Fendrihan Shaving Store), not sure what the quality will be of the kit, but I'm sure it'll be good enough to start. There's absolutely no brick and mortar support around here for this stuff, so I didn't want to miss anything.


I just have to say this site is awesome and it's really helped convince me to go for it and give straight shaving a try. I know this is a pretty useless post, but I just wanted to let out some of the excitement without running telling everyone I know about how excited I am about something I haven't even done yet. Like going for your first jog in years and then telling everyone you're training for a marathon or whatever I'd feel like a poser.

So thank you to everyone here, especially Lynn, it's an awesome site, and I look forwards to sharing this art with you guys.

Welcome to SRP! As a fellow newbie to the world of straight razor shaving, it's good to see other people my age getting into this. Cheers.

Hello, DCollier:

Welcome to Straight Razor Place. No, sir, your post is far from useless, so keep posting about your experience.

You are starting out with quality equipment. Now take your time to hone your skills as you embrace the ritual of wet shaving with the straight razor.

We are delighted you have joined us.

Regards,
Obie

Welcome to SRP. You'll be glad you made the switch to a straight razor, just remember it is a learned skill and will take some time and patience on your part for you to get the point of having the best shaves of your life. As for your starting gear, that looks to be a great starting kit, my main concern would be whether the razor is actually "Shave Ready." Sharp and shave ready are 2 different things. If it is not shave ready, check the member services here for someone who offers honing and contact them about honing your razor. Best of luck and keep us posted.

I purchased a razor from that site and the razor I bought was extremely sharp.

It's a great kit and I'm sure it will be shave ready. A quick email to them never hurt tho.

Welcome to SRP.

As far as I know, Dan Gauthier from Montreal does the shave-ready sharpening for Fendrihan. He's also listed in the classifieds (floppyshoes) if you need a touch up, and has put a superb edge on every razor I have sent him.

Have fun!

The words you are getting from peopple around you is a product of 100 years worth of marketing. The first job of marketing is to sell you a product regardless of its the right product for you or if its in your best interests to buy that product - their three most important rules are: SELL, SELL, SELL. If its not in your best interests to buy or if its really not the right product for you thats not really relevant.

When the safety razor first made its appearance on the market in approximatly 1900, King Cap Gilette (the man who started the comapny called Gillette) and Col Jacob Shick (now owned by Enigizer) couldn't sell their product and with good reason. Men had an excellent product and were getting great shaves from it and the razor was often passed from generation to generation along with the necessary schooling to do the job. Costs were minimal and the return was very high. Men had no need for the product called a safety razor and the two were quickly going out of business. They had to do something and what they did was called marketing (today we call it spin (outright lieing and the twisting of reality to the point that it does not resemble reality any more)). They framed their competitiors products as dangerous, which in truth they were no more dangerous then Gillette or Shick's products were at the time. They had to get people to believe it since their products cost a lot more in the long run then the straight did. So they conned people into believing it.

The problem with their sucess was in the details, which is where the devil typically is. They were able to conn the public into buying a product that cost significantly more and gave less in return for the dollars but there was a problem. Competition was the problem. A lot of other comapnies saw an oportunity to make a bundle by making the blades and thus there were hundreds of companies making the blades and costs dropped for the blades.

What were Gillette and Shick to do they had a product that that could make millions but the compeition was eating into their business. They had to eliminate the competition. The answer came in the form of exploiting copyright laws. The cartridge razor offered a way to eliminate competition, by producing a razor that required repeated buying of blades that were available from only one source they could control the market and charge anything at all.

Today this is best seen when you look at the costs of cartridges as oposed to double edge blades. Currently CVS is selling Proctor and Gamble Gilette Fusion Pro Glide cartridges for $4.50 each and double edge blades for $.50 (they are Personna blades).

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The people you are talking to are listening to the marketing. Don't, think for yourself. The straight is no more dangerous then the ProGlide. I saw The Silence of the Lambs and saw Hanibal Lecter hack victims with a straight. Look closer, the devil is where he typically is, in the details. Look at the way Lecter is holding that straight, look at the sawing motion he makes when the blade comes into contact with the skin. Of course he cut up his victims with a straight. These are two things a straight shaver never does.

and all along I've been thinking that safety razors succeeded because they can provide a very nice shave with minimal time, effort, and maintenance required

You are correct hogaloo, they did allow their customers to shave catatonic with minimal maintenance. The troubble is to an experienced straight shaver the difference in the speed and maintenance is minimal.

Whoa... What just happened? Where am I?

Originally Posted by jbcohen

The words you are getting from peopple around you is a product of 100 years worth of marketing. The first job of marketing is to sell you a product regardless of its the right product for you or if its in your best interests to buy that product - their three most important rules are: SELL, SELL, SELL. If its not in your best interests to buy or if its really not the right product for you thats not really relevant.

When the safety razor first made its appearance on the market in approximatly 1900, King Cap Gilette (the man who started the comapny called Gillette) and Col Jacob Shick (now owned by Enigizer) couldn't sell their product and with good reason. Men had an excellent product and were getting great shaves from it and the razor was often passed from generation to generation along with the necessary schooling to do the job. Costs were minimal and the return was very high. Men had no need for the product called a safety razor and the two were quickly going out of business. They had to do something and what they did was called marketing (today we call it spin (outright lieing and the twisting of reality to the point that it does not resemble reality any more)). They framed their competitiors products as dangerous, which in truth they were no more dangerous then Gillette or Shick's products were at the time. They had to get people to believe it since their products cost a lot more in the long run then the straight did. So they conned people into believing it.

The problem with their sucess was in the details, which is where the devil typically is. They were able to conn the public into buying a product that cost significantly more and gave less in return for the dollars but there was a problem. Competition was the problem. A lot of other comapnies saw an oportunity to make a bundle by making the blades and thus there were hundreds of companies making the blades and costs dropped for the blades.

What were Gillette and Shick to do they had a product that that could make millions but the compeition was eating into their business. They had to eliminate the competition. The answer came in the form of exploiting copyright laws. The cartridge razor offered a way to eliminate competition, by producing a razor that required repeated buying of blades that were available from only one source they could control the market and charge anything at all.

Today this is best seen when you look at the costs of cartridges as oposed to double edge blades. Currently CVS is selling Proctor and Gamble Gilette Fusion Pro Glide cartridges for $4.50 each and double edge blades for $.50 (they are Personna blades).

-------------
The people you are talking to are listening to the marketing. Don't, think for yourself. The straight is no more dangerous then the ProGlide. I saw The Silence of the Lambs and saw Hanibal Lecter hack victims with a straight. Look closer, the devil is where he typically is, in the details. Look at the way Lecter is holding that straight, look at the sawing motion he makes when the blade comes into contact with the skin. Of course he cut up his victims with a straight. These are two things a straight shaver never does.