58 year old First Straight Razor Shave

[mikegeorge]

I will be 58 in August and just had my first straight razor shave today. I have used a Shun kitchen knife a few times to get a feel of straight razor shaving. My first razor purchase was a Robert Williams 7/8 Square Point Quarter Hollow dressed in Mammoth Ivory. My second razor was a Robert Williams "The Purist". I have a full beard so I thought the Purist would be easier to maneuver around my beard. I purchased a 5/8 George Johnson 7 stars Sheffield 1/2 hollow as a learning tool. My first shave was successful, no cuts, nicks or weepers. I usually nick myself about 2 - 3 times a week using my DE slant.

I used both the Purist and the George Johnson. I was surprised at how good it felt to shave. I have always been a shower shaver, so this was a new experience to shave at a sink before showering. My lather was a little dry but I will fix that tomorrow.

I shaved both my neck area and cheeks with a single pass and finished in the shower with my DE. I have a thin mustache, so I have a small area to shave below my nose and had no problem with the 8/8 Purist. I actually liked the wider blade over the 5/8. I felt like I could see the blade easier to control shaving around my beard. I felt like I had more control than using a DE. I initially thought a 4/8 made more sense, but now I prefer a larger blade.

I hope I continue to have a good experience. I was planning on only using a straight only on weekends, but I might use a straight every day. I think I like the Japanese style razor better because of my beard. The grip felt more natural to me.

Many thanks to this forum, Edward Coyle, Bradley Gardner & Robert Williams for their help and recommendations.