Quote Originally Posted by Recluse View Post
Hey all. I've been wetshaving for awhile now. Been shaving with DE blades for the better part of the last 6-7 years, though I did take a break and was shaving with a Schick Hydro5 for a year and a half or so on a regular basis because a job I had required that I travel all the time and it was just simply easier to toss that into a bag than all my wetshaving gear, heck, didn't even really use any shave cream with it, was just looking to keep the beard cut down enough to satisfy occasional work 'no facial hair' requirements.

Anyway, so I've been wetshaving, like I said, for awhile now and decided I was going to give a straight a try. I tried it once back shortly after I started wetshaving and didn't even really give it a fair shot, started one shave, had a little trouble getting it to shave, got nervous, and put it up and haven't used it since. Decided to give it another go and stick with it this time even if I have to take some time building up to a full shave with one and use a combination of the straight and my DEs until that point.

I placed an order with Straight Razor Designs for the Ralph Aust 5/8 razor and strop kit, upgrading to the 3" strop and included the DVD to give me a little guidance on it all this time. I still have the straight from when I tried the first time put away but I'm not sure what its like after this time and figure it'd almost certainly need to be looked at by someone capable of putting a proper edge on it again.

Now I'm just waiting for the shipment to come so I can watch the DVD and start the journey.
That's EXACTLY what I got from them, just a few days back. Followed up by a whole buncha hones (which came in surprisingly handy already). It's a WAY different feel than a DE and I can easily see how one could get overconfident. I've only tried thrice, and this latest time the whole face (10 minutes ago, in fact). It seemed so easy and foolproof, just move the blade and it rides of the skin.

But ... beware overconfidence! (not speaking from experience here, happily, but it's pretty clear what that blade can do if you move just the teensiest bit longitudinally. Egads!