Thread: Newbie Demo

Well, here I am, better late than never, the newbie who received a face-to-face lesson from your comrade in arms, Al Raz. His recounting of the July 4th event is completely accurate, from the eerie ping of the hair drawn across his razor to the perplexed and annoyed guests at the party who just wanted to use the damn bathroom, already.

I still have a lot to learn, and because I shave infrequently (once a week on average), it will probably be years before I feel completely confident with a straight razor in my hand. I have shaved twice now on my own, each time pushing myself into new territory and each time drawing blood. It's a good thing I allow so much time between shavings. Gives me time to heal.

During the latest shave (this past Saturday morning) I glimpsed a tiny spark at the end of the tunnel. After going as far as I dared with the straight razor, I picked up my old Trac II to finish up. For a brief second, I didn't know quite what to do with it, which way to pull, with how much force. In struggling so hard to learn something new, I am already beginning to forget the old.

Al Raz noted how grateful he was to have had the opportunity to teach someone how to shave. I understand that, but it is I who owe the most gratitude. Without his thoughtful and complete demonstration, I would never have made the leap, and now I am on my way.

I would also like to express my thanks to all of you who are behind this informative and helpful website. I learned a lot from the Wiki and will keep coming back for more.