Thread: At last - end of enforced lurking!

I've been enduring enforced lurking for a couple of weeks now. Somehow I'd got hld of a slightly iffy address for SRP and I could join but it wouldn't let me look at any more than the first page of any forum and none of the assorted clicks to move around wouldn't work. VERY FRUSTRATING!

Anyway, I've found the proper site and I'm in!

I'd like to introduce myself. My name's Gareth and I've come here from the dark side, Badger & Blade! Been wet shaving with a DE or injector since I was 16 which was 38 years ago now. Had a long time off in the middle with a beard though. I needed the extra minutes in bed.

Straight razors seemed a natural addition to the DE so I picked up a cheap shavette and played with it for a few weeks before deciding to go for it and get a proper straight.

Looking through the bits of the forum I could get at during my enforced lurking, I came up with a selection of names of quality blade dealers. I found one I liked the look of (and could afford with the other extras like strop and hone!) at John Crowley's Shavingshop.com. For the princely sum of $54.95 + $20 for honing,he's supplied me with one of his budget 6/8 German Hoppe razors. It arrived a couple of days ago. A very nice bit of steel and plastic and much better balanced than the shavette! I had my first go with it tonight as it's the first night I've not been out playing my squeezebox at a pub session or morris practice!

Not a brilliant shave but I know it takes time and practice and I'm looking forward to tomorrow night when I'll have my next go. Got a half decent shave on the cheeks, useless under the chin! Finished it off with the old Futur! That's my intention from now on, start with the straight and see how far I get and clean up with the DE. Eventually I should just use the straight

Thank you John if you're reading this. I'm well pleased with my first straight.

I also bought an old razor in quite decent condition at a car boot sale in Gloucester for £1 the other day and I'll be practicing honing on that. It was pretty sharp when I got it and it takes the hairs off my arm just after a quick strop. It may even turn into a good user. It doesn't have a make on it, just the shop name in Wales.

Anyway, I'm going on a bit with the excitement of actually being able to post here so I'll finish.

Hoping to get lots more good info and maybe even contibute a bit myself when I've been at it long enough!

Iechyd Da!

Gareth

Welcome,

B and B is a fantastic site and we welcome all their members. You've got two great razors and we look forward to all your input! Have fun!!

Greetings Gareth. I'm new here too and your first shave with a straight sounds a lot like mine did, under the chin looked like I hadn't even shaved. That's still a difficult area for me and I'm usually sporting a red razor line under there somewhere, but I think you'll be surprised at how quickly the results improve over your next few shaves.

Lots of good people and advice to be found here.

Hello Gareth and welcome!

This is definitely the place to get good info. The learing curve's steep but fun, and there's loads of people here who are more than happy to help and give advice along the way.

Cheers,

James.

Gareth,

Welcome to the forum and the world of straight razors.
You will definately get better using a straight. In no time
at all you will be shaving like an ole pro.....


Terry

Welcome aboard! There's nothing wrong with cross-memberships b/w forums. I'm also fairly active at SMF but I find myself mostly discussing straights lol.

Welcome!

I'm only in my 3rd or 4th week of shaving with a str8. I did exactly what you are going to do. Start with the Straight and then switch to the DE or M3. About week 2 for me, I was able to do my whole face and neck. Weeks 3 and 4 the shaves keep getting closer. I've even had 1 or 2 shaves that were totally bloodless! I highly recommend Lynns video "World of Straight Razor Shaving". I learned a new technique for shaving my neck, that I tried today. As close or closer than my old M3!

Have fun with it!

Ray

Welcome!

B&B has some nice features, and you'll surely recognize some of the people here...

Keep at it and share your progress (I am also in the same category as you)

Cheers
Ivo

Welcome Gareth!

When I started with a straight I would touch up anywhere that needed it with an electric. Soon the electric just wasn't needed anymore and dropped out of the picture. I still keep it around for if I want to fly somewhere with just a carry-on, but otherwise it doesn't see any use.

My electric has been relegated to the sideburn trimmer role