Hi Everybody,
I'm ready for the new year, first shave with a straight razor, enter manhood with a face full of gashes.
But I was a bit antsy buying my first straight on line at Amazon. I thought I did enough background reading and taking my grad student budget into consideration, i bought a "soringen" made blade that seems to have been really made in pakistan. With that, i have an unhoned razor and i'm debating whether I should even bother with it now. I checked out a couple of the SRP members' websites and was swept off my feet by the images of steamy masculine straight edge virility. But i'm so pooooooor
Seriously, i'm pretty down about the 60 bucks i threw at this blade and want to shred my face and head with swaggering confidence of Clint Eastwood, not the bumble fingers of Woody Allen.
Any suggestions? Reviews I've read about the blade are mixed, from it's too soft to hone properly to it does a good enough job. I'll spend twice as much though at our respected members' sites. Any new year's specials? What do i do with Pakistan's finest? (no disrespect to desi's. many a roommates and friends from south asia)

thanks for any and all suggestions!