Thread: Just Received My First Straight Razor

Hello there everybody! Let me start by saying that this forum and the people here have been extremely helpful to me! I finally received my first straight razor in the mail today. I am posting pictures up to see what you think. If you have seen my first post on this forum I was actually worried after i had already purchased this razor as i wasn't sure if it was coming from a reputable place. Granted I should have looked at the list of razors and places not to be that is on this forum, but I didn't even know this place existed before I had ordered it. Please take a look at these pictures and let me know what you think. Pardon my feet in some of the pictures please. I was having trouble getting my phone to focus in my barracks room as the lighting is the greatest. Also, I will be waiting until this weekend to try my first shave as being in the military I am in a rush to get ready for work after the morning PT. So I am definitely open to your advice. I plan on following the steps to the your first shave thread on here. So saturday will only be my cheeks.

Hi, firstly the feet in the photo is hilarious! Do you have a strop? I guess your first shave will tell you if you need a hone or to get it honed. Good idea to wait until the weekend before your shave, you will need to put aside a good hour. Take it slowly, only a bit at a time, light, short strokes. Nice looking razor BTW.

Dovo have a good reputation, best of luck, and watch out for those toes.

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Hi, firstly the feet in the photo is hilarious! Do you have a strop? I guess your first shave will tell you if you need a hone or to get it honed. Good idea to wait until the weekend before your shave, you will need to put aside a good hour. Take it slowly, only a bit at a time, light, short strokes. Nice looking razor BTW.

SOTD right there.

Originally Posted by Grazor

SOTD right there.

No, no, not till he uses it...We'll look forward to the SOTD post on Saturday, Private DAHE4!

I do have a strop, the razor came with a strop, leather travel case for the razor, soap, bowl, and boar brush. I am thinking about trying the shave soap and the boar brush with my normal shave tomorrow morning. That way I can get a little practice in on making a good lather. I am definitely going to take my time this saturday when I try to shave with it. I am honestly scared of it, but at the same time I am excited! I may be weird but oh well. lol

Originally Posted by DAHE4

I do have a strop, the razor came with a strop, leather travel case for the razor, soap, bowl, and boar brush. I am thinking about trying the shave soap and the boar brush with my normal shave tomorrow morning. That way I can get a little practice in on making a good lather. I am definitely going to take my time this saturday when I try to shave with it. I am honestly scared of it, but at the same time I am excited! I may be weird but oh well. lol

Yeah, I was shit scared when I got my Burrell two years ago. I thought there is NO way that's going near my face! That first shave with a straight is so cool, you'll feel like you've skinned yourself afterwards, your skin will feel so raw. It feels so cool to shave with a straight the first time; you feel so gung ho.

Great idea about practising with the lather. You want an 'oomphy' lather that's not dry at all, and not TOO frothy. You want cushion and glide. Pre-shave cream like Proraso can really help a beginner. What sort of soap did you get?

Carl

BTW, I note on your other thread you have a Norton 4/8. Just wondering if you have a plan if you feel the razor isn't sharp enough on the first shave? Also, do you plan to strop before the shave? If so, how many strokes? I'd like to offer you a plan if you don't have a plan...FWIW...

Originally Posted by DAHE4

I do have a strop, the razor came with a strop, leather travel case for the razor, soap, bowl, and boar brush. I am thinking about trying the shave soap and the boar brush with my normal shave tomorrow morning. That way I can get a little practice in on making a good lather. I am definitely going to take my time this saturday when I try to shave with it. I am honestly scared of it, but at the same time I am excited! I may be weird but oh well. lol

Good idea trying the soap and brush first. Stropping takes a bit of practice, so maybe try the razor without stropping it. Depending where it came from, it should be good to go out of the box.

It came with Van Der Hagen soap. I know it is a cheaper one, but it came with the razor and is something to start out with. I don't have a plan set in stone for the shave on saturday. I am still trying to figure out this strop. It is a smaller one, with a black leather side and a light brown leather side. Im not sure what side I am even supposed to use. Should I strop it before I shave for the first time? Any advice you have carlmaloschneider is greatly appreciated. I am completely new to this and have just been reading posts on this forum to figure stuff out. So, I am greatly appreciative of any and all help! I saw a video of honeing that I will have to find again. I believe it was gssixguns that made the video. He was doing circular motions on a norton 4/8 and I figured I would try that if the razor turns out not to be shave ready. I am trying to keep sending it out to get honed as a last resort, as the mail system out here is extremely slow and I will be changing duty stations in the next 2 months.