Thread: Just starting out.

Originally Posted by pilothaz

I just found my dad's brush, mug and soap (his brush is not an amazing one but it will work). Now i must wait for tomorrow and goto the Barber's to see about the razor.

Now THAT is a great start! You're getting a lot of great introductions here and solid advice so I'll just confuse with some more of my own.

Most guys here use the Norton to hone with and that's why we talk about it and recommend it, because we're on the same page. Some guys use pasted strops or barber hones more and they give equally good advice about those tools, you'll just get a little less of it which might not be a bad thing since you'd likely end up dodging the differences of opinions.

Your family/girlfriend are right. You'll get a few substandard shaves and you'll nick yourself a bit, but if you focus on the right things, the learning curve can be quite swift. What are the right things?
1. Patience! Apply this to everything you do with regards to shaving from here on forward and you'll minimise a lot of heartache. That means beard prep, stropping, shaving and possibly honing (and in that order as well).
2. Prioritise. Your first goal is NOT to get the best shave out of the gate. Your first goal is to cause yourself no harm. The great shaves will occur in their time and it may be sooner than you expect. Better to have them laugh at you because you missed a spot than because you're razed to redness or worse.
3. Enjoy. Shaving can really take on a new place in your life with a straight. One of contemplation, relaxation, appreciation and pride. Give yourself the opportunity to let all the pennies drop and before long you'll likely never turn back. Your family might still think you're crazy, some of my friends still do, but that doesn't matter. I know I'm getting the best shaves of my life.

X

P.S. I like your new suit drsch.

Originally Posted by pilothaz

My family/girlfriend do not think that a straight razor is going to be a good enough shave and I will be wasting my time and money on this stuff. Also, they believe I will cut the crap out of my pretty face lol... So hopefully I can do this well and prove them wrong.

you can always get a new girlfriend.

seriously, though, my brother said the same thing. he still makes fun of me for taking so much time to shave (maybe twenty-five minutes, give or take five). your girl is dead wrong, though. the shaves are amazing once you get the hang of it, which won't take too long because it's not really that hard. take the word of a guy who honestly wasn't dissatisfied with his mach 3: you'll notice a drastic difference.

Originally Posted by xman

P.S. I like your new suit drsch.

Change is as good as a holiday

Originally Posted by drsch3

Change is as good as a holiday

Maybe you're right. I sure could use a holiday, that's for sure.

I prefer to focus on shaving, so I take about 10-12 min for a 2-pass shave and that includes prep of the blade/face and blade cleanup/re-strop. My friends and family are resigned to me doing this. My mom has finally seen the light last night:
-I wonder which straight I should take on my road-trip to Ottawa.
-Don't bother with it, just take that DE.
-I already gave it to someone else. I don't save much time over shaving straight and the experience can't compare.
-Oh, ok.
As you can see, I just snuffed out the last glimmer of rebellion in her

I thought I would just add that the mug with brush and soap i found from my dad's is Oldspice mug with old spice soap

Man I have been wanting to try old spice shave soap, and burma too but can't find either one anywhere. Let us know how it works.

P.S. you can start wet shaving even before you get your razors and stuff. I went into using brush and soap before I had a str8 razor and loved it tremendously.

Originally Posted by FUD

Man I have been wanting to try old spice shave soap, and burma too but can't find either one anywhere. Let us know how it works.

P.S. you can start wet shaving even before you get your razors and stuff. I went into using brush and soap before I had a str8 razor and loved it tremendously.

Glen,
I got a whole bunch of Burma shave soap in an ebay deal a while back. PM me, and I'll send you a cake of it.

Originally Posted by FUD

Man I have been wanting to try old spice shave soap, and burma too but can't find either one anywhere. Let us know how it works.

P.S. you can start wet shaving even before you get your razors and stuff. I went into using brush and soap before I had a str8 razor and loved it tremendously.

Yeah FUD I did that last night with the Old Spice and my Gilette razor. I woke up this morning and washed my face and it still felt baby smooth

I will be an old man tomorrow lol turning 22.

Originally Posted by pilothaz

I will be an old man tomorrow lol turning 22.

My oldest son got started @ 14 .