My first two weeks...

Let me start by saying I'm a newbie and how impressed I've been with the knowledge and the willingness to share it that I've found on this forum. Many thanks to all of you guys.:D:D:D:D

So on to my story, I've probably done this all bass ackwards. I had two razors that belonged to my wife's grandfather that I had honed by Lynn. Once I got them back I tried them both with reasonable success. After one shave each I then stopped because I didn't have a strop to use (or a wide belt for that matter). As expected I needed a DE to touch up.

So while I was in the land of indecision about which strop to get I laid hands on a Feather AC to further explore whether I'd like this SR stuff. So I've been using the Feather with the Pro Guard blades (they've got like training wheels on them) for about ten days now with only a few nicks on a pre-existing scar. The keys for me have been don't get in a hurry, watch the angle and have a light touch. On those days when I'm pressed for time I select my trusty Gillette Adjustable DE.

So now I've ordered a strop from Tony (2 actually) which arrived today and I have Lynn's DVD. I am looking forward to going back to trying a traditional straight. Oh and I dropped one the straights in the sink so it has to go back to Lynn. :cen I'll keep the Feather for travel.

So now I've got a little experience under my belt with the shaving bit, no to learn the stropping stuff.

I've certainly got a long ways to go, but I'm getting passable shaves with little damage or irritation.

Pat

Hi Pat,

Sounds like you're well on the way. I've always found a light touch gets a better shave too, but that of course means a sharp razor. Which means honing and stropping. Which is what I love about straights - the myriad of new things to learn and skills to obtain.

Practice, combined with not wanting to carve your face into new shapes, will get you there with the shaves - and Lynn's cd, of course. There's plenty of advice on stropping to be found here too. The consensus seems to be go slow, focus on technique and use a light touch.

Good luck and best wishes.

James.